FREELING Netball Club will be unable to host grand final games at the new $4.8 million Freeling Agriculture, Recreation and Multi-use (FARM) Centre this year, after the other eight Barossa, Light & Gawler clubs voted against playing inside the facility.

According to the Redlegs, their initial proposal to stage the matches indoors was first rejected by the Barossa, Light & Gawler Netball Association, before it was later put to the other clubs in July and again voted down.

Freeling’s plan envisaged playing the senior one decider as a standalone game inside the FARM Centre, which would require changes to the traditional timetable.

The lost vote means all grand final netball matches will instead be played outdoors, on the older courts, on September 14.

Freeling Netball Club president Nicole Shaw said it was a “shame” the multi-million-dollar facility wouldn’t be used on grand final day.

“Safety is paramount, and it’s the best court we have,” she said.

“The upkeep of our outside courts is draining, and it’s not realistically viable to upkeep three outside courts as well as pay for the use of indoors.

“The new centre is an amazing facility for our community.

“I know even within our club there are mixed feelings about using it; many do comment that the distance from the other courts separates the netball atmosphere.

However, it’s new and it’s change that not everyone copes well with.

“If we keep using it for seasons to come, soon enough it will become a habit and noone will have an issue.

“Hopefully, as the seasons go by, more get used to the change and it’s accepted as the normal playing conditions at Freeling.”

BL&GNA president Katrina Frederick said she was “shocked” that most of the clubs had voted against using the FARM centre.

“The clubs had the opportunity to discuss why, at club level, (they didn’t want to use it) before it came to the board,” she said.

“At board level, we had a discussion and the majority of the clubs said they didn’t want a grand final day held inside.”

With one round remaining in the home and away season, Freeling could have a maximum of one senior side and five of its junior teams participating in the finals, rendering very little home advantage to any club on the day.

Freeling Community Recreation Park Management Committee chairperson Ian Carmichael also condemned the decision.

“We’re absolutely disappointed in it,” he said.

“I couldn’t believe it (when it was decided), as half the clubs hadn’t played in the stadium.

“Half of the clubs had made the decision without being there.”

Rather than shut the FARM Centre for grand final day, Mr Carmichael added his committee would make the most of the opportunity.

“We’re going to put on a whole heap of activities in there with absolutely anybody,” he said.

“We’ll set up a heap of things in there so it’s not just shut up on grand final day, and makes us look silly.”

Due to the nine-year rotation system in place for the BL&G football and netball associations, Freeling won’t host another grand final until 2028, barring a swap with another club.