CLUBS in the East Gippsland Football League have voted in favour of the league investigating its options to field a representative team in a higher-standard competition.
The league has long been considering entering a side in the Gippsland league as a way of reducing the player drain to major leagues.
About 15 of East Gippsland's best footballers play at Sale and Maffra in the Gippsland League, with the trend indicating a need for a higher level of competition.
Under the proposal, East Gippsland players could play major league football in one of the league's under-16, under-18, or senior representative sides in the Gippsland League.
East Gippsland would not field a reserves team, as players who missed out on representative selection would return to their home club at district level.
But East Gippsland league president Steve Butler said clubs would not commit to the proposal until they knew all the details.
"We're starting a team from the ground up, so we really are trying to make sure we cover all areas," Butler said.
League general manager Rod Twining said an invitation to join the representative club would also be extended to players in the Omeo and District league.
The league is currently trying to finance the plan, with administration also a concern.
"But we've got parents who will be interested, because their kids will want to be involved in this," Twining said.
Butler said clubs were also concerned about losing their best players to the representative side.
"But they're losing good players already," he said.
"They want to play football (in the Gippsland League), we just need to facilitate it from our end."
The proposal would also be an advantage for the Gippsland League, which has been looking to eliminate the bye created by Garfield's move to the Ellinbank and District league this season.
Gippsland League general manager Chris Soumilas said the biggest problem with the proposal would be getting all East Gippsland league clubs to agree on the details.
But he said the side could be playing in the major league next season if a plan was brought to the league before September.
"Then we can put it to our clubs. We've got to weigh up the pros and cons," Soumilas said.
"It's a long process."
Butler is optimistic that 2011 is a realistic goal for the representative side.
"The interest is there, and the talk around town is high and very positive."
The East Gippsland league will meet with its clubs again in August to discuss details of the proposal.
