FOOTBALL
By LIAM DURKIN
NOW this makes for an interesting exercise.
Omeo District Football-Netball League club Omeo-Benambra is committed to honouring its heritage by playing at least one game a year at both venues.
While the club’s official home base is Omeo, the Alpine Ranges also play the odd game at Benambra, where some of the club’s memorabilia prior to the merger is still stored.
There is scope to do something similar across Gippsland, although the options are very limited.
Orbost, thanks to a thriving timber industry, once had two teams in town, as did Korumburra around the turn of the century.
Korumburra merged with Bena, who played at Korumburra Recreation Reserve, now used for soccer and home to Korumburra Cricket Club.
The merged club plays at the Korumburra Showgrounds, considered the superior facility.
Orbost Snowy Rovers play at Lochiel Street Reserve. Snowy Rovers played at the town’s main recreation reserve (home to the cricket club), although it was considered too small when the two rival clubs joined in 2003.
For other merged clubs, grounds are now mostly rural localities that would not be able to accommodate full-scale Saturday football-netball matches.
Boisdale merged with Briagolong in 1982, and has played at Boisdale ever since. The picturesque Briagolong oval still gets use as a turf cricket ground and for junior football.
Wonthaggi Power is a merged club, yet both the old Wonthaggi Rovers and Wonthaggi Blues shared the same facility used in the Gippsland League.
South Gippsland clubs have seen a number of mergers over time.
Most were put through during the 1950s, at a time when games were most likely played in more ‘social’ conditions.
Kilcunda merged with Bass around this time, as did Inverloch and Kongwak.
Mid Gippsland club Meeniyan Dumbalk United came about in 1964. Initially, the merged club alternated between playing games at Meeniyan and Dumbalk, before making Meeniyan its home in 1977.
The Demons still use Dumbalk as a training venue during preseason and the cricket club uses it for lower grade matches.
Neighbouring town Mirboo North technically has a second ground in actual Mirboo itself.
The rural ground was ‘home’ to the Morwell River prison cricket team. By all accounts, there was some frightening fast bowlers who got off the bus on occasions.
The prison, which closed in 1997, perhaps took its ‘minimum security’ label a bit too literally. Prisoners would reportedly sneak out to the Boolarra Pub, sometimes with prison guards joining them.
Elsewhere, Neerim merged with Neerim South in the 1950s. As NNS (although it only appears as Neerim South on PlayHQ), the Cats play at Neerim South. Blink and you will miss the Neerim Recreation Reserve and its turf wicket on the drive out to Noojee.
People may think Nilma Darnum is a merged club, but there has simply been name changes throughout its history. The club has also been known as Darnum and Nilma Lillico.
The same is relevant for Traralgon Tyers United, who were initially established as a Traralgon seconds side in 1980, and have always played at Tyers.
Perhaps the most poignant, if equally tragic, of the grounds possibility is Yallourn Yallourn North.
Yallourn of course played at the famed No 1 Oval before the town was dug up. The oval had full time curators, and many locals are adamant it was comparable to the MCG for the 1956 Olympics.
Undoubtedly the most complex club involved in this exercise is Woodside.
The Wildcats in their current form are actually Woodside and District, who broke from Devon-Welshpool-Won Wron-Woodside in 2008.
Prior to that there was two clubs (Devon-Welshpool and Won Wron-Woodside), and before that, all four competed separately.
Given Won Wron-Woodside merged with Devon-Welshpool before breaking away, there is still some sensitivity over the merged club’s history.
Woodside District does however recognise DWWWW on honour boards at Woodside Recreation Reserve, although trophies won by the Allies are stored at Alberton West Recreation Reserve.
The Won Wron ground still exists, although it has become little more than a paddock with goalposts, while the Welshpool facility is used by Prom Coast Soccer Club.
