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PDF HAMILTON Imperial Football Netball Club and the Hampden Football Netball League (HFNL) are exploring their legal options in a desperate last attempt for the Bulldogs to join the Warrnambool-based competition in 2012.The HFNL has employed a Melbourne-based legal team to explore avenues the two parties can take to secure the league move.
The Victorian Country Football League (VCFL) board refused Imperials’ application to transfer from the Western Border Football League to the HFNL on November 18, making it the fifth failed attempt by the club in 20 years to join the eight team competition.
Imperials and the HFNL are expected to know their legal options by late Friday.
HFNL vice-president Peter Manoel said league chief executive Stephen Soulsby had been consulting with a Melbourne-based legal firm.
“Stephen is exploring every option and he has made a couple of phone calls to identify these options,” Manoel said.
“I do know that the people we are going through are barristers and solicitors based in Melbourne.
“Not Queen’s council.”
Manoel said the league was determined to give the Hamilton-based club every opportunity to get its desired outcome.
“We’re just exploring every option at this stage,” he said.
“All we want to do is explore every option to give Imperials the best chance of joining the Hampden Football Netball League.”
Imperials’ journey to join the HFNL began in August when 99.9 percent of its member voted in favour of the shift.
Hampden’s vice-president said Imperials had shown they were not going to give up.
“They obviously want to leave, they don’t want to play in the Western Border,” Manoel said.
“The VCFL have gone against the 99.9 per cent of Imperials members and sided with the .1 per cent which I think is ridiculous.
“You think common sense would prevail.”
