NFNL Div 1 2026

[Denny Crane]

The word on the Doggies from a local at the bar:

Training to be held using Telfer Reserve Bundoora one night and JE Moore Reservoir the other.

Few (he thinks 3 or 4) 'home' games at Eltham with agreement between Clubs when Eltham are obviously away.

Remaining games at Yarrambat with agreement between Clubs and support from Juniors there.

Unfortunately works on rooms have started slowly....., this is the most worrying thing, longer they 'stall' the longer you are off your ground and worse things get.

Confident despite some departures the 'ins' are going to enable them to stay up and ride this wave until 2027 and new rooms and obviously more income.

 

[10571z]

The word on the Doggies from a local at the bar:

Training to be held using Telfer Reserve Bundoora one night and JE Moore Reservoir the other.

Few (he thinks 3 or 4) 'home' games at Eltham with agreement between Clubs when Eltham are obviously away.

Remaining games at Yarrambat with agreement between Clubs and support from Juniors there.

Unfortunately works on rooms have started slowly....., this is the most worrying thing, longer they 'stall' the longer you are off your ground and worse things get.

Confident despite some departures the 'ins' are going to enable them to stay up and ride this wave until 2027 and new rooms and obviously more income.

Going to be a tough year doing that.

 

[Itspetracca]

The word on the Doggies from a local at the bar:

Training to be held using Telfer Reserve Bundoora one night and JE Moore Reservoir the other.

Few (he thinks 3 or 4) 'home' games at Eltham with agreement between Clubs when Eltham are obviously away.

Remaining games at Yarrambat with agreement between Clubs and support from Juniors there.

Unfortunately works on rooms have started slowly....., this is the most worrying thing, longer they 'stall' the longer you are off your ground and worse things get.

Confident despite some departures the 'ins' are going to enable them to stay up and ride this wave until 2027 and new rooms and obviously more income.

The locals are going to love that

 

[Spyforce]

The locals are going to love that

Well that’s the point m8, very few locals follow the doggies more 10-20 kms away so it willl actually work ok for a season.

Confirm no Moore Park as Darebin Council & Telfer likely Women’s as lights not up to standard.

Those close to it have a few other options to spread their home games.

 

[Mappa]

Why not consider Bundoora Park.
Not a huge ground, but no smaller than some others in the league.
Good change rooms, good lights and no other teams to compete with or deal with.

 

[Spyforce]

Why not consider Bundoora Park.
Not a huge ground, but no smaller than some others in the league.
Good change rooms, good lights and no other teams to compete with or deal with.

Was on the list, umpires venue & Darebin Council.

 

[Denny Crane]

Going to be a tough year doing that.

Very much a tough year but what options do they have?

 

[10571z]

Very much a tough year but what options do they have?

A permanent location would have been ideal instead of moving around. There’s a few grounds in that area with minimum usage.

Either way they’ll have an amazing facility once done so they just need to ride it out.

 

[10571z]

Bergs, Mont, Bridges and Boro for me are locks for the top 5. Who takes 5th spot?

Eltham, Bundoora or Banyule for mine. Banyule probably in poll position.

 

[SweatyJustice]

Bergs, Mont, Bridges and Boro for me are locks for the top 5. Who takes 5th spot?

Eltham, Bundoora or Banyule for mine. Banyule probably in poll position.

Who do you think goes down from the other 3?

Probably WP?

 

[10571z]

Who do you think goes down from the other 3?

Probably WP?

Tough call, WP have picked a couple up.
Maybe DC, big step up. Their best side is fantastic but how often will we see that.

If the league posted clearances we’d have more of an idea where every list is at!

 

[Itspetracca]

Well that’s the point m8, very few locals follow the doggies more 10-20 kms away so it willl actually work ok for a season.

Confirm no Moore Park as Darebin Council & Telfer likely Women’s as lights not up to standard.

Those close to it have a few other options to spread their home games.

I was referring to the Yarrambat locals

 

[hfchfc]

Tough call, WP have picked a couple up.
Maybe DC, big step up. Their best side is fantastic but how often will we see that.

If the league posted clearances we’d have more of an idea where every list is at!

Diamond Creeks best side is fantastic?

 

[10571z]

Diamond Creeks best side is fantastic?

I mean they looked really good in the GF, much better than the previous sides who have won it imo.

With both McPherson brothers playing they would certainly compete with the bottom 3-4 sides in D1. But that will rarely happen

 

[EBERT THE KING]

Tough call, WP have picked a couple up.
Maybe DC, big step up. Their best side is fantastic but how often will we see that.

If the league posted clearances we’d have more of an idea where every list is at!

How many have West picked up? Will need a few. I've counted as least 12 players who have played seniors in 2025 that have been announced elsewhere.

 

[10571z]

How many have West picked up? Will need a few. I've counted as least 12 players who have played seniors in 2025 that have been announced elsewhere.

10 according to their socials so far, not sure how good etc. but a few look handy.

 

[EBERT THE KING]

10 according to their socials so far, not sure how good etc. but a few look handy.

Thats good. More than i thought they had recruited.

 

[TigerTime123]

Bergs, Mont, Bridges and Boro for me are locks for the top 5. Who takes 5th spot?

Eltham, Bundoora or Banyule for mine. Banyule probably in poll position.

The off season pub talk I have heard with the comings and goings at clubs support your view
Bergs stay the team to beat. Bridges recruited better than anyone then Mont and slime.
North and West will drop so great opportunity for Bundy and Eltham to climb the ladder - Eltham with strong under 19's over the last 3 years must have some good young blokes coming through?
Banyule with their new coach & some good pick ups to fight out 5th with Eltham I reckon.
Diamo may have picked a good year to be promoted with the challenges at North & West.

 

[Big Unit 30]

Very much a tough year but what options do they have?

Obviously there must be something preventing them from using Bellfields ground?
Otherwise it’d make perfect sense just across Bell St with a fantastic surface

 

[Champ or Chump]

Obviously there must be something preventing them from using Bellfields ground?
Otherwise it’d make perfect sense just across Bell St with a fantastic surface

Might be the alcohol licence and canteen as I believe that all sits with YJFL as tenant of canteen/social area along with south oval. Might be able to be rectified for short term with council and YJFL approval.

 

[Mappa]

Might be the alcohol licence and canteen as I believe that all sits with YJFL as tenant of canteen/social area along with south oval. Might be able to be rectified for short term with council and YJFL approval.

Any facility that is paid for and built by the taxpayers should allow any applicant equal access. The YJFL did nothing but get gifted a far greater setup in Bellfield than they had in Bulleen thanks to the North East Link. I'd be disappointed if they held other club's at bay like they fought, earned and paid for it all themselves.

 

[Bojack Horseman IV]

Might be the alcohol licence and canteen as I believe that all sits with YJFL as tenant of canteen/social area along with south oval. Might be able to be rectified for short term with council and YJFL approval.

Ford park doesnt have a liquor license from my understanding.

North to be shooting themselves in the foot if they were to agree on using the ground for the upcoming season as easy as it would be.
Giving up 20-30k+ in bar sales seems like a hard thing to ignore for travel convenience.

Common sense says they would allow a temporary license to be granted for a season until they moved back to Shelley.

 

[XXXXAFL]

Martin Stillman has landed newly created role at VAFA. How does he go?

 

[10571z]

Martin Stillman has landed newly created role at VAFA. How does he go?

What role does he have there?

 

[Max Leader]

What role does he have there?

Football Operations reporting to the CEO.