Football
THE Yoogali Wanderers will not be going anywhere after the newly-formed club was granted permission to join the Griffith District Football Association.
Ending a tumultuous political impasse, the Wanderers are now set to put to bed threats the club could jump ship and play in Wagga following a secret ballot held on Friday.
GDFA members voted 9-2 in favour of allowing the Yoogali FC offshoots to join the association with a first-grade and a reserves team only.
This is not enough to fulfill the "criteria" ruling that was the source of controversy last week, which stipulated that the club needed either a women's or under 17s team in addition.
President Matthew Curran told The Area News he had word “as good as” official from the club that the Wagga move was off the cards.
He also confirmed the criteria that stopped Yoogali Soccer Club from returning to the Regional Premier League this season did not apply to the Wanderers.
“As soon as Yoogali Soccer Club comes to grips with it the better they’ll be,” he said.
“That criteria was set for someone going external to our association. These people (Wanderers) are joining our association.
“They are not taking another team from our association.
“We spoke to them at the back end of last season. That’s what we wanted, three teams, but obviously we live in Griffith and there’s only so many people to choose from.”
This is inconsistent with the views of Yoogali SC president Paul Fisher, who insisted it applies to all clubs in the GDFA.
“We’ve got nothing against the Wanderers playing in this competition. But this association has continually used rules as they see fit,” he said.
“Why have the rule? If every year it’s been disregarded, why have it? Is that good governance?
“I actually tabled a motion that we do away with the rule but at that point everyone felt we should have the rule. There in itself is a contradiction.”
Fisher also clarified that no vote took place last Monday night at an association meeting.
“There was simply a discussion on the matter and the majority at that point of the discussion all had the same view – what’s the point of having rules if we’re going to override them all the time?”