Sport
4 February, 2025
Grampians Cricket Association senior competition to disband after grand final
A delegates meeting on February 3 confirmed the future.
After almost six decades of Grampians' cricketing history, the final chapter will be written on the senior competition.
Delegates from the Grampians Cricket Association's senior and junior clubs voted to disband the open-age competition, with the Saturday, March 1, grand final the last match.
However, the junior competition will become the Association's primary focus.
GCA Secretary Marc Brilliant said there were not enough people to run the senior league.
"The main reason, ahead of teams nominations, was we couldn't form an executive for next year," Brilliant said.
"We called for four positions that probably needed to be filled next year, and we might have got one who put their hand forward."
The difficult decision came after a crisis meeting in August, during which clubs were asked to develop plans for the future.
Clubs are now tasked with finding suitable competitions with neighbouring associations.
Brilliant said that creating pathways and retaining junior players is paramount.
"It will still be a Grampians committee, but it will be junior-driven," he said.
"The priority is to make sure there are clubs in the area still playing cricket, so obviously, the juniors become an integral part of that."
Brilliant said there would still be challenges moving forward.
"It is still going to be hard with the juniors to keep it on track," he said.
"We've got clubs who have got juniors who would be moving elsewhere, and we're going to take all that into account."
Several neighbouring associations, including the Horsham Cricket Association, Maryborough and District Cricket Association and the Wimmera Mallee Cricket Association, could be suitable for GCA clubs.
HCA president Justtin Combe said the league was contacted by one club regarding a potential change
He said it would have to work for both parties.
"As long as it's a fit for both our association and for themselves," Combe said.
"We're happy to pick up the phone to talk and communicate."
Combe said it is too early to consider next season, but the association would listen to potential new members.
"If we can strengthen our competition [however many clubs it is] we'd be mad not to have those discussions," he said.
"There's not a lot of loopholes you've got to jump through [when joining a new association].
"As long as it all works, then it can happen pretty quickly."
The current GCA executive will hold a general meeting in the next two weeks, with juniors high on the agenda.
The annual general meeting is scheduled for August, and the plan is to elect a junior committee.