New Western Region Football League chief executive Ritchie Hinton said it’s an exciting time for the league.
Having started his new role in early November, it’s been a busy time for Hinton with the possible departures of Deer Park and St Albans, while Aintree and the Western Spurs have joined the league.
Hinton said coming out of three years overshadowed by COVID-19, there were plenty of positive things to look forward to.
He said it had been a challenging few years for everyone involved in the league and at club land.
“It’s not my first rodeo,” he said. “I’m a westie and have only lived here since moving from England.
“Things are really familiar to me and it’s a really exciting time. We’ve come out of COVID and our strategic plan finishes now.
“It’s about resetting from the top down and from the bottom up.”
Hinton said they would really look to speak to their key stakeholders, including clubs to see what direction the league heads in.
He said they would work with the likes of AFL Victoria to avoid the duplication of resources and listen to the clubs and learn from them.
“We’ll look at infrastructure and facilities,” he said. “We’ll look at areas of non-traditional patronage.
“I’m a local who cares about the role of supporting and developing the community.”
Hinton said that the location of the league meant they had their own unique challenges and opportunities, including growing suburbs and borders.
He said partners like the Western Bulldogs, AFL Victorian, Victoria University and Netball Australia would all play a big role in helping the league grow and move forward.
“There are so many people wanting this to work and to grow as well,” he said.
“We’ll look to narrow down our focus and logic during the strategic plan process. There will be a few hiccups, but we’re not going to let that derail us and the bigger picture.”
