Bendigo FL discussion 2025

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rkjc22 said:
With all due respect these ideas are completely fantasy land.

The AFL don't hand out games to anyone. Governments at all levels have to throw $$ at them.

And you want teams to give up home games? Who gets the gate? Who gets the canteen? The bar? Where do the 18s, 2s and netball sides play?
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There’s no reason the QEO couldn’t host an AFL game, it’s been done before with preseason games and it should be a long term goal. The hub should be lobbying local and state government for that to happen. At the moment it’s a nothing venue, half done up and then abandoned.

Regardless it’s not a necessity for an AFL game to make a day like that work, even if was just a BFL round game it could work well with the right promotion and activities around it. Some people here might remember the old media days that drew huge crowds.

No one has to give up a home game, shift the whole round to the QEO and let the club run it from there. No one will mind given it will be a bumper day and the two clubs would have the option to split the work and share some profits if they chose to.
 
Forest St End said:
There’s no reason the QEO couldn’t host an AFL game, it’s been done before with preseason games and it should be a long term goal. The hub should be lobbying local and state government for that to happen. At the moment it’s a nothing venue, half done up and then abandoned.

Regardless it’s not a necessity for an AFL game to make a day like that work, even if was just a BFL round game it could work well with the right promotion and activities around it. Some people here might remember the old media days that drew huge crowds.

No one has to give up a home game, shift the whole round to the QEO and let the club run it from there. No one will mind given it will be a bumper day and the two clubs would have the option to split the work and share some profits if they chose to.
Click to expand...

There is a reason the QEO can’t host a regular season AFL game…..it doesn’t meet the standards required as set out by the AFL
 
Forest St End said:
There’s no reason the QEO couldn’t host an AFL game, it’s been done before with preseason games and it should be a long term goal. The hub should be lobbying local and state government for that to happen. At the moment it’s a nothing venue, half done up and then abandoned.

Regardless it’s not a necessity for an AFL game to make a day like that work, even if was just a BFL round game it could work well with the right promotion and activities around it. Some people here might remember the old media days that drew huge crowds.

No one has to give up a home game, shift the whole round to the QEO and let the club run it from there. No one will mind given it will be a bumper day and the two clubs would have the option to split the work and share some profits if they chose to.
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A few years back they hosted a similar thing with interleague. That was a good day. I think it was a HDFL and BFL taking n GDFL and someone.... memory wasn't great after the first game. and I'm not a huge fan of interleague footy but that had a reasonable crowd.
 

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ROOTA#6 said:
There is a reason the QEO can’t host a regular season AFL game…..it doesn’t meet the standards required as set out by the AFL
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Is it to small?


edit: welcome to my life.
 
Test Tickle said:
Is it to small?


edit: welcome to my life.
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Ground and surface are absolutely no issue it’s the facilities and amenities for spectators etc that need massive upgrades.

You only have to look to Ballarat to see what it took to be able to host regular fixture matches
 
ROOTA#6 said:
Ground and surface are absolutely no issue it’s the facilities and amenities for spectators etc that need massive upgrades.

You only have to look to Ballarat to see what it took to be able to host regular fixture matches
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Would need plenty more infrastructure, including at the very least, another set of toilets up near where the old South clubrooms were.
 
ROOTA#6 said:
Bendigo doesn’t have a facility suitable to host an afl regular season game.

Praccy match at best but it’s even been a while since one of them was hosted at the QEO
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Forest St End said:
There’s no reason the QEO couldn’t host an AFL game, it’s been done before with preseason games and it should be a long term goal. The hub should be lobbying local and state government for that to happen. At the moment it’s a nothing venue, half done up and then abandoned.

Regardless it’s not a necessity for an AFL game to make a day like that work, even if was just a BFL round game it could work well with the right promotion and activities around it. Some people here might remember the old media days that drew huge crowds.

No one has to give up a home game, shift the whole round to the QEO and let the club run it from there. No one will mind given it will be a bumper day and the two clubs would have the option to split the work and share some profits if they chose to.
Click to expand...
I like the lateral thinking Forest. Given in their current state the facilities don’t meet AFL standards - you could ask the question and try get a something like a Collingwood v Carlton VFL game as a night game at the QEO - preceded by a regular day of BFL footy and netball. That’d still draw a decent crowd.
 
ROOTA#6 said:
Ground and surface are absolutely no issue it’s the facilities and amenities for spectators etc that need massive upgrades.

You only have to look to Ballarat to see what it took to be able to host regular fixture matches
Click to expand...
Yep, not to mention nowhere to park or transit facilities to get bulk crowds in/out of the ground and the town itself.
 
Forest St End said:
There’s no reason the QEO couldn’t host an AFL game, it’s been done before with preseason games and it should be a long term goal. The hub should be lobbying local and state government for that to happen. At the moment it’s a nothing venue, half done up and then abandoned.

Regardless it’s not a necessity for an AFL game to make a day like that work, even if was just a BFL round game it could work well with the right promotion and activities around it. Some people here might remember the old media days that drew huge crowds.

No one has to give up a home game, shift the whole round to the QEO and let the club run it from there. No one will mind given it will be a bumper day and the two clubs would have the option to split the work and share some profits if they chose to.
Click to expand...
Ballarat was a marginal seat last election, the mp who won promised to get 3 afl games there and fund the upgrades. The qeo can't because of the heritage value of the site upgrade to afl standards making it near impossible. I'd think more likely to see games at lavington in Albury or morwell than bendigo
 
Forest St End said:
There’s no reason the QEO couldn’t host an AFL game, it’s been done before with preseason games and it should be a long term goal. The hub should be lobbying local and state government for that to happen. At the moment it’s a nothing venue, half done up and then abandoned.

Regardless it’s not a necessity for an AFL game to make a day like that work, even if was just a BFL round game it could work well with the right promotion and activities around it. Some people here might remember the old media days that drew huge crowds.

No one has to give up a home game, shift the whole round to the QEO and let the club run it from there. No one will mind given it will be a bumper day and the two clubs would have the option to split the work and share some profits if they chose to.
Click to expand...
Sorry I was asking those questions in response to your suggestion of playing all the top teams from all leagues.

Who gets the gate? Who gets canteen? Who gets bar? Where's other grades play?
 
rkjc22 said:
Sorry I was asking those questions in response to your suggestion of playing all the top teams from all leagues.

Who gets the gate? Who gets canteen? Who gets bar? Where's other grades play?
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I’m sure there’s lots of solutions to the logistics.

One might be to run it like finals in the old days where the league stocks the bar and canteen and the clubs do a roster running them while the other games are on, and the clubs keep the profits.

Eg if it is Castlemaine v Gisborne and North Bendigo v Heathcote the two home teams run the bar, gate and canteen while the other game is on.

In terms of the other games I’d say the options would be to play them across the day where possible and on the other days of the weekend.

Really though the specifics don’t matter, my point is a major league should have major events and big stage games. The hub should be coming up with these things.
When you look at the fixture there’s not much to get excited about. The only big event is the South v Eaglehawk Anzac Day game.
Even Good Friday is diluted with all the games on one day ant one time and they are pretty tame match ups.
No nights, no Sundays, just stock standard round after round.
 

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Forest St End said:
I’m sure there’s lots of solutions to the logistics.

One might be to run it like finals in the old days where the league stocks the bar and canteen and the clubs do a roster running them while the other games are on, and the clubs keep the profits.

Eg if it is Castlemaine v Gisborne and North Bendigo v Heathcote the two home teams run the bar, gate and canteen while the other game is on.

In terms of the other games I’d say the options would be to play them across the day where possible and on the other days of the weekend.

Really though the specifics don’t matter, my point is a major league should have major events and big stage games. The hub should be coming up with these things.
When you look at the fixture there’s not much to get excited about. The only big event is the South v Eaglehawk Anzac Day game.
Even Good Friday is diluted with all the games on one day ant one time and they are pretty tame match ups.
No nights, no Sundays, just stock standard round after round.
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Of course they do. But it's not as easy to explain them as it is to just criticise everything is it?
 
rkjc22 said:
Of course they do. But it's not as easy to explain them as it is to just criticise everything is it?
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Might have been more effective to highlight that sentence if it wasn’t under three paragraphs doing exactly that.

Not sure wanting me to provide a blueprint for events is exactly apples and apples either. These people are employed full time to do this stuff, I spent five minutes writing a post.
I would wager 90% of people in footy clubs do 1000s of times more in terms of running events and game days with a tiny fraction of their resources.
 
ROOTA#6 said:
So league administrators are to be blamed for all of the issues that Kyenton and Maryborough have faced are they?

Those administrators managed Kynetons finances when they went broke?

Those administrators chose not to follow recommendations around mergers or consolidation in the Maryborough region many years ago?

I think you over estimate how much influence league administrators can have instead of actually looking for clubs to take a lot of accountability for the plight them can find themselves in
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I have read the many comments and thoughts around the demise of our club, Maryborough FNC and the problems in the BFNL and want to provide some thoughts.

The factors involved are many and there isn't one primary issue. My thoughts on some of those discussed are,

- The report completed by AFL Goldfields a number of years ago reviewed football in the Maryborough and Central Highlands region who were part of the AFL Goldfields organisation at the time. Maryborough FNC was consulted as part of the plan but AFL Central Victoria played little part in the development of the plan which was disappointing. They should have been more involved as there were impacts on Castlemaine, Kyneton and Maryborough clubs and their level of engagement/ participation in the study wasn't great and regular turnover of key staff didn't help.

- The report when completed was rejected by AFL Goldfields member clubs which was disappointing and not helped by the relationship between the Central Highlands league representative's and AFL Goldfields. There was too much trying to protect your own backyard (which is understandable) and no consideration of the future. Unfortunately many of the issues discussed have resulted despite being dismissed by many as 'pie in the sky' and Maryborough FNC has certainly experienced some of them.

- Player numbers in the area are poor and clubs 'pillage' other clubs to keep the doors open. This is seen with junior teams where offers are commonplace from clubs such as free registration, uniform and transport to games. Young players move away for many reasons and therefore numbers continue to reduce, thus resulting in the practices we are seeing. Money has also been offered in some cases with young players being paid well above the remuneration they deserve. It is a 'vicious circle' due to being too many clubs and not enough local players.

- This cycle was also seen when our club was heading towards recess with clubs contacting our players (football and netball) and offering incentives to change clubs. The manner in how this occurred was reprehensible and the lack of respect and understanding of our club's situation was upsetting.

- We at Maryborough FNC are part of the problem as we haven't worked hard enough over many years to attract players and probably took things fore granted that players from the surrounding leagues would join us to play at a higher standard. We didn't offer the same levels of remuneration as other clubs as we lived within our means and that unfortunately also worked against us. Other clubs just spend and worry about the issues at a later date. We were not prepared to do this and as a result the club is strong financially but just has no players.

I trust this provides some context from a Maryborough FNC perspective.
 
Last edited:
localfootyguru said:
I have read the many comments and thoughts around the demise of our club, Maryborough FNC and the problems in the BFNL and want to provide some thoughts.

The factors involved are many and there isn't one primary issue. My thoughts on some of those discussed are,

- The report completed by AFL Goldfields a number of years ago reviewed football in the Maryborough and Central Highlands region who were part of the AFL Goldfields organisation at the time. Maryborough FNC was consulted as part of the plan but AFL Central Victoria played little part in the development of the plan which was disappointing. They should have been more involved as there were impacts on Castlemaine, Kyneton and Maryborough clubs and their level of engagement/ participation in the study wasn't great and regular turnover of key staff didn't help.

- The report when completed was rejected by AFL Goldfields member clubs which was disappointing and not helped by the relationship between the Central Highlands league representative's and AFL Goldfields. There was too much trying to protect your own backyard (which is understandable) and no consideration of the future. Unfortunately many of the issues discussed have resulted despite being dismissed by many as 'pie in the sky' and Maryborough FNC has certainly experienced some of them.

- Player numbers in the area are poor and clubs 'pillage' other clubs to keep the doors open. This is seen with junior teams where offers are commonplaced from clubs such as free registration, uniform and transport to games. Young players move away for many reasons and therefore numbers continue to reduce, this resulting in the practices we are seeing. Money has also been offered in some cases with young players being paid well above the remuneration they deserve. It is a 'vicious circle' due to being too many clubs and not enough local players.

- This cycle was also seen when our club was heading towards recess with clubs contacting our players (football and netball) and offering incentives to change clubs. The manner in how this occurred was reprehensible and the lack of respect and understanding of our club's situation was upsetting.

- We at Maryborough FNC are part of the problem as we haven't worked hard enough over many years to attract players and probably took things for granted that players from the surrounding leagues would join us to play at a higher standard. We didn't offer the same levels of remuneration as other clubs as we lived within our means and that unfortunately also worked against us. Other clubs just spend and worry about the issues at a later date. We were not prepared to do this and as a result the club is strong financially but just has no players.

I trust this provides some context from a Maryborough FNC perspective.
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As always lfg, the quality of insight from those directly involved at clubland is starkly contrasted with the opinions from the cheap seats.

I hope I’m not speaking out of school when I say Maryborough is in good hands under your leadership.
 
Forest St End said:
As always lfg, the quality of insight from those directly involved at clubland is starkly contrasted with the opinions from the cheap seats.

I hope I’m not speaking out of school when I say Maryborough is in good hands under your leadership.
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How do you know that others on here aren’t involved in clubs?

Are you currently involved at Castlemaine?

Plenty of people here have made amazing contributions to footy clubs across the state
 
bring back night games!... Over last few years a number of clubs not just BFNL got grants and funding to upgrade lights to a level you could play under just to train under them... I am not fully across every ground but I know Flat, QEO, Square, Eaglehawk and Strath could play night games, Not sure about Harry Trott or Maryborough and I could see how I night in gissy might be rough for Bendigo clubs but I'm not against it if they can Id love to see at least a match every few rounds be played Saturday night, adjust start times for earlier games and have seniors kick of at 6-6:30 or something, Yes I understand there is logistical issues but surely can sort it out. I'd go to a night game every now and then even if my club wasn't playing. Night Prelims were great I loved watching them as a junior.
 
Slammin Sammy Says said:
Stepping stones.

VFL game at QEO

AFLW game at QEO

AFL practice match at QEO

Build a grandstand on the pool wing like the grandstand at Torquay FC.
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No disrespect but is that a good spend of funds if they are available. The state government is broke and Bendigo is a safe labor area so there won’t be any money available. I would also question there are far greater priorities for public money including health, fixing roads and police at this time.

Also considering the massive investment into the upgrade at North Ballarat would this be considered a good thing considering there are a couple of AFL games per year and the rest of the season there is minimal use as Ballarat FNL crowds are not huge. It should be also noted the Ballarat FNL grand final is not even played there.

Again this was a political decision to win votes and as part if the arrangement Ballarat City Council pays the Western Bulldogs $150k annually to host the games. Is this good use of ratepayers money? I am far from convinced.

Money needs to be put into infrastructure where there are real and ongoing benefits, we here at Maryborough FNC despite our efforts have not been able to secure grants/ funding to improve our infrastructure/ facilities. We (like most sporting clubs in Maryborough) just don’t have the political contacts nor is Maryborough seen as a town that can influence an election. The town is taken fore granted by our political masters.
 

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