The most unique AFL alignment in the Peter Jackson VFL will come to a close at the end of the 2015 season.
Last November the announcement was made that North Melbourne would end its partial alignment with Werribee and North Ballarat Football Clubs. From 2016 they will become a fully aligned partner of Werribee, with North Ballarat to go standalone.
This weekend the two clubs will meet for the final time in a home and away season game as aligned partners of the Kangaroos.
Werribee President John Nicol outlined the reason behind the decision of his board to move to a full alignment with North Melbourne from next season.
“This is one of the biggest decisions in the fifty year history of our club and was the result of exhaustive talks between the two clubs and extensive research by our board and staff.
“In the end the financial and football future of the club saw this as our best option for the 2016 and 2017 seasons.”
Under the agreement Werribee will retain its name, nickname, colours, theme song and home ground, with current Werribee coach John Lamont to be the senior coach until the end of the 2017 season.
Lamont, who was a development and line coach at Arden Street for seven years before taking on the role at Werribee, is looking forward to the continuation of the alignment.
“The relationship between the two clubs is very strong, very healthy and has produced good results.
“Werribee has developed players like Ben Brown and Luke McDonald that North has drafted, and we have seen North listed players like Mason Wood (29 games) and Daniel Currie (31 games) hone their skills playing for Werribee, all to the benefit of the North Melbourne Football Club.
“We have also seen the likes of Ben Ross, Ben Warren and Ben Speight choose to continue their football at Werribee after being delisted by the Kangaroos.”
North Ballarat will next season become the fifth VFL standalone club, joining Coburg, Frankston, Port Melbourne and Williamstown.
Roosters coach Gerard FitzGerald will be sad to see the relationship with North Melbourne end, with three premierships highlighting the strength of the partnership since it started in 2008.
“I am sad our relationship is going to end - and I call it a relationship, rather than an alignment or a partnership, as to me it is a genuine relationship – in my view it has been the most successful AFL/VFL relationship since 2000.
“So while we will sadly depart at the end of the year, we are all driven at North Ballarat and North Melbourne to have a good season to finish off, then it is on to another evolution for the club.”
North Melbourne Director of Football Geoff Walsh said the new full alignment with Werribee would help with the clubs football programs in the region.
“The full alignment will see the North Melbourne Football Club and its players become even more present in the City of Wyndham, adding to the community programs and initiatives already run by the two clubs.
“Both Werribee and North Melbourne will benefit greatly from the full alignment and we are sure that not only will this decision enhance the football programs of both clubs but the joint approach will further imprint our game in the Western Region.”
Last Modified on 25/04/2015 10:06
