CAROLINE Springs has pledged its future to the Western Region Football League.
The Lakers were sounded out by rival Essendon District Football League to join its newly formed division 2 competition.
Three meetings took place between the Lakers and EDFL power brokers over a possible switch, but Lakers president Dean Ellis asked the Weekly to help end the latest round of rumours because a move is unlikely to happen in his time in charge.
“We’re staying. It was never really anything other than that. We’re in the heart of the west here and the furthest we have to travel is to Wyndhamvale.
“We’ve got 11 junior sides as well and travel was first and foremost in our minds.”
The Lakers have been a senior club in the WRFL for just two years.
Over that time, rumours of a move to the EDFL have grown stronger.
But their five-year plan is to be challenging for the second-tier flag in the WRFL, not having to work their way out of a third-tier division in the north-west.
The Lakers made a stride forward in their second year, collecting six wins, two more than in their inaugural year.
They have opted for the slow-cooker approach to build for sustained success and ruled out quick fixes.
“It’s not a one-year thing for us,” Ellis said.
“We’ve got to consolidate our position in division 2 first and then we have to sustain it.”
The Lakers have re-signed coach Gary Turner for a third year in charge.
Meanwhile, Coburg Districts will need the nod from its members to make the transition from the WRFL to the EDFL.
The move for the Lions makes sense for geographical reasons.
The club will put the proposal to members on September 13.
