mmg.com.au

Representatives from Echuca Football Club will meet with Goulburn Valley Football League delegates next Monday to try to resolve a dispute between club and league regarding this season’s draw.

The Murray Bombers have invoked rule 25 of the GVFL constitution, which sets out the grievance procedure for disputes.

The Murray Bombers’ first scheduled match for the season is at Rochester on Easter Saturday on March 30, but they have requested to play the match the following week.

Echuca senior coach Cameron Stewart said the club had organised all its practice matches around it playing on April 6, with matches planned for March 16, March 23 and Easter Saturday.

He said the financial aspect of not playing at home on the Easter weekend was the biggest concern of the club, but said there were others he would not comment further on.

League general manager Keith Wellman said Echuca had been ‘‘a little bit disgruntled’’ about not having a home match on Easter Saturday.

He said the league had sent Echuca a letter saying it expected the club to ‘‘fulfil their obligation’’ with Rochester and pointed out ‘‘the rules and regulation of the constitution’’.

Rules regarding the discipline of members includes penalties of fines, suspension of membership to the league or expulsion.

‘‘We didn’t threaten them in any way, just pointed out the rules of the constitution that could be applied if the club didn’t carry out what was expected of them,’’ Wellman said.

‘‘They sent us back a letter last week to say they were going to invoke rule 25 in the constitution.’’

If the dispute is not settled next Monday, the parties must hold another meeting within 10 days in the presence of a mediator under constitution rule 25.3.

Rochester president Max Hann said as of yesterday afternoon his club had not received notification from Echuca about the request not to play the scheduled Easter Saturday match, and it would be ‘‘financially devastating’’ for the Tigers if they didn’t.

Rochester has played away Easter weekend matches to Shepparton United, Echuca and Kyabram the past three seasons and Hann said it had ‘‘done our turn travelling’’.

‘‘We’re going along steadily (with preparations), but as far as we’re concerned we’re going to follow the draw,’’ Hann said.

It has also been a tough week for the Murray Bombers on the track with reigning club best-and-fairest winner Scott McGlone the second confirmed departure in a week.

McGlone’s work commitments in Melbourne will prevent him from pulling on the green guernsey this year, while Axel Childs has joined rival GVFL club Kyabram.

Stewart said the club had been in constant contact with McGlone since August, but supported his decision.

‘‘If the opportunity does arise he’ll be back playing, but he needs to give this six months at his best, and they were his words, and we’re fully supportive of that,’’ Stewart said.