Following a storied career with the Federal, Lavington and Brocklesby-Burrumbuttock clubs, football star Darryn McKimmie fears for the future of the sport in the Upper Murray.
McKimmie told the Border Mail this week that it was time that clubs put their parochialism aside and revisit the merger option.
McKimmie debuted for the Swans as a 15-year-old and won a flag with them the following year. He kicked the winning goal after the siren to win the Ovens & Murray premiership for Lavington in 2005 and then  was playing coach for merged club Brock-Burrum when it won the Hume league flag in 2013.
The 44-year-old came out of retirement after an eight-year layoff to play for Feds last Saturday in a win over arch rivals Corryong.
After seeing most clubs struggle for numbers  this season, particularly at the junior level, McKimmie said the competition is in a sad state.
“When  I first came  back I knew to expect that the standard had slipped from speaking to different people but  the  biggest  shock  was the lack of involvement with supporters,  volunteers   and players  all  at  a  shortage,” he said.
“I know it’s not just the Upper Murray that’s seeing this decline, it seems to be across the board but for the Upper Murray, I feel it’s getting to a breaking point.”
McKimmie  highlighted junior development as one  of the  biggest  dangers the competition faces if changes are not made.
“Sure,  there  is  animosity between clubs but if we can’t put our differences aside and look at this predicament through  our  kids’  eyes, who are the future, then we’re all fools,” he said.
“Having witnessed  at Brock-Burrum how good mergers  can work and  what it can do for a community, I can’t help but think the best way forward is to consolidate the Upper Murray Football Netball League into one club and head down the road to the  Tallangatta  and  Dis­trict comp.
“I think most people  have had enough and the danger is that if we don’t do some­ thing   soon, I  believe  we’ll have nothing.”
Read this week’s Corryong Courier for more.