Bendigo FL discussion 2026

[beesknees22]

They have constantly publicised some accusations against Kyneton, eg: scheduling of raffle, which unintentionally ended up clashing with women’s GF, removal of Pride sticker, anger at inequitable funding of post game drinks.

The rest of their gripes that I’ve seen appear to be just mind numbingly vague and non specific cliches, but are being trotted out ad nauseam to justify walking out of the club.

I don’t think they’ve been at all respectful toward the Kyneton FNC. Happy to be corrected.

The Kyneton Women’s club have been causing this rubbish for a few years now. Is it the influx of left wing Melbournites whom moved into town during COVID?

We don’t hear this noise from other Bendigo region clubs - so excusing my ignorance, are these clubs not affiliated with the Men’s clubs?

 

[fatkidinthepocket]

cant you talk about something else than this crap gets boring so how are the clubs in bendigo going regarding training etc

You tell em Ron. Merry Christmas to the dog.

 

[Jack Doolan]

The Kyneton Women’s club have been causing this rubbish for a few years now. Is it the influx of left wing Melbournites whom moved into town during COVID?

We don’t hear this noise from other Bendigo region clubs - so excusing my ignorance, are these clubs not affiliated with the Men’s clubs?

Doesn’t seem to be an issue for Castlemaine who combine the two teams very well and from the outside seem to get on better than the netball does

 

[Munners]

Doesn’t seem to be an issue for Castlemaine who combine the two teams very well and from the outside seem to get on better than the netball does

Kyneton isnt that much smaller than Castlemaine, interesting that they have Castlemaine in the CVFL (Bendigo) and Mount Alexander Falcons based in Harcourt but basically another Castlemaine club playing in the Riddell.

I guess the difference is that the Kyneton FNC are based in the Riddell so that's why the RDFL are upset. Still seems pretty strange to not allow the Kyneton womens club to play even if it means there's two womens clubs in town.

 

[Sir_Greed]

Kyneton isnt that much smaller than Castlemaine, interesting that they have Castlemaine in the CVFL (Bendigo) and Mount Alexander Falcons based in Harcourt but basically another Castlemaine club playing in the Riddell.

I guess the difference is that the Kyneton FNC are based in the Riddell so that's why the RDFL are upset. Still seems pretty strange to not allow the Kyneton womens club to play even if it means there's two womens clubs in town.

And for a while, Mt Alexander, who are a women's only football club, were also not affliated with a competition because AFL Vic said Castlemaine couldn't handle two teams which has proven to be bloody nonsense.

Castlemaine and Mt Alexander attract different types of players with completely different cultures. You want to play at a serious standard, win a flag and are a gun? Play for Castlemaine. You want to give footy a go for the first time at a lower standard in the RDFNL? Go to Mt Alexander. Having umpired both clubs, you see the complete difference in the culture.

Two clubs want to play women's football, only one gets in for 2022

Castlemaine has two women's football clubs but only one has been given a place in the AFL Central Victoria comp for 2022.

www.abc.net.au

As others have said, the KFNC and Kyneton's womens team are beyond reconcilable culturally. They clearly have very different ideas about how a club should be run and achieve. That's the only uncontroversial reality about this whole dispute.

Hence, both clubs should be allowed to compete and attract players based on their respective cultures because as royboy says, no one plays for money in women's footy.

I remember when the Kyneton women first announced their breakaway, the President at the time, Hayden Evans, jumped online to defend the club and it just struck me that all the work everyone had done to make it an inclusive club, including winning an award, had been pissed down the drain.

Midland Express

The newly formed Kyneton Women’s Football Club is facing the prospect of being unable to play this year after being rejected by three local leagues.

www.facebook.com

The women's players will not come back to the club if their application is rejected. They will be lost to footy as a collective. If Kyneton are worried about pathways for their youth girls, they ought put the time in, create the pathways and build the culture so players don't go anywhere for their seniors rather than strangling another club at birth which doesn't really strike me as a very inclusive thing to do.

 

[Jack Doolan]

Bit of context here hot of the press from some Castlemaine movers and shakers in the MCC for boxing day
Maine were against the new club being affiliated and filthy they were allowed to start another Auskick centre in town
At the moment they are essentially an expat Melbourne team of people involved in the same club who have moved up and brought it with them
Once that starts to change both teams are stuffed for numbers for all their success Castlemaine only just get a team together have one junior team and on a good year get one or two players who go on once aged out
Fair chance conversation and eloquence will diminish over the next two sessions

 

[Trent from barwon Heads]

Bit of context here hot of the press from some Castlemaine movers and shakers in the MCC for boxing day
Maine were against the new club being affiliated and filthy they were allowed to start another Auskick centre in town
At the moment they are essentially an expat Melbourne team of people involved in the same club who have moved up and brought it with them
Once that starts to change both teams are stuffed for numbers for all their success Castlemaine only just get a team together have one junior team and on a good year get one or two players who go on once aged out
Fair chance conversation and eloquence will diminish over the next two sessions

Jack you do realise that Castlemaine and Kyneton are getting more inner north melbourne people moving there (castlemaine known as north northcote) , their not moving back mate, more are coming, so you should embrace their passion and let them play

 

[Sir_Greed]

Bit of context here hot of the press from some Castlemaine movers and shakers in the MCC for boxing day
Maine were against the new club being affiliated and filthy they were allowed to start another Auskick centre in town
At the moment they are essentially an expat Melbourne team of people involved in the same club who have moved up and brought it with them
Once that starts to change both teams are stuffed for numbers for all their success Castlemaine only just get a team together have one junior team and on a good year get one or two players who go on once aged out
Fair chance conversation and eloquence will diminish over the next two sessions

"For all their success"

I had a good laugh at this one from our friends at Maine. You are never deprived of a giggle from our friends the brains trust at Camp. What will they say or do next?

I think it's important to spell out exactly what their success has been so people can be objective. They have won four premierships in a row and lost two games in four seasons. They're hardly uncompetitive and teetering as the narrative suggests. Their 18s also made the semis this year too.

In any case, Mt Alexander are not affliated with the CVFL so what would Castlemaine actually do? And would anyone actually listen when you point out "Youse have won a few flags recently yeah? Four in a row yeah?"

I personally enjoy the personification of the club as blow ins in from Melbourne. At least the club’s prejudices are open and honestly communicated to you. It's a great way to confirm that the club hierarchy lazily reckons that if the other club didn't exist, the players would automatically click over. They're assuming it is 1970 where your choices are: play football or risk social isolation. People just drop off and do something else instead.

 

[Jack Doolan]

Jack you do realise that Castlemaine and Kyneton are getting more inner north melbourne people moving there (castlemaine known as north northcote) , their not moving back mate, more are coming, so you should embrace their passion and let them play

Let them play for the clubs who are there waiting for them with open arms
We aren’t talking about Strathfieldsaye here these clubs are closing in on 200 years old

 

[Jack Doolan]

"For all their success"

I had a good laugh at this one from our friends at Maine. You are never deprived of a giggle from our friends the brains trust at Camp. What will they say or do next?

I think it's important to spell out exactly what their success has been so people can be objective. They have won four premierships in a row and lost two games in four seasons. They're hardly uncompetitive and teetering as the narrative suggests. Their 18s also made the semis this year too.

In any case, Mt Alexander are not affliated with the CVFL so what would Castlemaine actually do? And would anyone actually listen when you point out "Youse have won a few flags recently yeah? Four in a row yeah?"

I personally enjoy the personification of the club as blow ins in from Melbourne. At least the club’s prejudices are open and honestly communicated to you. It's a great way to confirm that the club hierarchy lazily reckons that if the other club didn't exist, the players would automatically click over. They're assuming it is 1970 where your choices are: play football or risk social isolation. People just drop off and do something else instead.

What a bizarre rant
I don’t pretend to have much idea about female football but when the team that has won four flags in a row and lost two games in four seasons is regularly unable to muster 18 players to play then the area probably isn’t ripe for a second team just yet

 

[Sir_Greed]

What a bizarre rant
I don’t pretend to have much idea about female football but when the team that has won four flags in a row and lost two games in four seasons is regularly unable to muster 18 players to play then the area probably isn’t ripe for a second team just yet

They've both been in the area for five years now. That article I quoted was from years ago. But don't engage with the facts, or anything like that. Just call it a rant and move on.

 

[Jack Doolan]

They've both been in the area for five years now. That article I quoted was from years ago. But don't engage with the facts, or anything like that. Just call it a rant and move on.

Im afraid you are the one not dealing in facts by conflating participation with on field success when they have little relation in this instance
The pertinent facts here are Castlemaine introduced Senior and junior female football several years ago and at no stage has either of those programs not struggled for numbers
When a new team was proposed the organisers at Castlemaine who I think we all agree have much more knowledge than either of us do were against it
Their many hours of experience of running come and try programs etc told them their isn’t the level of interest in the area to support two teams as yet
Instead of supporting the people who have done a great job in creating a team from nothing the AFL allowed the new team to affiliate and made the half measure of sending them to the Riddell league
They could have taken the more sensible suggestion of delaying the new team for 12 months and seeing how participation trended after players had the chance to experience a full season training and playing some games with Castlemaine
Now you have two teams battling for players and losing more than they are attracting and with an inevitable split of juniors on the horizon it will only get worse
More informed people than I tell me there is no way both teams will exist in 10 years

 

[Jack Doolan]

And the reason I find this interesting is because both the situations with the women and the Gisborne farce boil down to the same things the AFL not paying heed to the people at the coal face of grassroots footy at clubs
Instead they ignore them and make decisions against the interests of the clubs, make their lives more difficult and leave them to get on with it
Then they wonder why no one can get volunteers any longer

 

[Trent from barwon Heads]

What a bizarre rant
I don’t pretend to have much idea about female football but when the team that has won four flags in a row and lost two games in four seasons is regularly unable to muster 18 players to play then the area probably isn’t ripe for a second team just yet

Well maybe they need to embrace the new people in the town more than just lip service jack, because youve it run a club one way for x amount of ideas doesnt mean you cant be open to ideas. If these new clubs fold than people will come back. Its just like your new supermarket, people can still go and buy their groceries at iga in town

 

[Jack Doolan]

Well maybe they need to embrace the new people in the town more than just lip service jack, because youve it run a club one way for x amount of ideas doesnt mean you cant be open to ideas. If these new clubs fold than people will come back. Its just like your new supermarket, people can still go and buy their groceries at iga in town

If you see a comparison to supermarkets you should probably sit out the conversation
People don’t give their heart and soul volunteering for supermarkets

 

[western royboy]

And the reason I find this interesting is because both the situations with the women and the Gisborne farce boil down to the same things the AFL not paying heed to the people at the coal face of grassroots footy at clubs
Instead they ignore them and make decisions against the interests of the clubs, make their lives more difficult and leave them to get on with it
Then they wonder why no one can get volunteers any longer

There is nothing more demoralising as effectively a community footy volunteer than going to AFL House for a meeting, the absence and lack of understanding of the realities of country footy are truly awful

 

[Sir_Greed]

Im afraid you are the one not dealing in facts by conflating participation with on field success when they have little relation in this instance
The pertinent facts here are Castlemaine introduced Senior and junior female football several years ago and at no stage has either of those programs not struggled for numbers
When a new team was proposed the organisers at Castlemaine who I think we all agree have much more knowledge than either of us do were against it
Their many hours of experience of running come and try programs etc told them their isn’t the level of interest in the area to support two teams as yet
Instead of supporting the people who have done a great job in creating a team from nothing the AFL allowed the new team to affiliate and made the half measure of sending them to the Riddell league
They could have taken the more sensible suggestion of delaying the new team for 12 months and seeing how participation trended after players had the chance to experience a full season training and playing some games with Castlemaine
Now you have two teams battling for players and losing more than they are attracting and with an inevitable split of juniors on the horizon it will only get worse
More informed people than I tell me there is no way both teams will exist in 10 years

They did do that: Mount Alexander were not affliated with any comp for 12 months for the reason you attribute. I make the point that the players going to Mt Alexander and Castlemaine are going for very different reasons. They're not automatically part of the same player pool that are allegedly being cannibalised by having two clubs.

 

[MortlockWatcher]

So where is the second generation of that club's players coming from?

Are they all coming from Melbourne as well or, more likely, are they going to be sourced from the local region, thereby cannibalising the local population?

 

[Jack Doolan]

They did do that: Mount Alexander were not affliated with any comp for 12 months for the reason you attribute. I make the point that the players going to Mt Alexander and Castlemaine are going for very different reasons. They're not automatically part of the same player pool that are allegedly being cannibalised by having two clubs.

Sounds like you are very well acquainted with them but google tells me they actually applied to try and enter the league at the same time Castlemaine did when only one team was being admitted
Naturally they were rejected but were then allowed to play a practice match schedule in the same league that year
To be honest they are a non entity in the town, I hear very little about the Castlemaine women and absolutely nothing of the other side so it likely makes no difference but I think Castlemaine should have the right to say no to a new club and the AFL back them unless there’s a very good reason not to
To me the absolute last thing football needs is new clubs the ones we have will be lucky to survive and it’s not just players they cannibalise it’s council spending grants etc

 

[Jack Doolan]

So where is the second generation of that club's players coming from?

Are they all coming from Melbourne as well or, more likely, are they going to be sourced from the local region, thereby cannibalising the local population?

Exactly and as I said it is a disgrace they have been allowed to form another Auskick centre in town
It is already nearly impossible for Castlemaine to compete with clubs like Sandhurst and Strathfieldsaye having massive junior numbers and now they have to compete in their own patch
I’d imagine you might see a very different attitude if BSE and LaTrobe uni announced they wanted to form a footy club

 

[Shinjuku]

Exactly and as I said it is a disgrace they have been allowed to form another Auskick centre in town
It is already nearly impossible for Castlemaine to compete with clubs like Sandhurst and Strathfieldsaye having massive junior numbers and now they have to compete in their own patch
I’d imagine you might see a very different attitude if BSE and LaTrobe uni announced they wanted to form a footy club

So many examples of incompetence bouncing around on top of what you’ve stated. Add HDFL Under 15’s, Rochester pushing for women’s football and your head will spin. What happened to due diilgence?

 

[footyhead2367]

Trying to get back to what this thread is actually about which of the new recruits do we see lighting up the league this year?
Dylan Landt Castlemaine and the two South Bendigo Aspley recruits seem to be the best announced.

 

[Quarry Hill]

Trying to get back to what this thread is actually about which of the new recruits do we see lighting up the league this year?
Dylan Landt Castlemaine and the two South Bendigo Aspley recruits seem to be the best announced.

What is Dylan Landt's background?

 

[Grimmett]

Sunbury, Calder Cannons, VFL, SANFL, NTFL, Dimboola.

 

[Trent from barwon Heads]

More players out than in again in the league at this stage