Bendigo FL discussion 2025

[NeonLeon81]

There was some talk during the season about points discrepancies but South wasn’t the club that was being bandied around. We at Maryborough FNC were fastidious with our points each week in ensuring we were doing things correctly so it’s disappointing to read the news of what has happened. Through what has occurred, clubs will now start to claim innocence and data errors when they bend the rules (as already occurs in many ways). The points system is a failure and has not seen even competitions as clubs have just explored other options to beat the system. I can name numerous examples of it occurring.


In regards to earlier posts about junior players being poached, I have mentioned this numerous times that our juniors are subject to this behaviour from many clubs who offer all sorts of incentives to get them to come to their club and make up the numbers in their junior teams. The behaviour and approaches made by these clubs is abhorrent for many reasons. We also saw this more so during the year on players at all levels within our club (both football and netball) who were being approached by clubs both locally and elsewhere telling them to change clubs now and come to a more successful organisation. Whilst we will continue to maintain high standards, people do have long memories.

PS - don’t expect the Advertiser to make any noise about the points situation as they are the AFL Central Victoria primary cheerleader and if they did speak out, wouldn’t continue to get those free lunches and be on the gravy train as they have been for years.

From the club and the league?

Clubs should get a please explain from themselves?

South bendigo either blatantly cheated or are run by incompetent monkeys.

There is no excuse in the world that would convince me that they as a club didn’t know what their points allocation was at the start of the season.

A please explain issued to find out to why they chose to play with 46 should be provided to the fellow teams in the league and the BFNL who are more incompetent monkeys than cheats should also provide a more detailed explanation to how this happened and why it wasn’t addressed earlier.

 

[Truck]

Reckon Birchip had an issue a couple of years ago inasmuch as they had put a lower number in for a players points, self reported late in the year and got hit with a wet lettuce

Bulls had 2 stuff ups.
1 they dropped premiership points but meant they finished 2nd instead of 1st.

The other one nothing happened they just didn’t take a point off that player the following year… I think it went “it wouldn’t be fair on Birchip, and we can’t be expected to know every players history to understand what points they should be on”

 

[FootyLife481]

Marks would have to be a 5.
Third club in 3 years +1 and coming from the same comp +1

Marks won’t play ones

 

[the dark knight]

Who runs the football section of the Bendigo Advertiser? I thought something like this would have them chomping at the bit to expose.

 

[Crazymaggy2020]

Who runs the football section of the Bendigo Advertiser? I thought something like this would have them chomping at the bit to expose.

They are basically an extra board member so they do not ever report anything that challenges the competition admin. Only ever dig the boots in to the country clubs when they decide to leave or fold.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[NeonLeon81]

Who runs the football section of the Bendigo Advertiser? I thought something like this would have them chomping at the bit to expose.

Give them a break, they have their hands full writing articles about C grade recruits from BFNL reserves to minor league clubs and positing photos from a decade ago.

 

[Master of Disaster]

There was some talk during the season about points discrepancies but South wasn’t the club that was being bandied around. We at Maryborough FNC were fastidious with our points each week in ensuring we were doing things correctly so it’s disappointing to read the news of what has happened. Through what has occurred, clubs will now start to claim innocence and data errors when they bend the rules (as already occurs in many ways). The points system is a failure and has not seen even competitions as clubs have just explored other options to beat the system. I can name numerous examples of it occurring.

In regards to earlier posts about junior players being poached, I have mentioned this numerous times that our juniors are subject to this behaviour from many clubs who offer all sorts of incentives to get them to come to their club and make up the numbers in their junior teams. The behaviour and approaches made by these clubs is abhorrent for many reasons. We also saw this more so during the year on players at all levels within our club (both football and netball) who were being approached by clubs both locally and elsewhere telling them to change clubs now and come to a more successful organisation. Whilst we will continue to maintain high standards, people do have long memories.

PS - don’t expect the Advertiser to make any noise about the points situation as they are the AFL Central Victoria primary cheerleader and if they did speak out, wouldn’t continue to get those free lunches and be on the gravy train as they have been for years.

Plenty of juniors have headed into Maryborough from the district league over the years, under the lure and promise of “major league football”. You can’t have your cake and eat it too.

 

[Arnold Horshack]

Nothing illegal about having players with too many points on your list. It’s then up to the selectors to work out who plays and who doesn’t each week. It’s smart to recruit “over” as when the inevitable injuries and unavailabilities come along, you’ve got replacements ready to go.

Smart to recruit over? The only way that comment is remotely accurate is if the players carrying points aren't in the best 22. Why would anyone want to go to Castlemaine knowing that they might miss a finals game not due to poor form but because the points don't fit. I wonder how long the "Singh can get you VFL opportunities" garbage will work?

 

[Del28562]

Plenty of juniors have headed into Maryborough from the district league over the years, under the lure and promise of “major league football”. You can’t have your cake and eat it too.

Shots fired.
Isn't that what you should encourage, that way the player comes back to he's home club a better footballer

 

[Del28562]

Smart to recruit over? The only way that comment is remotely accurate is if the players carrying points aren't in the best 22. Why would anyone want to go to Castlemaine knowing that they might miss a finals game not due to poor form but because the points don't fit. I wonder how long the "Singh can get you VFL opportunities" garbage will work?

He's gone north, so unless they are flying direct from the maine hanger to Sydney not sure its happening

 

[Del28562]

They are basically an extra board member so they do not ever report anything that challenges the competition admin. Only ever dig the boots in to the country clubs when they decide to leave or fold.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

No they are just told what to write, they don't get paid enough to do otherwise. Many print media are now almost league and club promos only. They get a press release from aflvic are print it and have an interview with prepared questions from aflvic

 

[Master of Disaster]

Shots fired.
Isn't that what you should encourage, that way the player comes back to he's home club a better footballer

Absolutely. I’ve been out of the loop with district league clubs for a while but most are happy for their kids to go in and have a crack. Maryborough weren’t, at times, as accomodating when it came to players wanting to go back the other way. Lots of pressure put on the kids to stay and “play the best standard of footy”. I’m just pointing out it swings both ways.

In saying that it’s easy to throw stones from the cheap seats. I respect the work of the small crew of hard working Maryborough people that have fought to keep the club afloat and protecting their junior program is a big part of that.

 

[Mad Jack]

Smart to recruit over? The only way that comment is remotely accurate is if the players carrying points aren't in the best 22. Why would anyone want to go to Castlemaine knowing that they might miss a finals game not due to poor form but because the points don't fit. I wonder how long the "Singh can get you VFL opportunities" garbage will work?

Yep, it’s smart, it’s healthy competition for spots, it’s good for depth, all things Castlemaine are striving for. If you can convince players to come knowing they might be on the edge, then that’s good recruiting.

 

[Arnold Horshack]

Yep, it’s smart, it’s healthy competition for spots, it’s good for depth, all things Castlemaine are striving for. If you can convince players to come knowing they might be on the edge, then that’s good recruiting.

You can't possibly think that. It's not competition for spots at all. It will be a 1 pointer getting in over you because of points not because of how well you've played. That's not too hard for you to comprehend, is it?

 

["The Roar Is Back"]

Shots fired.
Isn't that what you should encourage, that way the player comes back to he's home club a better footballer

The odds of kids going into major leagues from district leagues and staying in the game beyond junior football are not great. Making the transition after having played 75-100 games of senior district footy is quite successful .

 

[Mad Jack]

You can't possibly think that. It's not competition for spots at all. It will be a 1 pointer getting in over you because of points not because of how well you've played. That's not too hard for you to comprehend, is it?

I can very easily comprehend my thoughts. They make complete sense to me. What I can’t comprehend is you thinking if you’ve got 43 points to play with, you only ensure your best 22 equal 43 points.
Anyway, each to their own, I’m pretty confident I know what clubs would prefer if they could manage it through recruiting.

 

[ROOTA#6]

I can very easily comprehend my thoughts. They make complete sense to me. What I can’t comprehend is you thinking if you’ve got 43 points to play with, you only ensure your best 22 equal 43 points.
Anyway, each to their own, I’m pretty confident I know what clubs would prefer if they could manage it through recruiting.

I see some of the logic in it but have also seen in backfire early in seasons when everyone is available prior to any injuries and recruits are forced to play reserves

 

[Del28562]

I can very easily comprehend my thoughts. They make complete sense to me. What I can’t comprehend is you thinking if you’ve got 43 points to play with, you only ensure your best 22 equal 43 points.
Anyway, each to their own, I’m pretty confident I know what clubs would prefer if they could manage it through recruiting.

You want your side picked on merit, not having the calculator out and saying we can't pick you, sorry your 4 points, and gifting games to players who are 1 point. Why fly so close to the sun?

 

[Arnold Horshack]

I can very easily comprehend my thoughts. They make complete sense to me. What I can’t comprehend is you thinking if you’ve got 43 points to play with, you only ensure your best 22 equal 43 points.
Anyway, each to their own, I’m pretty confident I know what clubs would prefer if they could manage it through recruiting.

One more go- I'll type slowly.

If you're best 22 tallies 48 you can't pick your best side can you?

Good clubs don't put themselves or their coaches in that position.

 

[Forest St End]

So much concern for our plight on here I thought I’d better look at it.


Best regular 22 last year played at 38 points. Because of their exceptional loyalty over a whole season we get the incredibly well thought out point discount for the six guys over 1 point so the new tally is 32.

+4 for Fejo Jnr, Eyre as 5 pointers, I think Balta will be a 3, so +2 there, Marks might be a 4 so +3 and the Maryborough boys and Staples are 1s.

That gives us 45 in round one and 47 when Stein resumes mid year which would be one over. Balancing that however is at least five guys have ambitions at VFL level and are training with clubs so the likelihood of them all being available is low.

I’d say that is just about the perfect place to be at this point with the X factor of course being there may be more names to come.

 

[Shinjuku]

You can't possibly think that. It's not competition for spots at all. It will be a 1 pointer getting in over you because of points not because of how well you've played. That's not too hard for you to comprehend, is it?

One more go- I'll type slowly.

If you're best 22 tallies 48 you can't pick your best side can you?

Good clubs don't put themselves or their coaches in that position.

Isnt this the conundrum with the points system for clubs trying to climb off the bottom though. You have to recruit better quality players which means you will have to fly close to your allotted tally on occasion. The counter argument will be develop your juniors and have heaps of 1 pointers but not all clubs in Bendigo have this luxury for different reasons. Almost all followers of this forum are craving improvement from Castlemaine and if this is the path they choose then good on them. Whether you are right with your theory remains to be seen.

 

[the dark knight]

No they are just told what to write, they don't get paid enough to do otherwise. Many print media are now almost league and club promos only. They get a press release from aflvic are print it and have an interview with prepared questions from aflvic

That's a shame. An independent writer would give it a bit of interest I suspect.

 

[Mad Jack]

One more go- I'll type slowly.

If you're best 22 tallies 48 you can't pick your best side can you?

Good clubs don't put themselves or their coaches in that position.

Of course your best 22 can only be made up of the points allocated. My point is, and it’s the last time I’ll explain it, I’d rather have a handful of players miss out due to a points squeeze, than have no adequate replacements when my best 22 isn’t available. I speak from experience. You’ve got a different point of view, that’s fine.
As for a club not putting a coach in a difficult situation, spare me, it’s part of the gig. If a coach is worried about a hard conversation, that’s another problem.

 

[Del28562]

So much concern for our plight on here I thought I’d better look at it.


Best regular 22 last year played at 38 points. Because of their exceptional loyalty over a whole season we get the incredibly well thought out point discount for the six guys over 1 point so the new tally is 32.

+4 for Fejo Jnr, Eyre as 5 pointers, I think Balta will be a 3, so +2 there, Marks might be a 4 so +3 and the Maryborough boys and Staples are 1s.

That gives us 43 in round one and 47 when Stein resumes mid year which would be one over. Balancing that however is at least five guys have ambitions at VFL level and are training with clubs so the likelihood of them all being available is low.

I’d say that is just about the perfect place to be at this point with the X factor of course being there may be more names to come.

you're on 48 before stein comes in

 

[Del28562]

Of course your best 22 can only be made up of the points allocated. My point is, and it’s the last time I’ll explain it, I’d rather have a handful of players miss out due to a points squeeze, than have no adequate replacements when my best 22 isn’t available. I speak from experience. You’ve got a different point of view, that’s fine.
As for a club not putting a coach in a difficult situation, spare me, it’s part of the gig. If a coach is worried about a hard conversation, that’s another problem.

Guys won't play reserves that are 4 point players, unless they are coming back from injury