mmg.com.au

Finley Football Club is not happy with Tongala’s new jumper design.

At the club’s training session on Wednesday night, one player wore the Tongala strip and trained among the blue and white hoops of the Cats.

Finley president Ashley Haynes said like Numurkah, the club was exploring all avenues and assessing its options.

He said he did not know how Tongala’s colours were approved at ‘‘50 per cent blue and 50 per cent white’’.

‘‘We understand they came into the league as the Blues and I can feel where they’re coming from,’’ he said.

‘‘But just because it’s country football are we any less parochial than the AFL?’’

The president said the use of white shorts would make a slight difference, but not much.

He said he was frustrated that the issue was not dealt with when Tongala entered the league in 2006, particularly because he was not at the club at the time.

Finley’s displeasure was nothing personal against Tongala and any rumour that it was could not be further from the truth, he said.

Tongala president Barry Nexhip said he was not surprised Finley and Numurkah were unhappy with the design, but as far as he was concerned the club had adhered to the league’s request.

‘‘We were invited to join the Murray footy league from the Goulburn Valley league,’’ he said.

‘‘In the minutes before we joined in 2006 it said: ‘Tongala jumper colours (light blue) approved for away strip and whenever they play Numurkah with white shorts and pale blue socks. This combination is also to be worn in finals. Tongala to be encouraged to change over completely in 2008’.

‘‘Now I see that as changing to completely light blue and not any other colours and we’ve resolved that.’’

He also said he did not have a problem with the club having the same nickname as Numurkah.

‘‘I think if you look at the KDL (Kyabram District Football League) there’s two or three sides with the name Lions,’’ he said in reference to Undera and Stanhope sharing the same nickname.

‘‘It was known at the start of 2006 what our colours were and what our name was, otherwise the club might have looked at a different league like the KDL or Heathcote.’’

Former MFL general manager Wayne Burrows, who was present at the time of Tongala’s admission to the league, said he could not believe the jumper debate had reared its head again.

‘‘Tongala half-reluctantly accepted to go to the light blue which they would use against Numurkah and in away games,’’ he said.

‘‘Nothing was ever mentioned about their nickname.

‘‘If I was still with the league I reckon it would be magnificent to see a new design with the blue and the white stripes.’’

Finley and Numurkah have one week to lodge an appeal to the league if they chose, which would cost $750.

The appeal costs $250 plus a $500 deposit, which the club would receive back if the appeal was upheld and a portion of the deposit if it was not.