Bendigo FL discussion 2024

[Trent the flight Steward]

I was talking to someone from one of the big Bendigo clubs last week who I perceive as quite “in the know” and influential there and when I asked why is the league going backwards he said he feels the comp is going backwards because BFNL teams are following the salary cap and surrounding leagues aren’t and there is no allure for non home grown talent to come in because the $$ isn’t there and prestige of major league has gone

Add to the fact covid has allowed guys to do more uni from anywhere, allows guys to work from anywhere in the state and there's probably not the same thoughts of testing yourself in the bfl if your a young guy from the Heathcote, ncfl, central murray and lv.

Is there the lure of even playing under a bfl coach anymore? There'd no derrick, Hayes, walsh, Ellis, McLean, robbo and mcguane coaching now

 

[harsh. but fair]

Add to the fact covid has allowed guys to do more uni from anywhere, allows guys to work from anywhere in the state and there's probably not the same thoughts of testing yourself in the bfl if your a young guy from the Heathcote, ncfl, central murray and lv.

Is there the lure of even playing under a bfl coach anymore? There'd no derrick, Hayes, walsh, Ellis, McLean, robbo and mcguane coaching now

Your first point could be said for Ballarat, Warrnambool, Geelong, Latrobe Valley, Albury-Wodonga where uni education also exists with plenty of surrounding leagues, but there is not the same doom & gloom and lack of appeal to play in Bendigo league.
The predictability of it all is a killer. Weekly thrashings become the talking point. Lack of competition saps interest big time.
The comp is crying out for a Castlemaine to come from clouds and start knocking off the city-based teams.
Might contradict my argument, but if a South Bendigo was to do something similar and get those people living around their new hq behind the team how good would that be.
The last thing that needs to happen is bring Broadford in and they get hammered each week. Mind boggling that afl vic ticked that off.
The BFNL stated aim of being a 10-team comp needs to change to a more even league and if that is eight teams for 2-3 years so be it.
Got to change narrative.

 

[ringo1]

I was talking to someone from one of the big Bendigo clubs last week who I perceive as quite “in the know” and influential there and when I asked why is the league going backwards he said he feels the comp is going backwards because BFNL teams are following the salary cap and surrounding leagues aren’t and there is no allure for non home grown talent to come in because the $$ isn’t there and prestige of major league has g

Spot on! it is not all district leagues but unless the Cap is demolished or enforced it will keep happening. There have been some ridiculous figures bandied around that clubs in the NCFL, HDFL and the GDFL are paying. Geelong Ammo's are paying Sam Lloyd 70K to coach, Have two time JJ Liston medal winner Tom Gribble running around with a number of other well paid players. Blind Freddie could tell you there is no way they are under the cap. Its a complete circus! The Cap and points certainly are not stopping clubs going to the wall, when It was supposed to be the saviour of grassroots footy.I would love to know what clubs have been investigated in the past 12 months. Seems to me Wang Magpies were made the scapegoat and not much else has been looked into since. If you were down the bottom when this system came into play there is a fair chance that despite all the hard work clubs are putting in, there has been little change in ladder positions.

 

[Forest St End]

If you think Bendigo clubs are under the salary cap then you might be interested in a little real estate deal I’ve got going.

I’m selling the QEO, already has approval for subdivision for apartment buildings but I can’t be bothered and just want to offload it. Today only, $500,000.

 

[NeonLeon81]

If you think Bendigo clubs are under the salary cap then you might be interested in a little real estate deal I’ve got going.

I’m selling the QEO, already has approval for subdivision for apartment buildings but I can’t be bothered and just want to offload it. Today only, $500,000.

Some would be and some wouldnt be is how I perceive it?

Knowing some good people that have been involved running some local clubs here bendigo over the years I find hard to believe they would blatantly cheat given their long standing and reputation in the game and around town.

I may have my head in the sand as i haven’t truly been on the inner sanctum of a club since pre Covid but I would like to think I would have heard more if it was riffe not just the odd rumour thrown around in big footy.

 

[Forest St End]

Some would be and some wouldnt be is how I perceive it?

Knowing some good people that have been involved running some local clubs here bendigo over the years I find hard to believe they would blatantly cheat given their long standing and reputation in the game and around town.

I may have my head in the sand as i haven’t truly been on the inner sanctum of a club since pre Covid but I would like to think I would have heard more if it was riffe not just the odd rumour thrown around in big footy.

I don’t see it as cheating, as I’ve said it like the Lance Armstrong Tour de France years.

The system is flawed, it’s impossible to police, the administration doesn’t take any interest in it and everyone knows you have to do it to get anywhere. It’s essentially being sanctioned by the powers that be.

My educated guess remains that only Maryborough and Flat would definitely have been under last season.

Castlemaine and South would be somewhere around it but I’d bet over. I know what some of the offers were for South’s gun players from district clubs at the end of the year before and the fact they kept them means they shelled out pretty reasonable money.

I’d very confidently suggest no team has played finals with a spend under the cap since it came in and no team has won a flag without being at least a third over.

 

[Trent the flight Steward]

None of the bendigo clubs have ever paid overs for players.

 

[ringo1]

Since 2017-with two years lost due to Covid
HampdenFL
Koroit-5 Flags
Sth Warrnambool -1

GVFL
Echuca - 3 flags
Kyabram-2
Sheppaton-1

Gippsland Latrobe
Maffra 1
Traralgon 1
Leongatha -4

Geelong FL
St. Mary's -2
St Joseph's -2
Leopold-2

Ballarat
Darley-2 (lost one by a point)
Melton -2
East Point-2

O&M
Wang Magpies-2*
Wang Rovers-1
Yarrawonga-1 (lost this year by 3 pts)
Lavington-1
Albury-1

Bendigo FL
Strath-2
Sandhurst-1
Eaglehawk-1
Gisborne-1
Square-1

Teams winning multiple flags since 2017! it's not working. If you did a reverse ladder most of the teams that were down as the cap and points came in are still there!

 

[ROOTA#6]

Since 2017-with two years lost due to Covid
HampdenFL
Koroit-5 Flags
Sth Warrnambool -1

GVFL
Echuca - 3 flags
Kyabram-2
Sheppaton-1

Gippsland Latrobe
Maffra 1
Traralgon 1
Leongatha -4

Geelong FL
St. Mary's -2
St Joseph's -2
Leopold-2

Ballarat
Darley-2 (lost one by a point)
Melton -2
East Point-2

O&M
Wang Magpies-2*
Wang Rovers-1
Yarrawonga-1 (lost this year by 3 pts)
Lavington-1
Albury-1

Bendigo FL
Strath-2
Sandhurst-1
Eaglehawk-1
Gisborne-1
Square-1

Teams winning multiple flags since 2017! it's not working. If you did a reverse ladder most of the teams that were down as the cap and points came in are still there!

To be fair it wasn’t uncommon for clubs to go on huge runs prior to COVID.

Square 5 in a row, Hosham Demons 10, Bridgewater 7

 

[ringo1]

To be fair it wasn’t uncommon for clubs to go on huge runs prior to COVID.

Square 5 in a row, Hosham Demons 10, Bridgewater 7

Exactly my point Roota...how has it changed things for the better?

 

[BGOFootyNuff]

I know there are more than 2 teams actually in line with the salary cap. Top 3 team, and would not have breached it since inception

 

[BGOFootyNuff]

Teams will always go on runs of flags with a cap or points system or without. If you get a good group together and they stay together for a few season why wouldn’t they be able to go on runs of flags. Do you want it so no one can play at a club for more than a season at a time? Tardy, Ferg, Maxted, Wharton sorry you all have to leave because we can’t win back to back flags, cya…

 

[Shinjuku]

I see the AFL are on a revenue raising program running AUSKICK programs in October and November. Is this a new thing ?

 

[NeonLeon81]

I don’t see it as cheating, as I’ve said it like the Lance Armstrong Tour de France years.

The system is flawed, it’s impossible to police, the administration doesn’t take any interest in it and everyone knows you have to do it to get anywhere. It’s essentially being sanctioned by the powers that be.

My educated guess remains that only Maryborough and Flat would definitely have been under last season.

Castlemaine and South would be somewhere around it but I’d bet over. I know what some of the offers were for South’s gun players from district clubs at the end of the year before and the fact they kept them means they shelled out pretty reasonable money.

I’d very confidently suggest no team has played finals with a spend under the cap since it came in and no team has won a flag without being at least a third over.

Miss finals not a cheat - play finals you are a cheat. Interesting logic

 

[Forest St End]

I know there are more than 2 teams actually in line with the salary cap. Top 3 team, and would not have breached it since inception

Square? I would have agreed until this year but I’m pretty confident they gave it a nudge.

Would be the closest of the top 5 though without a doubt.

 

[Forest St End]

Miss finals not a cheat - play finals you are a cheat. Interesting logic

Not sure how you drew that conclusion, I don’t consider anyone a cheat when it comes to the salary cap.

 

[BGOFootyNuff]

Square? I would have agreed until this year but I’m pretty confident they gave it a nudge.

Would be the closest of the top 5 though without a doubt.

From what I know they normally are pretty good. Strath are fine

 

[evrock]

None of the bendigo clubs have ever paid overs for players.

Crap


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[evrock]

What are the brains trust going to do at HQ

-
14 game season ?

16 game totally compromised fixture ?

21 game season - play all 3 times ?

Final 4 ?

Final 5 ?

Final 8 ?

Can’t wait for the explanations



On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Forest St End]

From what I know they normally are pretty good. Strath are fine

I know a couple of people who work at AFL clubs, both in footy management and recruiting.


There were two Bendigo guys that both their clubs were keen to rookie last year but both of them knocked them back.

Money wasn’t the sole reason but they came away knowing the fella from Sandhurst we’ve already discussed was on a massive deal and there’s a fella at Square who was also on a fair whack.

When you start doing the maths on the salary cap it gets clear quickly that it is very hard to fit in many guys on a good rate and still spread the rest out amongst another 18-20 players.

 

[Forest St End]

What are the brains trust going to do at HQ

-
14 game season ?

16 game totally compromised fixture ?

21 game season - play all 3 times ?

Final 4 ?

Final 5 ?

Final 8 ?

Can’t wait for the explanations



On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

My tip at this point is we will stick to the 18 week season and teams will play 4 teams a third time.

 

[GG Rides Again]

What are the brains trust going to do at HQ

-
14 game season ?

16 game totally compromised fixture ?

21 game season - play all 3 times ?

Final 4 ?

Final 5 ?

Final 8 ?

Can’t wait for the explanations



On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

2026 will be back to the Divisional plan floated this year for BFL, LVFL, HDFL and maybe MCDFL IMO as fixturing and interest wont work long term. Also makes sense if you have divisions with all the talk around Broadford. Might come into the "BFL" as a division 2 or 3 club.
I think clubs and leagues are going to be told via AFL Victoria where their future lies in the coming 12 months, as its the only thing that makes any sense when you try and digest the issues with central vic footy.

 

[Mad Jack]

From what I know they normally are pretty good. Strath are fine

Strath must have had a lot of players playing for a pie and a can of coke last year then - with one player taking a 3rd of the “cap” alone

 

[BlueJet]

Since 2017-with two years lost due to Covid
HampdenFL
Koroit-5 Flags
Sth Warrnambool -1

GVFL
Echuca - 3 flags
Kyabram-2
Sheppaton-1

Gippsland Latrobe
Maffra 1
Traralgon 1
Leongatha -4

Geelong FL
St. Mary's -2
St Joseph's -2
Leopold-2

Ballarat
Darley-2 (lost one by a point)
Melton -2
East Point-2

O&M
Wang Magpies-2*
Wang Rovers-1
Yarrawonga-1 (lost this year by 3 pts)
Lavington-1
Albury-1

Bendigo FL
Strath-2
Sandhurst-1
Eaglehawk-1
Gisborne-1
Square-1

Teams winning multiple flags since 2017! it's not working. If you did a reverse ladder most of the teams that were down as the cap and points came in are still there!

Hard to say whether it's working or not, based on results alone. Some clubs are just better run.

Darley bottomed out & had some turnover and had more success since, largely on the back of promoting from within (they won one by a point - against us). Melton similar. East Point have had reasonable turnover & stayed competitive throughout.

Wang Magpies seem set for a rebuild of sorts with a number of vets moving on - they'll need to manage their points or promote from within.

Koroit lost some talent to Ballarat & Geelong clubs across that timeframe but remained strong - they appear set for some turnover/a rebuild too after being up for a while.

You've then got clubs like Echuca (obv will defer to your knowledge on them) & Ararat that have steered into the points system and are playing a high number of locals and appear set for dynasties.

To me that reads as it should, good clubs getting their affairs in order, rather than relying on fistfuls of cash/bulk imports.
To me it seems the system in place is why the Vermont, Deer Park, East Keilor, Bundooras etc have faltered as they can't just load up every year with Ex-AFL/VFL talent.
There are seemingly more players jumping in a car & heading to Gippsland, Wimmera, Central Highlands or Central Vic etc.

 

[Forest St End]

Strath must have had a lot of players playing for a pie and a can of coke last year then - with one player taking a 3rd of the “cap” alone

Exactly, if you paid everyone $100 a week over 16 games you’ve paid out $35,200.

Let’s say you have one gun player on $1500, that’s another 1400 x 16 games = $22400.

Let’s put in another $1000, 900 x 16 =$14,400.

So we’ve already spent 72k, we’ve got one gun player, one good player and 20 others and we are stone motherless last and losing by 100 plus every week.