Hume league boss reveals what it will take to slash season to 16 rounds

Hume league president Phil Bouffler alongside Henty president Matt Kilo after the Swampies' grand final triumph over Osborne. Picture by Mark Jesser

The Hume Football Netball League is facing a major decision on the future of its season, with clubs to vote on whether to cut the home-and-away fixture from 18 rounds to 16.

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League president Phil Bouffler says the proposal will require an overwhelming majority to pass, with at least eight of the competition's 12 clubs needing to support the move.

A 7-5 result in favour will not be enough.

"If it is only 7-5, that is only one club changing sides and is too close," Bouffler said.

"It's got to be decisive and be at least 8-4 because it is a big change.

"If we can't get to that point, I'm assuming we will stay at 18 rounds."

Henty won the flag this season, its first since 2012. Picture by Mark Jesser

The issue has returned this year, with most clubs surveying their members before making a final vote at a league meeting in October.

Bouffler said the push for a shorter season had come from the clubs, with reducing the workload on volunteers the major driver.

"It is primarily about easing the burden on volunteers, simple as that," he said.

"You have to take into account in all our local communities that it is a lot of the same volunteers who give up their time in winter for their clubs, do the same during summer as well.

"So it is not just about football-netball volunteers, it's about community volunteering."

Hume league president Phil Bouffler felt the mimimum break between the cricket and football seasons added extra pressure to volunteers. File picture

Bouffler said the lack of a meaningful break between cricket and football was placing increasing pressure on families.

"Cricket finishes one week and then football basically starts the following week," he said.

"With families and the rising cost of living we need to be mindful of the work and life balance.

"This is what the clubs are telling us."

But the debate remains far from clear-cut.

"Each club is divided on what is the best decision," Bouffler said.

"Some people involved want 16, some want 18 and that's the hard part, everyone has got a different opinion.

"As a league we are just being guided by what the clubs want and are keeping an open mind.

"It has been driven by the clubs - it's not a league initiative."

One of the issues of a shortened season is less football for juniors. File picture

One of the biggest concerns raised about reducing the season has been the impact on junior football.

"Probably the most common theme is the impact it is going to have on juniors," Bouffler said.

"The nature of kids, most kids want to play more football not less.

"It is a valid point and that's one aspect clubs have to consider."

There are also financial implications for clubs, with each side potentially losing one home game while the league's salary cap would remain unchanged.

"That is a potential issue," Bouffler said.

"Especially because the salary cap will remain the same.

"We have the same salary cap as the Farrer league which is a 16-round competition.

"So that puts us behind the Farrer league in terms of ratio.

"It will make a difference to recruiting if 16 rounds comes to fruition because clubs will have a bit more money with two less games.

"But clubs will also have to be mindful they have one less home game to earn revenue."

Players with young families may find a shortened season more attractive. File picture

Bouffler believes a shorter season could also appeal to some prospective recruits, particularly players with young families.

He pointed to the changes in player priorities since the COVID-19 pandemic, when some footballers discovered the benefits of having their weekends back.

"Maybe some players will head to the Hume league because they have two less rounds," he said.

"Other players might prefer 18 rounds, so will potentially switch competitions.

"So some players want 16 rounds - some don't. We just have to wade through the whole issue and come up with what the clubs want."

The league has already circulated three theoretical fixture models for clubs to consider - an 18-round option and two different 16-round structures.

One of the 16-round proposals included an extra general bye, but clubs have already rejected that option.

"It will be either 16 rounds or 18 rounds," Bouffler said.

Phil Bouffler said the Hume league won't be changing its traditional grand final date if the season is shortened. File picture

If the shorter season gets the required support, the Hume league will change its starting date.

"What will happen is we will start two weeks later than normal, simple as that," Bouffler said.

"We will keep our traditional grand final date and work backwards from that.

"We want to maintain our traditional grand final date."

Bouffler believes there is little reason to alter the date of the grand final after the success of this year's decider.

"Why would we change our grand final date when we just had one of the biggest gates and crowds in league history?" he said.

"It was one of the most successful days in Hume league history, so I'm not sure why anybody would want to change the grand final date."

The eventual decision will shape more than the length of the 2027 season.

It will determine how much football players get, how clubs structure their finances, how attractive the competition is to recruits and how much pressure is placed on the volunteers who keep the Hume league running.

For Bouffler, however, the message from the clubs remains the same: the league's next chapter should be determined by what its 12 member clubs believe is best for the competition.

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