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Football is a tough game at the best of times, but few sides have gone through quite as much as the Smythesdale Bulldogs.
An hour-and-a-half west of Melbourne, Smythesdale is a country town of around 1,000 people that sits just outside the bustling regional hub of Ballarat.
Those that don the blue, white and black of the Smythesdale Bulldogs are, by their own admission, no strangers to disappointment.
The club holds the dubious honour of the longest losing streak in the Central Highlands League, failing to win a game in 83 matches between 2011 and 2015, including a horror 429-point whitewash against Gordon.
But the latest loss could be the worst, with the club without a league to play in for season 2019.
"We're disappointed, gutted, the lot," club president John Cranny said.
"The club's gone through some tough times and we've really tried to stay alive.
"We thought we were doing everything right and pretty much no-one wants us."
Bid to join rejected
The years of loss have taken a toll on the club and its supporters.
In a bid to stay afloat, the Smythesdale Bulldogs made a mid-year application to leave the Central Highlands Football league and join a less competitive grade.
But the attempt to join the Maryborough Castlemaine District Football League was rejected in September, with about 90 per cent of the existing clubs in the competition voting against accepting the struggling club.
A subsequent appeal to AFL Goldfields to repeal the decision was denied in November.
Adding insult to injury, the Central Highlands league — which had been the club's home since moving from the defunct Lexton Plains league at the end of 2010 — indicated it did not want the club back next season.
"We did everything that was asked of us, went down that path [to change leagues], left the room to go into the new room and the lights went out on us," Mr Cranny said.
In a last-ditch effort to remain alive, the club applied to join the Mininera and District League.
But their application failed to be approved by at least 75 per cent of the existing teams, leaving them little other option than to fold or go into recession for the next 12 months.
"It's made us feel like, 'what's the point?'" Mr Cranny said.
"I'm from New South Wales, I grew up playing rugby and came down here 20-something years ago and fell in love with the game, but I feel like I don't want my kids to play the game anymore.
"I just don't understand how we can have a club, and somehow we can't play footy when we have a team that wants to play.
"Somehow, no league wants us."
'I'd hate any country football club falling over'
Mininera and District Football League President John Box said the Smythesdale Bulldogs put up a good case, and that he was disappointed with the outcome.
Seven clubs out of the league's 12 voted to let the struggling club in, but not enough to meet the league's 75 per cent requirement.
"Being around country football all my life, I think it's terrible that they've gone this way," Mr Box said.
"I'd hate any country football club falling over, but we've got to look after our clubs that are in the Mininera League also.
"We've got to support our clubs before we support anyone else."
Mr Box said if the club tries again next year, it may have a better chance of success.
"I'm a little bit disappointed that they didn't get in, but if they hang around for 12 months, things can change," he said.
Mr Box said it was not just the Smythesdale Bulldogs facing challenges — clubs in his league are struggling to survive as well.
He said AFL Victoria Country should be offering more support across the board to keep country leagues and clubs strong.
"The population's dropped off heaps and we're battling to get juniors," he said.
"The farms are getting bigger and the population's just not out there."
No plan to give up yet
Smythesdale Football Netball Club secretary Bronwyn Cranny said despite feeling "crushed", she has got some ideas to keep the club going, including potentially starting up a women's football team.
"[If we go] into a recess, aside from having to start the club from nothing rather than maintaining some momentum, then we still don't have a league," Ms Cranny said, adding that the club plays a crucial role in uniting the community.
"It would rob the town of a really vital social link," she said.
Her husband, Mr Cranny, said he remains determined to keep the Smythesdale Bulldogs afloat, even if the club faces a recess next year.
"Everyone has their breaking point," Mr Cranny said.
"Some players will go to other clubs and enjoy it and some will have loyalty and come back — it's all about timing.
"We've felt that personally, asking ourselves 'do we keep it going for people to have a club here one day?'
"Right now we want to but there's times when you feel like just walking away."
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