Bendigo FL discussion 2026

[Trent from Pannoo Road]

Interesting 20 years ago when most leagues had U16 or 17’s kids were eager to step up and play reserves. Old blokes would run around belting whoever they could catch. Now the game is a-lot cleaner but kids aren’t up to playing against men.

Yep i dont think theres too many old blokes running around in major league twos anymore. I recall filling in as a 16 year old in the reserves and having a run in the ruck in the second half

 

[GrassKat]

I personally hate this idea. So many players aren’t ready for senior football when they are 18 and will leave to go to other clubs who have an under 18s. This was one of the reasons Moama was looking to join the BNFL as they found a lot of their 18 year olds heading to Echuca and never coming back.

I have always found the U18 age group problematic as you have lads who have turned 18 that can drive, can go to the pub with boys that are still underage. Personally, I'd like the age group to be as it says 'Under 18', so the cut off would be that you can't turn 18 during that season. The date for eligibility would be something like September 30, instead of January 1.

 

[Trent from Pannoo Road]

I have always found the U18 age group problematic as you have lads who have turned 18 that can drive, can go to the pub with boys that are still underage. Personally, I'd like the age group to be as it says 'Under 18', so the cut off would be that you can't turn 18 during that season. The date for eligibility would be something like September 30, instead of January 1.

I think probably back in 90s major leagues pushed it up to under 18s from 17s, as the gap in physicality was too great, when many reserves sides were full of big mature bodies that would enjoy the biff and physicality, and youd lose youngsters who weren't physically ready for the step up.

I reckon thats pretty well gone from footy now, certsinly in major league footy, I know country clubs would prefer 17s and city clubs 18s. As there was a bit of to and frooing in the heathcote league when the age group was raised.

 

[Lastmanstanding]

I think probably back in 90s major leagues pushed it up to under 18s from 17s, as the gap in physicality was too great, when many reserves sides were full of big mature bodies that would enjoy the biff and physicality, and youd lose youngsters who weren't physically ready for the step up.

I reckon thats pretty well gone from footy now, certsinly in major league footy, I know country clubs would prefer 17s and city clubs 18s. As there was a bit of to and frooing in the heathcote league when the age group was raised.

Major leagues started raising the age group to U18 not long after the introduction of the TAC cup was started as an under 18 comp.
You had kids in the pioneers squad and teams like that which weren’t good enough to play major league senior football so would have to play reserve. Major leagues started raising age groups so these kids could play U18’s. Then leagues around them had to start raising age groups because they were losing kids to these comps because they could play another year of junior football.

 

[Shinjuku]

Major leagues started raising the age group to U18 not long after the introduction of the TAC cup was started as an under 18 comp.
You had kids in the pioneers squad and teams like that which weren’t good enough to play major league senior football so would have to play reserve. Major leagues started raising age groups so these kids could play U18’s. Then leagues around them had to start raising age groups because they were losing kids to these comps because they could play another year of junior football.

Bendigo has been Under 18 football as long as Ive been alive at that is a long time before Pioneers were around

 

["The Roar Is Back"]

Player numbers start dropping of at 13 years of age and the drop off is not linear .
As age increases the drop off increases at an alarming rate .
The higher the age is always going to be harder to fill.
Moama want u18’s to mitigate kids leaving to play at Echuca u18’s , but in moving their age group they are going to prevent kids joining them out of u16’s , to be top age u17’s .
given the number of juniors sides they have below 3rds , neither of those clubs should be having kids join them to play in their junior sides . If so it’s a really bad reflection on their own junior programs .

 

[ringo1]

Player numbers start dropping of at 13 years of age and the drop off is not linear .
As age increases the drop off increases at an alarming rate .
The higher the age is always going to be harder to fill.
Moama want u18’s to mitigate kids leaving to play at Echuca u18’s , but in moving their age group they are going to prevent kids joining them out of u16’s , to be top age u17’s .
given the number of juniors sides they have below 3rds , neither of those clubs should be having kids join them to play in their junior sides . If so it’s a really bad reflection on their own junior programs .

And it just so happens to be when these ridiculous academies start up and tell a heap of kids they aren't good enough at 12 yrs of age. The coaching isn't any better as they are all basically local coaches who have been given nice polo, clipboard and some chewing gum. Its scary to actually believe some people believe this crap.

 

["The Roar Is Back"]

And it just so happens to be when these ridiculous academies start up and tell a heap of kids they aren't good enough at 12 yrs of age. The coaching isn't any better as they are all basically local coaches who have been given nice polo, clipboard and some chewing gum. Its scary to actually believe some people believe this crap.

It’s also when kids start to realise the pyramid affect (amount of team per age group) is about to start impacting some kids ability to get a game at their club .

 

[redragger]

I see Marong are having a vote later this month on whether to join the BFL next year. What’s the word from out there? Votes like that don’t normally go ahead unless the result is already known?

 

[GrassKat]

And it just so happens to be when these ridiculous academies start up and tell a heap of kids they aren't good enough at 12 yrs of age. The coaching isn't any better as they are all basically local coaches who have been given nice polo, clipboard and some chewing gum. Its scary to actually believe some people believe this crap.

I was in a Wikipedia deep dive and found league medallists from our country leagues in the 1980s being picked up by then VFL clubs. Many of these medallists were 20 or 21 years of age and then went down to Mebourne - from Bendigo - Williams and Lenaghan. From the Tungamah League Les Parish, Damian Drum and Gary Cameron all turned local league B&Fs into League careers. Add to that Rod Grinter from my junior club, Katandra, went to Melbourne as a 19 or 20 year old.

The 'talent' pathway shatters more dreams than it creates. Surely we can make local major league interleague football valid again for talent identification.

 

[hansie]

I was in a Wikipedia deep dive and found league medallists from our country leagues in the 1980s being picked up by then VFL clubs. Many of these medallists were 20 or 21 years of age and then went down to Mebourne - from Bendigo - Williams and Lenaghan. From the Tungamah League Les Parish, Damian Drum and Gary Cameron all turned local league B&Fs into League careers. Add to that Rod Grinter from my junior club, Katandra, went to Melbourne as a 19 or 20 year old.

The 'talent' pathway shatters more dreams than it creates. Surely we can make local major league interleague football valid again for talent identification.

Personally think they should essentially now fold the Coates league into the vfl and give sides their own 19s again. I always thought that worked better as even if you made the 19s list you knew that you weren’t guaranteed to be an afl player ever

 

[Truck]

I see Marong are having a vote later this month on whether to join the BFL next year. What’s the word from out there? Votes like that don’t normally go ahead unless the result is already known?

Think they voted to go that way last year or was that just maiden gully?

 

[Trent from Pannoo Road]

Major leagues started raising the age group to U18 not long after the introduction of the TAC cup was started as an under 18 comp.
You had kids in the pioneers squad and teams like that which weren’t good enough to play major league senior football so would have to play reserve. Major leagues started raising age groups so these kids could play U18’s. Then leagues around them had to start raising age groups because they were losing kids to these comps because they could play another year of junior football.

Most kids that come back from pios in the 90s were stars in senior footy

 

[Mad Jack]

Personally think they should essentially now fold the Coates league into the vfl and give sides their own 19s again. I always thought that worked better as even if you made the 19s list you knew that you weren’t guaranteed to be an afl player ever

That makes it tough on those that live regionally - albeit I know it’s very much a metro/private school dominated draft these days.

 

[hansie]

That makes it tough on those that live regionally - albeit I know it’s very much a metro/private school dominated draft these days.

Good point. Perhaps some form of alignment or a country series of sorts to put the best kids in the shop window

 

[Shinjuku]

That makes it tough on those that live regionally - albeit I know it’s very much a metro/private school dominated draft these days.

The problem I reckon Jack is that many young players and their parents think they are good enough to get drafted and they are simply not and usually no where near it. There is nothing wrong with your kid being a country footballer at any level and if they do away with this academy rubbish there might be a mind shift in that thinking. If you look at the boys in the Pioneers this year for example there is only 1 boy getting drafted despite the 50 others plus all of the boys who have trialled/played etc through the academies. You simply dont need any Talent League or Academies in their current form to identify the top end talent.

 

["The Roar Is Back"]

23 year old gets picked up 9 days ago . Moves interstate and debuts for a top 6 side.
Makes a mockery of the talent pathways .

Edit : 2 training sessions and only instructions was play on instincts .

 

[Trent from Pannoo Road]

Took a vfl coach hes best position was half back too, these talent guys had him as a fwd

 

["The Roar Is Back"]

23 year old gets picked up 9 days ago . Moves interstate and debuts for a top 6 side.
Makes a mockery of the talent pathways .

Edit : 2 training sessions and only instructions was play on instincts .

To add to this a 27 year old , picked up also 9 days ago , has been picked to make his AFL debut for Collingwood .

 

[GoodNessMe]

And it just so happens to be when these ridiculous academies start up and tell a heap of kids they aren't good enough at 12 yrs of age. The coaching isn't any better as they are all basically local coaches who have been given nice polo, clipboard and some chewing gum. Its scary to actually believe some people believe this crap.

And advising kids not to play club football to participate in "trial" games for these academies.

 

[Tap It In]

And advising kids not to play club football to participate in "trial" games for these academies.

How many kids would’ve missed local footy last week to play in a trial game for u15 level Pios footy in Swan Hill… clubs in Bendigo were decimated. Also not one care to how they affect local footy, they just think they sit above everyone else.
Would they be the worse performing talent league in Victoria? I know their region is massive and hard to cover, but across both boys and girls results aren’t that great…

 

[ringo1]

And advising kids not to play club football to participate in "trial" games for these academies.

Personal opinion is that Catholic College need to run a proper professional football program and join the AGSV competition. If they opened boarding for year 11/12 then you basically solve nearly every issue with pathways. No kids aged 16-18 in rentals or in host family situations. Whilst the cost maybe substantial, most parents would be spending $$$$$ on travel and accommodation, food etc as it is.

 

[Mad Jack]

The problem I reckon Jack is that many young players and their parents think they are good enough to get drafted and they are simply not and usually no where near it. There is nothing wrong with your kid being a country footballer at any level and if they do away with this academy rubbish there might be a mind shift in that thinking. If you look at the boys in the Pioneers this year for example there is only 1 boy getting drafted despite the 50 others plus all of the boys who have trialled/played etc through the academies. You simply dont need any Talent League or Academies in their current form to identify the top end talent.

100% agree on that.

 

[Tap It In]

Personal opinion is that Catholic College need to run a proper professional football program and join the AGSV competition. If they opened boarding for year 11/12 then you basically solve nearly every issue with pathways. No kids aged 16-18 in rentals or in host family situations. Whilst the cost maybe substantial, most parents would be spending $$$$$ on travel and accommodation, food etc as it is.

Probably what is missing, Geelong have 2, Ballarat have 3 and I’m sure the other 3 regional clubs on the other side of Victoria have access to boarding facilities

 

[Wooden Robot]

I have always found the U18 age group problematic as you have lads who have turned 18 that can drive, can go to the pub with boys that are still underage. Personally, I'd like the age group to be as it says 'Under 18', so the cut off would be that you can't turn 18 during that season. The date for eligibility would be something like September 30, instead of January 1.

Played against North Sunshine back in the day in UNDER 17s.
Half the team drove, about five had a moustache and there was more than a few celebratory drinking post-game