NEWBRIDGE will not be entering an under-18 football team in the Loddon Valley league this season.
An effort to build junior numbers has been unsuccessful, so the Maroons will only field senior and reserves sides in 2025. It comes as a blow to the league, which has been trying to add clubs to what was only a five-team junior competition last season.
Newbridge emerged largely unscathed from its practice match with Dunolly last Saturday.
The Maroons fielded a young team against the Eagles, with 10 senior players unavailable for selection. “If there had been a scoreboard, they would have won,” assistant coach Tyler Constable said.
“But based on what sort of a team we had, it was good to get a few games into some of the younger players.”
He was particularly impressed with 15-year-old speedster Tom Fox, suggesting senior football might be possible for him this year.
Newbridge will have a final pre-season hit out against Golden Rivers side Wandella as part of a 10-team charity carnival of football at Pyramid Hill on Saturday week.