Football Federation Victoria (FFV) is excited to release the new Junior Metropolitan League structure to be implemented in 2010.

Junior football participation in Victoria is growing at a rapid pace (up from 19,055 juniors in 2003, to 28,209 in 2009) and with the World Cup coming up next year, participation in the sport is set to surge.

FFV has always been concerned about the distance families have had to travel to play our sport. For that reason, the metropolitan area will be broken up into six zones, up from the previous four, and still consisting of 10 team leagues. With the format moving to Zones the need to travel large distances is greatly reduced. The flow on effect from the more localised competitions will hopefully see player numbers increase.

Football Federation Victoria CEO, Mark Rendell, said the restructure would benefit everyone.

“This new structure will mean less travel, finals for all leagues, and the focus more on player development across all grades with all teams required to have an identified coach in 2010,” Mr Rendell said.

“Since 2006 – the year of the last World Cup – there has been a 33% increase in participation, or 77 Junior Boys Leagues to 100 Junior Boys Leagues.

“We can therefore expect more growth and another surge in Junior team entries following the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa in May 2010.”

The four zone league structure originally created to accommodate 390 junior boys teams in 1999 has become outdated. A change is now necessary to better suit over 1000 Junior boys teams in 2010.

Mr Rendell said the restructure is necessary to accommodate the continual growth of the sport at junior level.

“By rezoning the leagues now, we will be prepared for the future growth and be able to accommodate the best possible league structure to suit the number of team entries.”

Instead of the traditional North, West, South and East Divisions Clubs have been placed into their Melbourne Metropolitan Zones which falls in line with Football Federation Victoria’s Strategic Plan and better fits the growth of Junior Football with Clubs increasing the size of their Junior teams and new Clubs arising in new and existing areas.

The Boys leagues have been broken down into the following Zones for 2010:

- South East

- Southern

- Eastern and North East

- Central and Northern

- North West

- Western

Significant changes have also occurred for the Junior Girls leagues. The Junior Girls Metropolitan leagues have been re-structured (formerly consisting of clubs from North, West, South and East all in the one division) into a more suitable format.

The Girls leagues have been broken down into the following Zones for 2010:

- Western, North West and Northern

- Central, North East and Eastern

- South East and Southern

The Under 13’s and 14’s have combined, as has the Under 15’s and Under 16’s. This has been done so Clubs can be rezoned to minimise travel and not have the requirement for junior girls to travel across the entire metropolitan area for their games.

The Junior Girls have also had a positive increase in player numbers throughout the last four years meaning it is now possible to create leagues that are zonal.

There will no longer be a boys Super League competition. However, there will still be a finals series so players can still test themselves against the best from across Melbourne. The winners of every single division from the Under 12 age group through to the Under 18’s, this is for both the Junior Boys and Junior Girls leagues will be placed into a final series.

Please note this is the ‘Proposed League Structure’ therefore some Clubs may not wish to compete next season in certain age groups or they may wish to enter new teams in other age groups. Once team entries have

U13's to play with U14's
U15's to play with U16's

... Now next year ive got to try out with fucking U16's which makes it harder.

Speaking from a scouting point of view - it'll make it a lot harder for us to see all of the best kids in the area, and the dilution of talent will also make spotting that talent less entertaining.



Based on the article I'd say that it's only the girls who will be sharing 13/14 and 15/16. The Boys will still be in yearly divisions.

it will just insulate the boys club of monkeys that currently control the junior structure at the FFV.

just dilute all the talent, so we have to go away and play teams like moorolbark and stonnington and glen waverley, who truthfully don't deserve to be in the top league i'ms orry=;

bud, when I was coaching kids we had to travel to Knox, Heatherton, Frankston, Gisbourne... if you really want to play you wouldnt care who you play against you just want to pull the boots on and take the mickey if youre good enough

yea i agree with both of your statements, but the point is i wanna play against the best players, and test myself against them.
no-one wants to play and win 6-0 that's just pointless and doesn't gain anythjing, it's good in a nice even league, while this league has the potential to be lopsided with 3-4 good teams 3-4 horrible teams and 3-4 average teams

but i guess wel'l cope, in a few years i'm sure it'll pay ooff

are you currently in the VCL system? Thats the intention to move the elite players to that system. Power junior clubs e.g. Keilor Park, Green Gully will see their bases eroded as they cant guarantee parents that their kids would be playing S/L junior football.

you'll find that even within S/L structures there are clubs there that dont make the grade and get the pastings that they deserve. When I was coaching S/L there was one club that we pasted both times by +10. What could you do? Nothing...

FFV to place a cup of Harden the f**k up for every player upon registration...only kidding

Believe me the FFV have never had a clue about anything. If some dutch ring-in with a coaching degree that came from a box of kellogs and FFA accreditation walked up and said we should remove the league system and just let the kids play matches because it would develop players who are more interested in the skill aspect instead of playing for a result, believe me it would be introduced tomorrow.

Kid, get used to playing for that VCL club, give it a couple of years and seniors will be established and they will replace the VPL.

are you currently in the VCL system? Thats the intention to move the elite players to that system. Power junior clubs e.g. Keilor Park, Green Gully will see their bases eroded as they cant guarantee parents that their kids would be playing S/L junior football.

you'll find that even within S/L structures there are clubs there that dont make the grade and get the pastings that they deserve. When I was coaching S/L there was one club that we pasted both times by +10. What could you do? Nothing...

WTF!!!! Champions league is cancelled!!!! :cry: no way!' what's happening??

This is screwed up
in the east the decent clubs are

boxhill
bulleen
monash
south melborune
berwick
oakleigh are alright

ok then the second tier
croydon
dandenong
Doncaster
that's about it

Make your complaints at info@footballfedvic.com.au

My mates are making there complaints. Make your complaints too.

I Shall send a message to footballfedvic to look at this thread, to be honest what the fuck are football federation victoria changing, the old structure was fine.

The FFV has lost its head. absoulutely lost its head.

What age group are you? And what club do you play for?

ayy mate I told in pm ;)
don't want lots of staplers :P
ffv get some brains!!

I'd fuck your structure up :x