Bendigo FL discussion 2026

[Jack Doolan]

Anyone got predictions for 2026 ladder

Sandhurst
Eaglehawk
South
Strath
Gisborne
Square
Castlemaine
Broadford
K Flat

 

[Mad Jack]

Anyone got predictions for 2026 ladder

Yep - updated post the board changes:
Eaglehawk
South
Castlemaine
Gisborne
Square
Strath
Flat
Broadford
Sandhurst

 

[Del233027]

Why would they say yes?

You think Gisborne want to pitch to twos and b reserve netballers they get to make a four hour trip for a game once a season from now on? Or Castlemaine volunteers make a three hour trip on top of the new trip to Broadford?

As we saw with Gisborne the best interests of clubs and leagues are not always aligned

Gisborne wont be in the league

 

[Shinjuku]

Don't blow out someone else's candle to make yours shine brighter.
I understand self interest, but the league is in real trouble if this is how clubs are thinking.

Has there been anything from Moama or Echuca to confirm any of this? or just hearsay?

Will be interesting to see how the new board go about delivering any real change.

What are the 3-5 low hanging fruit that the board could action early on?

- Broadford hosting a final?

1. Rotate finals amongst clubs with Prelim and GF at QEO
2. Hire security personnel for umpire escorts in finals. The chair assuming the role on GF day was a disgrace.
3. Play Prelim at night which will allow Under 16 Grand final - in conjunction with BJFL - to be played at a decent time - 10am - and people can get along to see the next batch of young guns coming through

 

[BGOFootyNuff]

Yep - updated post the board changes:
Eaglehawk
South
Castlemaine
Gisborne
Square
Strath
Flat
Broadford
Sandhurst

Strath will not miss the top 5. Save this and dm me end of season if I’m wrong I’ll shout you a slab or equivalent!

 

[ringo1]

I know Echuca have had a look at the BFL closely. However I would be surprised if it happens. I think it may of been a 'Shot across the bow' of the GVFL for some changes. I believe some of these have been granted and that there have been attempts to have a better relationship between the league and club. Echuca was well within their rights to be upset with some decisions that were made in 2025.

 

[NeonLeon81]

Anyone got predictions for 2026 ladder

Eaglehawk
Sandhurst
South Bendigo
Gisborne
Strathfieldsaye
Castlemaine
Golden Square
Kangaroo Flat
Broadford

 

[localfootyguru]

I know Echuca have had a look at the BFL closely. However I would be surprised if it happens. I think it may of been a 'Shot across the bow' of the GVFL for some changes. I believe some of these have been granted and that there have been attempts to have a better relationship between the league and club. Echuca was well within their rights to be upset with some decisions that were made in 2025.

Agree ringo1. Not a chance Echuca or Moama will be in the BFNL. If Moama ever decide to leave the Murray FNL it will be for the GV. They wish to have a rivalry with Echuca if that ever occurs. I also understand as part of any considerations about Echuca’s future there was is a reluctance to move due to the rivalries with both Kyabram and Rochester, both clubs who will not be changing leagues. Also people at Echuca have long memories and they do remember why they left the BFNL in the first place.

All stuff that is pie in the sky and will not happen. As mentioned previously, the new board has many challenges and with clubs departing and going into recess, they need to look at stability and working with clubs close to Bendigo to see if they can improve the league.

The league certainly isn’t in a good space with many poor decisions made and relationships with certain clubs at a low ebb. The manner how Gisborne has been treated is a disgrace and the level of support/ help my club received in our time of need was not any better. I have a long memory too and will never forget about their level of insipidness and lack of care for non Bendigo based clubs.

 

[Truck]

I know Echuca have had a look at the BFL closely. However I would be surprised if it happens. I think it may of been a 'Shot across the bow' of the GVFL for some changes. I believe some of these have been granted and that there have been attempts to have a better relationship between the league and club. Echuca was well within their rights to be upset with some decisions that were made in 2025.

If they could snag Moama that would be a real win. Provides a great point of difference for a club in the Echuca area.

 

[BGOFootyNuff]

Agree ringo1. Not a chance Echuca or Moama will be in the BFNL. If Moama ever decide to leave the Murray FNL it will be for the GV. They wish to have a rivalry with Echuca if that ever occurs. I also understand as part of any considerations about Echuca’s future there was is a reluctance to move due to the rivalries with both Kyabram and Rochester, both clubs who will not be changing leagues. Also people at Echuca have long memories and they do remember why they left the BFNL in the first place.

All stuff that is pie in the sky and will not happen. As mentioned previously, the new board has many challenges and with clubs departing and going into recess, they need to look at stability and working with clubs close to Bendigo to see if they can improve the league.

The league certainly isn’t in a good space with many poor decisions made and relationships with certain clubs at a low ebb. The manner how Gisborne has been treated is a disgrace and the level of support/ help my club received in our time of need was not any better. I have a long memory too and will never forget about their level of insipidness and lack of care for non Bendigo based clubs.

At some point having a long memory can no longer continue to be used as a reason to not act. What happened decades ago shouldn’t still have so much sway on current events. If a club was to turn down or not explore a genuine opportunity because they “have a long memory” I would think a lot of people would be rightly disappointed.

 

[GoodNessMe]

If they could snag Moama that would be a real win. Provides a great point of difference for a club in the Echuca area.

Providing Echuca can be satisfied and remain in the GVFNL, would they look at the other Echuca side and Moama. Both established club's and you would imagine would be more competitive than Broadford as a starting point.

 

[Del233027]

I think echuca will come in 2027 as will moama. I just think with employment and schooling its a better fit long term for both clubs. Nothing against the gv, but ynless they start operating off field like the ovens and murray than I cant see either club staying

 

[ringo1]

Providing Echuca can be satisfied and remain in the GVFNL, would they look at the other Echuca side and Moama. Both established club's and you would imagine would be more competitive than Broadford as a starting point.

The current Echuca team would be unbeatable in the BFNL IMO. Not sure it would be great for either party. Echuca United perhaps should look at the HDFL and Moama still need to get some things right in the Murray League, but a local derby between Echuca and Moama would be the best thing for football in the region. Echuca V Broadford would be an absolute bloodbath.

 

["The Roar Is Back"]

The current Echuca team would be unbeatable in the BFNL IMO. Not sure it would be great for either party. Echuca United perhaps should look at the HDFL and Moama still need to get some things right in the Murray League, but a local derby between Echuca and Moama would be the best thing for football in the region. Echuca V Broadford would be an absolute bloodbath.

‘ rivalries ‘ are no longer what they once were . Predominately because there is no longer the divide within communities that once occurred . People no longer work or socialise based on their football club or vice versa, to the extent they once did.
Within Echuca , the United and Moana rivalry is no where near what it was 20-25 years ago.
For that reason , I think it’s in the best interest of each of those clubs for them all to be playing in different leagues.

 

[Jack Doolan]

1. Rotate finals amongst clubs with Prelim and GF at QEO
2. Hire security personnel for umpire escorts in finals. The chair assuming the role on GF day was a disgrace.
3. Play Prelim at night which will allow Under 16 Grand final - in conjunction with BJFL - to be played at a decent time - 10am - and people can get along to see the next batch of young guns coming through

Had an interesting chat about league financials today with someone fairly experienced in these matters
Let’s say we accept the claim they made 69k last season without finals they would be stuffed and that was in a cheap year with home interleague
I’m told the first three finals would conservatively bring in about 50k and the grand final closer to 100k so who is going to pay the bills if they start handing out finals?

 

[rkjc22]

Had an interesting chat about league financials today with someone fairly experienced in these matters
Let’s say we accept the claim they made 69k last season without finals they would be stuffed and that was in a cheap year with home interleague
I’m told the first three finals would conservatively bring in about 50k and the grand final closer to 100k so who is going to pay the bills if they start handing out finals?

Gates still go to the league.

And they already outsource the food and drink to clubs.

 

[Wooden Robot]

Had an interesting chat about league financials today with someone fairly experienced in these matters
Let’s say we accept the claim they made 69k last season without finals they would be stuffed and that was in a cheap year with home interleague
I’m told the first three finals would conservatively bring in about 50k and the grand final closer to 100k so who is going to pay the bills if they start handing out finals?

What would interleague cost to put on?
I dare say spending would have exceeded receipts.

 

[Jack Doolan]

What would interleague cost to put on?
I dare say spending would have exceeded receipts.

I’m told if it is an away game with a decent travel distance you are into 5 figures

 

[Jack Doolan]

Gates still go to the league.

And they already outsource the food and drink to clubs.

But they are keeping the money from the tender for the food and drink in the first three weeks
Are they going to charge the clubs a fee to host the final?

 

[rkjc22]

But they are keeping the money from the tender for the food and drink in the first three weeks
Are they going to charge the clubs a fee to host the final?

Well you said 50k for the first 3 weeks.

That's 10k a game, so lets say half of that is drinks and food, only giving up 25k. Much less than the overall profit.

Absolutely a viable option that should be explored.

 

[Shinjuku]

But they are keeping the money from the tender for the food and drink in the first three weeks
Are they going to charge the clubs a fee to host the final?

It would be interesting to see how they set up the financial aspect of sharing finals Jack as there are various models used across leagues if they go down that path. One thing is for certain is that all well organised and run footy clubs that host finals are far better equipped than leagues. They have the people and the vested interested ( far greater than leagues) to make the absolute best financial result out of that day. There is always talk on here about the great rivalries in local footy and the revenue made on those days well imagine Second Semi at Eaglehawk packed to the eye balls. Only positives to come out of it.

 

[Del233027]

But they are keeping the money from the tender for the food and drink in the first three weeks
Are they going to charge the clubs a fee to host the final?

No tender required.
As stated a final at Eaglehawk were draw a bigger crowd than a qeo final as would a final down at the maine.

 

[Jack Doolan]

No tender required.
As stated a final at Eaglehawk were draw a bigger crowd than a qeo final as would a final down at the maine.

It would be very dependant on which clubs were playing I think
Bendigo based games probably make little difference although I have a feeling some people would be put off by the accessibility issues of Eaglehawk or Golden Square or South Bendigo
I do find it difficult to believe you would get a bigger crowd at Sandhurst vs Kangaroo Flat B Reserve netball at Gisborne though
The idea of shared finals gets thrown up on here all the time but my questions are do clubs actually want them and do the logistics of moving them stack up?

 

["The Roar Is Back"]

It would be interesting to see how they set up the financial aspect of sharing finals Jack as there are various models used across leagues if they go down that path. One thing is for certain is that all well organised and run footy clubs that host finals are far better equipped than leagues. They have the people and the vested interested ( far greater than leagues) to make the absolute best financial result out of that day. There is always talk on here about the great rivalries in local footy and the revenue made on those days well imagine Second Semi at Eaglehawk packed to the eye balls. Only positives to come out of it.

To promote the league equally across all areas that the league operates they need to take the premier games including the GF to all clubs . Not only would it promote the league more broadly and equally it would allow all clubs to lobby for improved facilities .

 

[redragger]

At some point having a long memory can no longer continue to be used as a reason to not act. What happened decades ago shouldn’t still have so much sway on current events. If a club was to turn down or not explore a genuine opportunity because they “have a long memory” I would think a lot of people would be rightly disappointed.

Spot on. The ‘long memory’ thing is absolute BS. Echuca left the BFL in 1973. You really think there’s 70/80 year olds at Echuca banging the drum about what may/may not have happened 50+ years ago? I’m sure they’ll do what’s best for the club, with little regard to what went on half a century ago.