Bendigo FL discussion 2026

[Trent from barwon Heads]

In my experience it always is in the eyes of the people that leave clubs
I look at Bailey Henderson who I would pick ahead of the other three combined who has rolled his sleeves up and worked to make a better club by coaching the thirds now the firsts and leading the place to higher standards vs skipping out down the road to cherry pick at an already strong team and I know which sort of character I’d prefer my son and daughter to be

Aren't the gisborne players mates of yours Jack? You say you go and watch these boys at gisborne, like them, come to.your house and then you say this about them

 

[rkjc22]

Way back when they tried to get that division league going

I thought you were only new to the league? I dont remember this at all and I think I've been around longer than you?

Or is this recent and I missed it?

 

[Jack Doolan]

Aren't the gisborne players mates of yours Jack? You say you go and watch these boys at gisborne, like them, come to.your house and then you say this about them

Mates is a bit of a stretch but nothing I wouldn’t say to them face to face or any other player
I’m old school changed clubs once in my life because I moved away and even then it took me two years of travel before I jumped
Kids today change clubs like they change jocks and it makes me sick and as I said I wouldn’t begrudge Castlemaine for keeping receipts

 

[Jack Doolan]

I thought you were only new to the league? I dont remember this at all and I think I've been around longer than you?

Or is this recent and I missed it?

Very recent just when Kyneton left

 

[ICS]

Well Bendigo clubs, reap what you sow.
Once a powerhouse league that are now minnows at best. 2026 will be a laugh

 

[Trent from barwon Heads]

Mates is a bit of a stretch but nothing I wouldn’t say to them face to face or any other player
I’m old school changed clubs once in my life because I moved away and even then it took me two years of travel before I jumped
Kids today change clubs like they change jocks and it makes me sick and as I said I wouldn’t begrudge Castlemaine for keeping receipts

What was your existing club jack ?

 

[Jack Doolan]

What was your existing club jack ?

I’m not sure what you mean by existing sorry Trent I played my footy at Barwon and then South Barwon after we merged

 

[Jack Doolan]

Now that the league is going back to running its own show will that now open the door to finals being shared and money coming back to clubs with no staff to pay?

 

[Trent from barwon Heads]

Now that the league is going back to running its own show will that now open the door to finals being shared and money coming back to clubs with no staff to pay?

They'll have to pay a ceo jack, no league gives clubs the finals gate, the hime club gets all the bar and canteen sales and opportunity to sell their club

 

[Wooden Robot]

They'll have to pay a ceo jack, no league gives clubs the finals gate, the hime club gets all the bar and canteen sales and opportunity to sell their club

I'm just casting my eye around and came across the Ballarat FNL where there are already two part-time (three-day a week) roles already advertised for a netball ops manager and women's football manager, which I assume were previously handlked by the hub. So there will be more funds to come up with, or at least more staff coming on board and sharing in what was previously paid to the hub.
Closer to Bendigo, a three-day a week HDFNL manager already being advertised. Boards etc. won't be doing the day-to-day and match-day duties.
If leagues want to do everything well, it may end up being costlier as you still need people in roles.
Marketing/advertising skills will be a requirement as much as footy nous at the top if things get tight.

 

[Jack Doolan]

They'll have to pay a ceo jack, no league gives clubs the finals gate, the hime club gets all the bar and canteen sales and opportunity to sell their club

That’s not what currently happens in Bendigo host club gets nothing so will that now change

 

["The Roar Is Back"]

I'm just casting my eye around and came across the Ballarat FNL where there are already two part-time (three-day a week) roles already advertised for a netball ops manager and women's football manager, which I assume were previously handlked by the hub. So there will be more funds to come up with, or at least more staff coming on board and sharing in what was previously paid to the hub.
Closer to Bendigo, a three-day a week HDFNL manager already being advertised. Boards etc. won't be doing the day-to-day and match-day duties.
If leagues want to do everything well, it may end up being costlier as you still need people in roles.
Marketing/advertising skills will be a requirement as much as footy nous at the top if things get tight.

There are and has been leagues a lot larger than the BFL , operating with one person looking after all operational matters .

 

[Wooden Robot]

There are and has been leagues a lot larger than the BFL , operating with one person looking after all operational matters .

We'll see.
Can only speak from what I'm seeing and a lot of jobs popping up, albeit three days a week, becoming full-time for four and five week finals series.
That said, Ballarat seems very well supported advertiser wise and probably has the funds.
There are queries over the BFNL's financial position.

 

[Jack Doolan]

We'll see.
Can only speak from what I'm seeing and a lot of jobs popping up, albeit three days a week, becoming full-time for four and five week finals series.
That said, Ballarat seems very well supported advertiser wise and probably has the funds.
There are queries over the BFNL's financial position.

You would imagine they have worn a bit over the last couple of years same staff but less fees coming in

 

[western royboy]

I'm just casting my eye around and came across the Ballarat FNL where there are already two part-time (three-day a week) roles already advertised for a netball ops manager and women's football manager, which I assume were previously handlked by the hub. So there will be more funds to come up with, or at least more staff coming on board and sharing in what was previously paid to the hub.
Closer to Bendigo, a three-day a week HDFNL manager already being advertised. Boards etc. won't be doing the day-to-day and match-day duties.
If leagues want to do everything well, it may end up being costlier as you still need people in roles.
Marketing/advertising skills will be a requirement as much as footy nous at the top if things get tight.

Ballarat is Goldfields - different region I believe / no hub

 

[Trent from barwon Heads]

That’s not what currently happens in Bendigo host club gets nothing so will that now change

Thats still up to the board to vote on jack, the current board have had this raised by the outer bendigo clubs for some time and have done nothing.

There's been no directive who funds this now the rac has gone. Although forest thought they tweedled their thumbs, the league doesnt have an office or computers for an employee, a car either. Plus a ceo will need someone under them to do the work, its at least a 2 person job, for major league footy, I think afl vic have wiped their hands of it as its too hard, not sure if fees will need to be paid still to the afl either by all leagues

 

[Wooden Robot]

You would imagine they have worn a bit over the last couple of years same staff but less fees coming in

Can say, through discussions with others, the remuneration in those hubs roles is not exactly lucrative, or indeed, much to write home about.
We'd probably all love to make a living in sports admin and be around the sport we love, but it has to be viable.

 

[Jack Doolan]

Thats still up to the board to vote on jack, the current board have had this raised by the outer bendigo clubs for some time and have done nothing.

There's been no directive who funds this now the rac has gone. Although forest thought they tweedled their thumbs, the league doesnt have an office or computers for an employee, a car either. Plus a ceo will need someone under them to do the work, its at least a 2 person job, for major league footy, I think afl vic have wiped their hands of it as its too hard, not sure if fees will need to be paid still to the afl either by all leagues

How could running a footy league be a two person job?
For 100 years we had league secretaries who ran things as volunteers on top of their bread and butter jobs how hard can it be

 

[harsh. but fair]

I saw it mentioned somewhere this week that BFNL pays more than $140k to AFLCV RAC presently.

 

["The Roar Is Back"]

Thats still up to the board to vote on jack, the current board have had this raised by the outer bendigo clubs for some time and have done nothing.

There's been no directive who funds this now the rac has gone. Although forest thought they tweedled their thumbs, the league doesnt have an office or computers for an employee, a car either. Plus a ceo will need someone under them to do the work, its at least a 2 person job, for major league footy, I think afl vic have wiped their hands of it as its too hard, not sure if fees will need to be paid still to the afl either by all leagues

Can’t see how this could be the case particularly for a 7-8 team comp .

 

[Wooden Robot]

How could running a footy league be a two person job?
For 100 years we had league secretaries who ran things as volunteers on top of their bread and butter jobs how hard can it be

I get where you're coming from, but leagues are a bit more involved now.
Occupational health and safety, salary caps, match-day requirements (compiling ladders, results etc.), website maintenance. None of these were factors or barely factors in the 90s or 2000s.
You'd read the scores in the Sunday Herald-Sun or Sunday Press back in the day, no other details, which would be available for print in the local rag by Monday or Tuesday.
Volunteers would be doing jobs in between their days jobs, or probably on their day job's time.
Then there's the marketing and advertising. Leagues in the 80s, 90s and 2000s were lucky to have a major sponsor, let alone a batch of them, which, they are going to need going forward.
It's a different world to ol' mate Brian at the WBFL getting swamped with every single detail of league operations in between his day job.
We've moved into a much more professional era (whether some will agree or disagree on) and if you want professionalism you have to share the load.
You need some specialists.
Is the gun new CEO, if we get one, across women's footy? Netball?

 

[Trent from barwon Heads]

Can’t see how this could be the case particularly for a 7-8 team comp .

Well id assume the ceo would need a junior staffer, especially if the ceo is chasing clubs to join. Although rac staff did 4 leagues didnt they?

 

["The Roar Is Back"]

I get where you're coming from, but leagues are a bit more involved now.
Occupational health and safety, salary caps, match-day requirements (compiling ladders, results etc.), website maintenance. None of these were factors or barely factors in the 90s or 2000s.
You'd read the scores in the Sunday Herald-Sun or Sunday Press back in the day, no other details, which would be available for print in the local rag by Monday or Tuesday.
Volunteers would be doing jobs in between their days jobs, or probably on their day job's time.
Then there's the marketing and advertising. Leagues in the 80s, 90s and 2000s were lucky to have a major sponsor, let alone a batch of them, which, they are going to need going forward.
It's a different world to ol' mate Brian at the WBFL getting swamped with every single detail of league operations in between his day job.
We've moved into a much more professional era (whether some will agree or disagree on) and if you want professionalism you have to share the load.
You need some specialists.
Is the gun new CEO, if we get one, across women's footy? Netball?

The removal of RAC’s may see greater focus on reducing workload through improved procedures and interaction between league and club .
It will most likely see a realisation that selling rights to community footy broadcasting is not viable particularly with AFL starting weeks in advance of what community clubs can and being played every day and night of the week.
In turn we may see things like stats , live streaming / videoing of every game being dropped .
People will initially be upset but ultimately more people will return to watching games live , increased crowds more money in clubs pockets .

 

[Jack Doolan]

I get where you're coming from, but leagues are a bit more involved now.
Occupational health and safety, salary caps, match-day requirements (compiling ladders, results etc.), website maintenance. None of these were factors or barely factors in the 90s or 2000s.
You'd read the scores in the Sunday Herald-Sun or Sunday Press back in the day, no other details, which would be available for print in the local rag by Monday or Tuesday.
Volunteers would be doing jobs in between their days jobs, or probably on their day job's time.
Then there's the marketing and advertising. Leagues in the 80s, 90s and 2000s were lucky to have a major sponsor, let alone a batch of them, which, they are going to need going forward.
It's a different world to ol' mate Brian at the WBFL getting swamped with every single detail of league operations in between his day job.
We've moved into a much more professional era (whether some will agree or disagree on) and if you want professionalism you have to share the load.
You need some specialists.
Is the gun new CEO, if we get one, across women's footy? Netball?

I accept I’m old school and underestimate what goes on however I can’t find 40 hours a week in that let alone any more
Seems to me in some ways it’s easier these days when I timekeep it all goes into the iPad and the results and ladders update themselves not like the old days when the sheets would have to go in and be done by hand
Videos and stats seem to be done by other companies and the clubs run all the game day stuff no one goes to the tribunal anymore unless the league has it in for them
They could easily chop those rubbish previews and reviews which read like a form 4 kid wrote them and just direct everyone to the paper instead maybe even link memberships to a Bendigo Advertiser subscription
I struggle to see what else there is chase a few sponsors and make a few Facebook posts but as I say I am probably uninformed about what they do

 

[Trent from barwon Heads]

The removal of RAC’s may see greater focus on reducing workload through improved procedures and interaction between league and club .
It will most likely see a realisation that selling rights to community footy broadcasting is not viable particularly with AFL starting weeks in advance of what community clubs can and being played every day and night of the week.
In turn we may see things like stats , live streaming / videoing of every game being dropped .
People will initially be upset but ultimately more people will return to watching games live , increased crowds more money in clubs pockets .

How much is to get games taped ? Id think 95% of leagues have every game taped with many leagues having a live stream for game of the week