Bendigo FL discussion 2026

[Grimmett]

Bamawyn extension breaking away from locky, ardmona getting the pez back, carols on to something there

The Pez was at Stawell Warriors this year, by the way.

 

[Trent from barwon Heads]

Why would it ruin a club to stay 12 more months? Did it run Cohuna when AFLvic denied them a move to the HDFL?

Totally different scenario, cohuna has 2 clubs 20 minutes away with big rivalries and were never voted in by the hdfl, locals weren't saying they wouldnt play there because of trwvel. Gisborne were let in by ballarat, their closest team is 75ks away now, and players showed this year in the juniors and reserves they dont want to travel, so theyll lose more to the rdfl this year and theres a chance once players leave they dont come back

 

[footyhead2367]

Totally different scenario, cohuna has 2 clubs 20 minutes away with big rivalries and were never voted in by the hdfl, locals weren't saying they wouldnt play there because of trwvel. Gisborne were let in by ballarat, their closest team is 75ks away now, and players showed this year in the juniors and reserves they dont want to travel, so theyll lose more to the rdfl this year and theres a chance once players leave they dont come back

Really don’t think their president is helping the situation with his inflammatory messaging either. He is doing more damage than good.

12 months won’t help the club but it definitely won’t kill it.

 

[Crazymaggy2020]

Really don’t think their president is helping the situation with his inflammatory messaging either. He is doing more damage than good.

12 months won’t help the club but it definitely won’t kill it.

The board is letting their ego get in the way of good governance which is why they are the weakest so called “major” competition in Australia. Common sense goes out the door when pats on the back and being superior is the only measure they care about

 

[footyhead2367]

The board is letting their ego get in the way of good governance which is why they are the weakest so called “major” competition in Australia. Common sense goes out the door when pats on the back and being superior is the only measure they care about

Looks like there will be some change at their December 8 meeting.

 

[Trent from barwon Heads]

Looks like there will be some change at their December 8 meeting.

They need what 7 clubs in favour ?

 

[Jack Doolan]

Really don’t think their president is helping the situation with his inflammatory messaging either. He is doing more damage than good.

12 months won’t help the club but it definitely won’t kill it.

I think the response has been justified when you consider these people are volunteers slogging their guts out to keep an increasingly fragile community asset afloat
As they said if the AFL and the Bendigo board want to deny them the best option for the club let them come down and run everything and bust their arses to keep it going
On the board what sort of business acumen is on there?
The chair is an academic and in my experiences they have little concept of the real world football is a business these days are there people on there who are successful in that space?

 

[Wooden Robot]

I think the response has been justified when you consider these people are volunteers slogging their guts out to keep an increasingly fragile community asset afloat
As they said if the AFL and the Bendigo board want to deny them the best option for the club let them come down and run everything and bust their arses to keep it going
On the board what sort of business acumen is on there?
The chair is an academic and in my experiences they have little concept of the real world football is a business these days are there people on there who are successful in that space?

I'm not saying the board are doing a great job, fair job, poor or diabolical job ... I'm not really interested in taking aim at the board or individuals, albeit my inkling is we are not in great shape or anywhere near as good shape as is being projected by the board chair.
To that end, I will say it's pretty easy to say you are ticking boxes and are staring down the challenges when you have no stated goal or aspirations, or the ones you do have are as vague as a teenager's mind after their first big night on the turps and are open to conjecture, and your financials are a bigger mystery than life after death.
The BFNL needs clarity going forward; we're getting none. Two clubs have expressed interest in joining the BFNL? Ok, name them? Of course they won't as it risks Echuca, Moama, Marong etc. contradicting that beyond the fact we were just doing our due diligence by seeing what's out there.
I read/heard the BFNL board said it did plenty to assist Maryborough. Ok, tell is what you did to try and keep the wolves at the door at Princes Park, or what approaches you made to AFL Victoria or elsewhere. I'm seeing/hearing vague statements that a beloved and obviously prudent and pragmatic poster on here - localfootyguru - can easily refute.
To be honest, the BFNL is no more than meandering along at this point with few or no stated aims or willingness to stake the reputation.

Interesting conversation the other week with the board chair of a major footy-netball league, which is travelling well. Said the board was functioning well and had managed to lure some people with strong skill sets, but was keen to add a bit more football/netball experience to the mix as - at the end of the day - it is local footy/netball we're talking about.

 

[Jack Doolan]

I'm not saying the board are doing a great job, fair job, poor or diabolical job ... I'm not really interested in taking aim at the board or individuals, albeit my inkling is we are not in great shape or anywhere near as good shape as is being projected by the board chair.
To that end, I will say it's pretty easy to say you are ticking boxes and are staring down the challenges when you have no stated goal or aspirations, or the ones you do have are as vague as a teenager's mind after their first big night on the turps and are open to conjecture, and your financials are a bigger mystery than life after death.
The BFNL needs clarity going forward; we're getting none. Two clubs have expressed interest in joining the BFNL? Ok, name them? Of course they won't as it risks Echuca, Moama, Marong etc. contradicting that beyond the fact we were just doing our due diligence by seeing what's out there.
I read/heard the BFNL board said it did plenty to assist Maryborough. Ok, tell is what you did to try and keep the wolves at the door at Princes Park, or what approaches you made to AFL Victoria or elsewhere. I'm seeing/hearing vague statements that a beloved and obviously prudent and pragmatic poster on here - localfootyguru - can easily refute.
To be honest, the BFNL is no more than meandering along at this point with few or no stated aims or willingness to stake the reputation.

Interesting conversation the other week with the board chair of a major footy-netball league, which is travelling well. Said the board was functioning well and had managed to lure some people with strong skill sets, but was keen to add a bit more football/netball experience to the mix as - at the end of the day - it is local footy/netball we're talking about.

Excellent summary from the outside it seems the board keep telling us everything is great and they are operating well yet apart from perhaps Sandhurst no one else involved in clubs on here seems to agree
There’s clearly a breakdown in either communication or expectation

 

[footyhead2367]

Excellent summary from the outside it seems the board keep telling us everything is great and they are operating well yet apart from perhaps Sandhurst no one else involved in clubs on here seems to agree
There’s clearly a breakdown in either communication or expectation

Don’t know if Sandhurst are flying off the field as much as it might appear. They just put a post up asking for a lot of help next season in a variety of different roles.

 

[Trent from barwon Heads]

Don’t know if Sandhurst are flying off the field as much as it might appear. They just put a post up asking for a lot of help next season in a variety of different roles.

Like every club they need volunteers and are looking for the next wave, I did have a joke with Arnold about it

 

[redragger]

I tell you what, the pressure is certainly on the board members who take over, if/when the current one is ousted. The criticism has been vicious from the outside. I dare say the new board members won’t find it so easy once they’re in the hot seat.

 

[Wooden Robot]

Like every club they need volunteers and are looking for the next wave, I did have a joke with Arnold about it

Just a sign of the times, sadly.
I read widely and have seen everyone from the CFA, Salvos, aged care facilities and sporting clubs through to Foodshare in Bendigo, schools and the Castlemaine District Netball Association.
Tough gig finding them valuable helpers.

 

["The Roar Is Back"]

Just a sign of the times, sadly.
I read widely and have seen everyone from the CFA, Salvos, aged care facilities and sporting clubs through to Foodshare in Bendigo, schools and the Castlemaine District Netball Association.
Tough gig finding them valuable helpers.

The amount of people seeking attention through being ‘ offended’ has increased the amount of policies and obligations for club volunteers , which most aren’t interested in.

 

[Jack Doolan]

Might put my hand up for the treasurer job at Sandhurst get to the bottom of that salary cap once and for all

 

[Crazymaggy2020]

I think Carols boyfriend needs to medicate Richard jones after his hall of fame speech. Has he been asleep for 15 years or something ?

 

[Wooden Robot]

I think Carols boyfriend needs to medicate Richard jones after his hall of fame speech. Has he been asleep for 15 years or something ?

What did he say?

 

[Wooden Robot]

Good to see the Western Bulldogs devote some time to having a super clinic and some school visits in Maryborough next week as part of their wider Ballarat community camp.
The Bulldogs'own idea.

Maryborough:

• Tuesday 2nd December 2025
• 4:45pm – 5:45pm: Jubilee Oval, Maryborough
• Western Bulldogs players in attendance and opportunity to get signatures from your favourite Western Bulldogs AFL players.
• Free registration and attendance - junior participants MUST REGISTER to to participate

 

[Crazymaggy2020]

What did he say?

Bendigo is the best comp in Victoria

 

[footyhead2367]

Anyone heard of any other clubs have recruits to be announced? Haven’t seen anything from Sandhurst yet.

 

[ringo1]

Bendigo is the best comp in Victoria

In all seriousness it would fall behind;
O&M
Geelong
Ballarat
Gippsland Latrobe
Goulburn Valley

Possibly
Hampden
Bellarine

 

[Wild Thing]

In all seriousness it would fall behind;
O&M
Geelong
Ballarat
Gippsland Latrobe
Goulburn Valley

Possibly
Hampden
Bellarine

Mornington Peninsula as well

 

[Trent from barwon Heads]

In all seriousness it would fall behind;
O&M
Geelong
Ballarat
Gippsland Latrobe
Goulburn Valley

Possibly
Hampden
Bellarine

Wimmera and sunraysia too, i think sunraysia have got about 20 guys coming in with sanfl senior experience into the league

 

[Crazymaggy2020]

Read a good article today about the Coates Leauge - you’d have to say it’s gone soon. Can’t happen soon enough. Will stop hundreds of parents thinking they may have Patrick Cripps

9

Patrick Cripps

Age

30

Ht

195cm

Wt

93kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

25.9

5star

K

9.8

4star

HB

16.1

5star

M

3.4

3star

T

5.8

5star

CL

7.4

5star

D

21.0

5star

K

10.1

4star

HB

10.9

5star

M

2.5

3star

T

3.8

4star

CL

6.3

5star

D

12.6

4star

K

4.8

2star

HB

7.8

5star

M

2.0

3star

T

3.2

5star

CL

1.4

4star

under their roof . It provides false hope and it hurts every club in the country.

 

[Trent from barwon Heads]

Read a good article today about the Coates Leauge - you’d have to say it’s gone soon. Can’t happen soon enough. Will stop hundreds of parents thinking they may have Patrick Cripps under their roof . It provides false hope and it hurts every club in the country.

Great to see real journalism, Coates League is outdated. Where has westy been, this story has been right under hes nose.

It has to dismantled this year, where's dillon, where's madigan? We need solutions not just head in the sand