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Bendigo FL discussion 2024

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I’ve worked out a way to save every club $100k

Just start the finals now and give all the volunteers some well earned time off

Final ladder decided after round 2

Sandhurst
Gisborne
Eaglehawk
Strath
South
Square
Maine
Flat
Maryborough


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com
 
Crazymaggy2020 said:
I’ve worked out a way to save every club $100k

Just start the finals now and give all the volunteers some well earned time off

Final ladder decided after round 2

Sandhurst
Gisborne
Eaglehawk
Strath
South
Square
Maine
Flat
Maryborough


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com
Click to expand...
Square will beat south
 
Crazymaggy2020 said:
I’ve worked out a way to save every club $100k

Just start the finals now and give all the volunteers some well earned time off

Final ladder decided after round 2

Sandhurst
Gisborne
Eaglehawk
Strath
South
Square
Maine
Flat
Maryborough


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com
Click to expand...
If Square don't make the finals I think their coach better get out of town very very very quickly. My humble advice to whoever wins the flag this year is, regardless of what their players think, don't sack the coach.

Although they lost on Saturday I was very impressed by Gisborne. They had to be underdone, but typically of that club and their coach they just copped it on the chin. If they had kicked straighter for goal in the first half Sandhurst would have been in real trouble. They are very strong down the spin and their full back did not give Fergus Greene a sniff. McKenna at full forward is going to be a nightmare for other teams this year. At the end of the day Sandhurst found a way to win so they showed some backbone too. It was a very intense game.

CM is right in the above comments in respect of the league being far too predictable and the bottom two clubs in particular having no chance of making the finals. I can see where Forest is coming from with changing the points system, but you would have to do it state wide and I think just too complicated. I personally would like to see three divisions of teams in the greater region with a promotion/demotion system. Under this system a club would not be lost to the competition for ever like Kyneton has been. Let clubs start the season at a level where they can have some success and build their supporter base, not destroy it.

I was told by Sandhurst officials about the way the 'State-wide Talent league' works which means their best Pioneer players, for example Day-Wicks, won't qualify to play finals for the club this year. Not even sure if he will play a game for them. So how in the hell does that help country football? I would be happy if Sandhurst had no players on the Pioneers list. At least they could then play for Sandhurst.

I think this under 18 competition is the worst change ever made to country football. In the past nothing caused more interest than a 17/18 year old like Rod Ashman staring in a major competition such as the BFNL, GVL or O&M. Now their are numerous barriers in place (eligibility rules) preventing this.
 

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AlburyE said:
If Square don't make the finals I think their coach better get out of town very very very quickly. My humble advice to whoever wins the flag this year is, regardless of what their players think, don't sack the coach.

Although they lost on Saturday I was very impressed by Gisborne. They had to be underdone, but typically of that club and their coach they just copped it on the chin. If they had kicked straighter for goal in the first half Sandhurst would have been in real trouble. They are very strong down the spin and their full back did not give Fergus Greene a sniff. McKenna at full forward is going to be a nightmare for other teams this year. At the end of the day Sandhurst found a way to win so they showed some backbone too. It was a very intense game.

CM is right in the above comments in respect of the league being far too predictable and the bottom two clubs in particular having no chance of making the finals. I can see where Forest is coming from with changing the points system, but you would have to do it state wide and I think just too complicated. I personally would like to see three divisions of teams in the greater region with a promotion/demotion system. Under this system a club would not be lost to the competition for ever like Kyneton has been. Let clubs start the season at a level where they can have some success and build their supporter base, not destroy it.

I was told by Sandhurst officials about the way the 'State-wide Talent league' works which means their best Pioneer players, for example Day-Wicks, won't qualify to play finals for the club this year. Not even sure if he will play a game for them. So how in the hell does that help country football? I would be happy if Sandhurst had no players on the Pioneers list. At least they could then play for Sandhurst.

I think this under 18 competition is the worst change ever made to country football. In the past nothing caused more interest than a 17/18 year old like Rod Ashman staring in a major competition such as the BFNL, GVL or O&M. Now their are numerous barriers in place (eligibility rules) preventing this.
Click to expand...

Brilliant post, couldn’t agree more.

I absolutely agree with the division approach, my suggestions about points etc are just band aids if we remain as is.

I’ve been thinking about this and one of the main sticking points that comes up is netball. The solution I think is to go back to the days of centralised netball comps. Use the big facilities like the Bendigo stadium, Castlemaine, Maryborough and wherever else they are and play all the games for a division in the one spot and just rotate the venue.
Understand it’s not ideal but clubs will still be together to train and can meet up afterwards like cricket clubs do. When games match up they can always play at the same venue as the footy.
 
Crazymaggy2020 said:
I’ve worked out a way to save every club $100k

Just start the finals now and give all the volunteers some well earned time off

Final ladder decided after round 2

Sandhurst
Gisborne
Eaglehawk
Strath
South
Square
Maine
Flat
Maryborough


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com
Click to expand...
Literally

On SM-G970F using BigFooty.com mobile app
 
Forest St End said:
Brilliant post, couldn’t agree more.

I absolutely agree with the division approach, my suggestions about points etc are just band aids if we remain as is.

I’ve been thinking about this and one of the main sticking points that comes up is netball. The solution I think is to go back to the days of centralised netball comps. Use the big facilities like the Bendigo stadium, Castlemaine, Maryborough and wherever else they are and play all the games for a division in the one spot and just rotate the venue.
Understand it’s not ideal but clubs will still be together to train and can meet up afterwards like cricket clubs do. When games match up they can always play at the same venue as the footy.
Click to expand...
Nothing is perfect and some sort of compromises have to apply in any system, but at the end of the day the reserves competition is there to support seniors teams and the Pioneers have made a farce of the under 18 competition.

My answer Forest, keeping the above points in mind, is all a club's football and netball teams stay with the competition their senior football club is in. For example if Maryborough drop to division two of a 'Central Victoria league' then their reserves, under 18's and netball teams all go into Division two. Hence if Maryborough are playing North Bendigo in Division two in the opening round of the 2025 season they are doing this in the seniors, reserves, under 18's and netball. The entire club stays together and in particular, volunteers don't have to go to different venues.

The alternative, (which I personally prefer), would be to combine the Bendigo and Goulburn Valley or Ballarat leagues into a two division promotion/demotion competition where again the reserves, under 18's and netball teams go with the senior club. However I am pretty sure their would be too much opposition from the other leagues for this to work. They would just see it as a fix for the BFNL despite, if they are honest, their own issues which are not all that dissimilar.

Sticking to the more pragmatic option, I am sure if the BFNL, Heathcote and Loddon Valley leagues were combined into a 'Central Victoria' 3 divisional promotional/devotional competition there would also be a lot of opposition. However under this set up travel would not be an excuse as all clubs are in the region (and many of their players live in Bendigo anyway). It can be kept in mind that the Heathcote and Loddon Valley competitions are not exactly perfect either. They also have some pretty lopsided results and the third division would put their struggling clubs together where even matches are more likely. If a club wants to be in a higher division such as Maryborough in the BFNL the answer is simple - they have to earn it by results on the field.
 
Trent the flight Steward said:
Community clubs can't compete, heathcote couldn't sustain been in div 1 it would stuff the club, it'd be far better bendigo and ballarat join for a 2 tiered comp same with the gv and oandm
Click to expand...
The travel would never work for those 4.

Edit: Wait I didn't read right. Disregard.
 
Last edited:
Trent the flight Steward said:
Community clubs can't compete, heathcote couldn't sustain been in div 1 it would stuff the club, it'd be far better bendigo and ballarat join for a 2 tiered comp same with the gv and oandm
Click to expand...
That is the very point of the system Trent. Clubs would not have to compete at a level they cannot sustain or even achieve. Some clubs would never have the resources to compete with the top (present) BFNL clubs and their aim may be to be successful in a lower division. Having said that I would have never thought Strathfieldsaye would turn into such a power in the BFNL so who knows what can be achieved.

I actually agree with you about major leagues joining. I think Bendigo & Ballarat (with two divisions) would work really well as a merger as their is no massive distance between any of their clubs, especially for Gisborne, Castlemaine and Maryborough (and Kyneton if they were still in the BFNL). However I just don't think Ballarat would agree. Mind you I think they are also at risk of losing a club to the Riddell league.

I believe three divisions of Central Victoria clubs based on the BFNL, Heathcote, Loddon Valley leagues and any other club that would like to be involved is the most achievable option.
 
AlburyE said:
My answer Forest, keeping the above points in mind, is all a club's football and netball teams stay with the competition their senior football club is in.
Click to expand...

I can’t see any option apart from the central vic leagues forming divisions going forward, I think the Ballarat option would be rejected because of the distance.

Netball will be the sticking point in that however. The standard of Bendigo netball is so far ahead of the others that it would be difficult to mix, as well as the fact there are different grade numbers and age groups across the region.

The only way I can see is to return to the association model where all games are played at one venue on the day and I don’t think netball would mind that. Plenty of netball people I speak to say coming under the footy banner was the worst thing that ever happened to them, they resent having to pay to get in and watch their kids when the money largely goes to footballers for example.

Not ideal for clubs to have split venues but as I said cricket clubs have coped with teams at multiple venues for years so no reason a club couldn’t still put together a unified social agenda.
 
OK, the consensus seems to be that we should have a multi-divisional Central Victoria FNL with netball played at central locations for each division unless the two clubs agree to play it at the same venue as the football.

Now that we are thinking along similar lines, how do we get it through to the football council to firstly float the issue and see what response it gets from the community at large and then implement it if the feedback is good.

I reckon they'd say it is too much work for them to do that so we can keep the pig's breakfast situation that we have now instead.
But some of us have been raising this scenario here since 2019.
 
Last edited:
Forest St End said:
I can’t see any option apart from the central vic leagues forming divisions going forward, I think the Ballarat option would be rejected because of the distance.

Netball will be the sticking point in that however. The standard of Bendigo netball is so far ahead of the others that it would be difficult to mix, as well as the fact there are different grade numbers and age groups across the region.

The only way I can see is to return to the association model where all games are played at one venue on the day and I don’t think netball would mind that. Plenty of netball people I speak to say coming under the footy banner was the worst thing that ever happened to them, they resent having to pay to get in and watch their kids when the money largely goes to footballers for example.

Not ideal for clubs to have split venues but as I said cricket clubs have coped with teams at multiple venues for years so no reason a club couldn’t still put together a unified social agenda.
Click to expand...
It'd keep gisborne involved in the league, everyone travels for sport in the country. There's more even playing field, the finals side of each plays 1st division, non finals plays div 2

I'd think the loddon Valley, heathcote leagues north central clubs and southern cmfl clubs merge for a two tiered comp
 
MortlockWatcher said:
Now that we are thinking along similar lines, how do we get it through to the football council to firstly float the issue and see what response it gets from the community at large and then implement it if the feedback is good.
Click to expand...

It’s very obvious when reading articles that the Addy staff are big readers here.

(Magpie midfield pumped up this preseason? By who? Me? 🤣)

So when you read this guys, how about putting some articles out there calling for discussion on these things? Forget about dish licking the hub and tell things how they are. It’s not like they are in your corner, they are actively trying to cut your lunch with Doley’s rubbish. You have the chance to be the people who start the push to save the game in this region, take it!


Trent the flight Steward said:
It'd keep gisborne involved in the league
Click to expand...

If we had a better competition they may stay anyway. Kyneton could return. We could start bringing other teams in, Harcourt, Carisbrook, Daylesford maybe some of the Riddell clubs. Like a good club has no trouble recruiting neither would a good league.
 

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Forest St End said:
It’s very obvious when reading articles that the Addy staff are big readers here.

(Magpie midfield pumped up this preseason? By who? Me? 🤣)

So when you read this guys, how about putting some articles out there calling for discussion on these things? Forget about dish licking the hub and tell things how they are. It’s not like they are in your corner, they are actively trying to cut your lunch with Doley’s rubbish. You have the chance to be the people who start the push to save the game in this region, take it!




If we had a better competition they may stay anyway. Kyneton could return. We could start bringing other teams in, Harcourt, Carisbrook, Daylesford maybe some of the Riddell clubs. Like a good club has no trouble recruiting neither would a good league.
Click to expand...
No chance Kyneton will return after the way they were treated. And you wouldn’t get any other Riddell clubs leave what’s said to be an extremely well managed competition to move to a region that’s run and managed the way it has been.
 
Mad Jack said:
No chance Kyneton will return after the way they were treated. And you wouldn’t get any other Riddell clubs leave what’s said to be an extremely well managed competition to move to a region that’s run and managed the way it has been.
Click to expand...

Don’t get me wrong, I agree entirely.

I’m saying if they made the changes, got a well run divisional comp up and had things jumping then other clubs might start getting interested.

I know I’m dreaming with the current capabilities of leadership though!
 
Mad Jack said:
No chance Kyneton will return after the way they were treated. And you wouldn’t get any other Riddell clubs leave what’s said to be an extremely well managed competition to move to a region that’s run and managed the way it has been.
Click to expand...
Kyneton will be keen to make new history with their fellow macedon ranges clubs. Can't see them going back. I definitely can't see any Riddell league teams moving to Bendigo either. After years and years of copping flack I think the RDFL are looking to prove alot of people wrong.

On SM-G970F using BigFooty.com mobile app
 
Vlodrive said:
Kyneton will be keen to make new history with their fellow macedon ranges clubs. Can't see them going back. I definitely can't see any Riddell league teams moving to Bendigo either. After years and years of copping flack I think the RDFL are looking to prove alot of people wrong.
Click to expand...

If Kyneton did move, I could only see them and Gisborne in the Ballarat league for the time being unless there were massive changes made at AFLCV and the BFNL and there was evidence that football had been put back on the right track.
 
Vlodrive said:
Kyneton will be keen to make new history with their fellow macedon ranges clubs. Can't see them going back. I definitely can't see any Riddell league teams moving to Bendigo either. After years and years of copping flack I think the RDFL are looking to prove alot of people wrong.

On SM-G970F using BigFooty.com mobile app
Click to expand...
IMO if there were ever going to be a large-scale restructure involving Ballarat, Bendigo, Riddell etc it would have been about 5 years ago.
There was some uncertainty around the viability of the Riddell comp following a few departures & there was still some murmurings of a Ballarat bias from the Eastern Bloc clubs.
Things have seemingly improved on both fronts so I struggle to see why either comp would seek to amalgamate, especially Ballarat which I believe would essentially be trading off the Eastern clubs for the Bendigo ones in the scenario put forward.
Any solution needs to be mutually beneficial.
 
Last edited:
All great discussion here but with the pending new council and current leaders in place the changes required will never happen.

Unfortunately unless flat / south / Castlemaine / Maryborough have very strong committees they won’t force the changes required.

It will be bendigo powers patting them on the head and telling them to stand in the corner. That’s the way they want it and that’s the way it will stay.




Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com
 
Forest St End said:
It’s very obvious when reading articles that the Addy staff are big readers here.

(Magpie midfield pumped up this preseason? By who? Me? 🤣)

So when you read this guys, how about putting some articles out there calling for discussion on these things? Forget about dish licking the hub and tell things how they are. It’s not like they are in your corner, they are actively trying to cut your lunch with Doley’s rubbish. You have the chance to be the people who start the push to save the game in this region, take it!




If we had a better competition they may stay anyway. Kyneton could return. We could start bringing other teams in, Harcourt, Carisbrook, Daylesford maybe some of the Riddell clubs. Like a good club has no trouble recruiting neither would a good league.
Click to expand...
Sorry old mate your delusional, doesnt seem as if any "journalist" these days are capable of thinking for themselves, they seem to only to able to find articles elsewhere on social media or the web which they may change slightly and then put their name to it. Journalism has gone down the same road as those the practice the law, they make used car salesman look very honest.
 

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