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Bendigo FL discussion 2026

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People are gravitating toward community focused low commitment sporting clubs at the expense of those with higher commitment .
The difference between the Heathcote league and the Bendigo will continue to diminish to the point where clubs opt to move to those leagues where less commitment is required . It’s happening statewide and should have been foreseen post Covid
 
The Roar Is Back said:
People are gravitating toward community focused low commitment sporting clubs at the expense of those with higher commitment .
The difference between the Heathcote league and the Bendigo will continue to diminish to the point where clubs opt to move to those leagues where less commitment is required . It’s happening statewide and should have been foreseen post Covid
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Not sure about being foreseen but post covid has seen a reduction in adults playing community sport and an increased focus on junior sport to the point where it becomes academy’s or elite programs or bust. Kids are burning out a rapid rate and there is just none to go up and replace the retirements. Country senior cricket has about 3 years left, country footy maybe 5-7
 

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We're seeing more and more stories of kids starting with sport at 5 or 6 years of age (Auskick, in2Cricket, etc.) because sports are all trying to stake a claim to win their hearts and be 'the sport of choice' for children right from a young age.

The problem is that when these kids are 12 or 13 and have played a sport for 6-7 years, they are burnt out, over it and choose to stop playing. On top of that, technology and other distractions are taking children away from sport earlier than was the case with previous generations.

We have had the eternal conundrum of boys giving up footy between 15 and 18 for many years (pretty much since junior sport began), but now it is getting earlier.

The AFL and other elite level leagues wouldn't be too fussed as they are more focussed on harnessing the elite juniors as part of their pathway programmes.

Unfortunately, senior community sport, especially in rural areas, will end up collapsing because the participation numbers fall off a cliff. Cricket in the Wimmera-Mallee is on a gradual downturn with competitions disbanding and some of the clubs located within an hour or so of Bendigo are surviving year by year (I believe the Upper Loddon comp has been teetering for a few seasons now with very few clubs).

As western royboy alludes to, very soon there won't be enough players to fill football teams and leagues will either have to jettison reserves football or else a number of clubs will end up folding each year as player demand is outstripped by supply at an increasing rate each year.
 
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western royboy said:
Not sure about being foreseen but post covid has seen a reduction in adults playing community sport and an increased focus on junior sport to the point where it becomes academy’s or elite programs or bust. Kids are burning out a rapid rate and there is just none to go up and replace the retirements. Country senior cricket has about 3 years left, country footy maybe 5-7
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Those who put community and community engagement as a priority will survive and thrive .
As an example .
Sport could play the biggest part in curbing the current drug and associated crime issues, society is seeing .
There wouldn’t be a parent in the state who wouldn’t encourage their kid to play in a sport if it minimised their risk of getting caught up in the scourge .
 
Back in my Day said:
Always such doom and gloom outlook on here. I think some of you guys need to head to the Doc and get your anti-depressants topped up. Country footy will still be very much around in 5-7 years.
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You would have been laughed out of town if in the year 2000 you said out loud that maryborough wouldnt have a senior side in 20 years time
 
The Roar Is Back said:
Those who put community and community engagement as a priority will survive and thrive .
As an example .
Sport could play the biggest part in curbing the current drug and associated crime issues, society is seeing .
There wouldn’t be a parent in the state who wouldn’t encourage their kid to play in a sport if it minimised their risk of getting caught up in the scourge .
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Except for the fact that there is a lot of local footballers using drugs.
I'll shout you a few drinks at my local one Saturday night and I'll point you to the procession of footballers heading into the pissers for anything but a piss.
 

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Wooden Robot said:
Except for the fact that there is a lot of local footballers using drugs.
I'll shout you a few drinks at my local one Saturday night and I'll point you to the procession of footballers heading into the pissers for anything but a piss.
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That’s actually my point . If there was a greater variation in drug use between those within sporting clubs and general society , parents would drive their kids toward sporting / football netball clubs .
It was an example of how clubs / leagues can prosper through focusing on community well being .
 
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The Roar Is Back said:
That’s actually my point . If there was a greater variation in drug use between those within sporting clubs and general society , parents would drive their kids toward sporting / football netball clubs .
It was an example of how clubs / leagues can prosper through focusing on community well being .
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I think that’s a very big ask of a footy club to solve a problem that plagues society at every level
 

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localfootyguru said:
They haven’t lost a few Trent from barwon Heads, they have lost a lot of players.

In typical Square fashion, they will be competitive although the depth in the league is questionable now.
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Yep im surprised slightly by the exodus, as most of the guys got a shot at senior footy and improved as the year went on. Youd think only the guys heading up to qld would be only ones
 
Clearly some issues at Square… surprised to see Eaton back considering there was some nasty rumours about why he left in the first place. On the topics of Eaton’s I’m not sure Brad is the best man to lead Square forward I wasn’t to blown away with anything I saw from Square this season and doesn’t look to have any recruiting power. Makes one wonder why if clearly Shannon Geary was available in a coaching capacity he and Square only settled on Geary as 18s coach or is this going to be a bit of a transition type gig for Geary to takeover.
 
BGOFootyNuff said:
Clearly some issues at Square… surprised to see Eaton back considering there was some nasty rumours about why he left in the first place. On the topics of Eaton’s I’m not sure Brad is the best man to lead Square forward I wasn’t to blown away with anything I saw from Square this season and doesn’t look to have any recruiting power. Makes one wonder why if clearly Shannon Geary was available in a coaching capacity he and Square only settled on Geary as 18s coach or is this going to be a bit of a transition type gig for Geary to takeover.
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Or Barrett
 
BGOFootyNuff said:
Clearly some issues at Square… surprised to see Eaton back considering there was some nasty rumours about why he left in the first place. On the topics of Eaton’s I’m not sure Brad is the best man to lead Square forward I wasn’t to blown away with anything I saw from Square this season and doesn’t look to have any recruiting power. Makes one wonder why if clearly Shannon Geary was available in a coaching capacity he and Square only settled on Geary as 18s coach or is this going to be a bit of a transition type gig for Geary to takeover.
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Shocked any club would be interested in him. Whilst still young and immature, he’s lucky he didn’t end up in the courts.
 

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Bendigo FL discussion 2026

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