WAFL: East Fremantle Football Club quashes ‘financial hardship’ talk

East Fremantle Football Club are not on the road to financial hardship — that’s the blunt message from the Sharks. Questions and concerns were raised after the blue and whites launched a Go Fund Me page seeking $200,000. The figure is what the Sharks are aiming for to cover the loss of predicted income over the next year. The club board formed a restart committee to steer fundraising initiatives. The Go Fund Me project raised $30,000 in the first weekend. And the Sharks, with the second highest number (29) of senior premierships (Port Adelaide has 36 in the SANFL) nationally, has revoked claims it is in “dollar pain” — and also said it will not be reducing its involvement in the Great Northern Football League. The GNFL is the Sharks’ main regional breeding round. “The Mid West has been such a fantastic breeding ground for us for more than 50 years,” Todd Shimmon, chief executive officer of the EFFC, said. “The club provides an important pathway for junior footballers to follow their dreams to the WAFL and the AFL. “We don’t intend to change any of our services or commitment to the Mid West. We will not be withdrawing any services or stopping our involvement with the Mid West.” Shimmon said the Sharks had been informed by the AFL and the WAFC that future grants will be reduced. “We are also predicting most sponsors and members will be in financial hardship and there will be a reduction in support there.” Shimmon said the fundraising move was a “look to the future.” “We are looking six to 12 months down the road when we come out of the COVID-19 pandemic,” he added. “We are being proactive to protect and secure funding. We believe our next 12 months will be the most difficult, before the economy starts to recover.” Meanwhile, a meeting in Perth on May 8 may determine when country football starts in WA. WA Football Commission officials and the WA Country Football League will discuss a probable start date. Presidents and coaches of the seven clubs in the GNFL met with league officials, who have drawn up a set of fixtures, on Tuesday night. “The presidents and coaches were told things can still change (with COVID-19) and I didn’t want them to see the fixtures we propose,” GNFL president Colin Cox said. “I was expecting a bit of banter from them, but there was only a few questions. “Everybody is pretty good about this, they know we cannot push the boundaries and that things can quickly change. One case (COVID) at a football club and it’s all over for the year.”