Cobar Blues are looking ahead to 2016

The Cobar Blues held their annual general meeting on Sunday at the Great Western Hotel. The committee welcomed Jennifer Mitchell back to the position of club treasurer, Robbie Mitchell and Bianka Jacobson (absent) share co-presidents role and Naomi Whitehurst returned to the position of secretary.
The Cobar Blues held their annual general meeting on Sunday at the Great Western
Hotel. The committee welcomed Jennifer Mitchell back to the position of club treasurer, Robbie Mitchell and Bianka Jacobson (absent) share co-presidents role and Naomi Whitehurst returned to the position of secretary.

The Cobar Blues Football & Netball Club held their annual general meeting on Sunday at the Great Western Hotel.

Robbie Mitchell and Bianka Jacobsen were elected as co-presidents after a suggestion to share the role between representatives from AFL and netball.

Jennifer Mitchell returned to the position of treasurer and Naomi Whitehurst took on the role of secretary for another year.

Travis Dunlevy presented the committee with a list of 21 local AFL players who had expressed an interest in forming a team to play in the Northern Riverina competition next season, however the number still falls short of that required to confidently field a team next season.

Despite only needing 18 to play on the field each week, the club had set a benchmark of 30 players required to help offset the impact of shift worker availability on game days.

At least 10 of the players on the list of 21 are on the same shift roster.

The Blues have elected not to enter an AFL team or netball sides into the Northern Riverina competition next season and moved to at the meeting decline their invitation to attend the Northern Riverina annual general meeting.

The club had a great response from local netball players who are keen to play in the Netball NSW State Age Championships next year.

The Blues will develop an under 12’s netball team who will play at carnivals, along with an under 15’s, 21’s and open sides who will also play at carnivals to gain experience before the state age championships in June 2016.

AFL in Cobar could develop into a local mixed competition with the outgoing president Tanya Gilbert suggesting an AFL 9s Club Model as an option and rebuilding point for the club.

She said this style has been adopted in other regional areas and has been successful in keeping the code alive.

The committee discussed the option and considered developing a social competition which could be played on a week night, to spark an interest in the sport again.

The committee will met in late January to further discuss next year’s plans.