The future of Jacana Football Club is again in doubt, with the club not having the numbers to field senior sides this year.
The Essendon District Football League announced on Friday that the Jaguars had withdrawn from fielding senior and reserves sides this season due to a lack of players.
The Jaguars have no junior teams.
“It’s with deep regret that I inform the EDFL and board that the Jacana Football Club will not be entering their senior side for season 2023,” Jacana said in the league statement.
“We have tried our hardest to regain our senior side, but we had to be realistic in our decision to go into recess for this season 2023.”
It’s the second time in the last five years that the Jaguars have withdrawn their sides due to a lack of numbers.
In 2019, they pulled the pin midway through the season after forfeiting two rounds of senior and reserves matches.
The club aimed to have a senior side in 2020 before the season was cancelled.
In 2021 and 2022, the Jaguars only fielded a senior side but failed to win a match and were on the end of some heavy defeats.
The EDFL said it will continue to support Jacana through this process and in their recovery to re-join the competition in season 2024.
The division 2 competition this year will now have eight teams with East Sunbury returning to the competition after not fielding senior sides last season.
