League rejects Dingoes’ move

– Glen Atwell
THE Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League (MPNFL) has rejected Dingley’s request to exit the league, despite an overwhelming number of the Casey-Cardinia League coaches voting in favour of its immediate release.
The struggling Dingoes signalled their intentions to move from the powerhouse league to the Southern Football League (SFL) division three competition, but the MPNFL board declared the club’s 11th-hour request unacceptable.
A vote taken by the other 11 clubs resulted in 7-3 favouring the exit, but the board overruled the verdict.
The clubs in favour of allowing Dingley to pursue its interests in the SFL were Keysborough, Doveton, Tooradin, Hampton Park, Beaconsfield and Devon Meadows.
Cranbourne, Berwick and Narre Warren opposed the move, and Pakenham failed to record a vote.
Having not recruited a single player over summer, Dingley attracted single-figure numbers to preseason training sessions and was seeking to leave the league with less than a month before the first bounce.
The MPNFL decided the potential move was left too late, and requests to leave the league should be made 12 months in advance in line with league rules.