After the alignment between the Northern Blues and Carlton ended in March, the VFL side were left in the dark...until now it seems
The Northern Blues are aiming to team up with the Sandringham Zebras to form an alliance for the 2020 VFL season, reportsย The Herald Sun.ย
The Northern Blues have reportedly offered up players, coaches and volunteers to be Sandringham's support system in 2020.
Zebras secretary Dennis Galimberti said the alliance would be sorted out and confirmed once a date has been set to resume VFL action.
With it looking increasingly likely there will be a VFL season in 2020, Sandringham themselves have become a lone club after St Kilda made their current listed players unavailable, paving the way for this arranged combination.
With the Zebras being granted the chance to bring in more players by the AFL, the Northern Blues are keen to bring their players across.
โDespite them being in recess, theyโve kindly offered to supplement the Sandringham squad of players and to transfer any Northern Blues players who want to play for us for the balance of the season,โโ Galimberti toldย The Herald Sun.ย
โSteve is trying to restore his own club at a time when itโs in crisis, but heโs extended an arm of friendship to help us field a team.
โWeโre talking about volunteers and coaches as well as players. Itโs a unique situation where youโve got a cross-town rival in the northern suburbs coming to assist a southern-based team in its hour of need.โโ
Blues president Steve Papal and coach Josh Fraser approached Galimberti and Sandringham president Nick Johnston to further discuss the Blues-Zebras affiliation.
Papal believes it would be a great opportunity for all involved moving forward.
โI think a lot of the young ones will want to have a run,โโ he said.
โIt will be a good opportunity for them to play some VFL footy and gain some confidence for the future.โโ
Papal also hopes that Fraser will be apart of the coaching panel for the newly formed affiliation.
โWeโll all help out. You canโt half-help somebody,โโ he said.
โJosh is dealing with the playersโ side of it. They love Josh and theyโre supportive of the idea.โโ
