Div 4 2026

[localfootylegend23]

Friends at FH tell me things aren't going well.

Looking at "nuna's" u19 team in the bottom division, they've been pounded every game but one (against bayswaters second team who have copped HUGE losses). Nothing to suggest they will keep playing or hang around.

A winless senior/reserve year for FH could spark a exodus similar to Nuna's last year which ultimately broke them.

Damn shame but with the areas migration numbers its going to happen.

Love to know if anyone knows whats going on with doncaster, like we spoke about earlier the "sharks" are circling for use of schramms reserve. Heathmont have won a couple to ease the pressure on the coach, delaying the Annakis talk, if he accepts a job there, I feel doncaster are done. Too many clubs in one area and not enough players.

 

[Thepigshow]

Forest hill have stuffed up a lot.

Had stillman as coach who brought a lot of Rowville mainly 2s players but obviously are very handy div 4 players.

Silicuna takes over from ass coach to head coach. A brother of one of the yea players ends up there an about 10 yea locals but living in Melbourne players go there.

Yea start up again with the forest hill ass coach a yea legend taking on the roll as yea ass coach. All the yea blokes plus afew others head back home.

Last season Forest hill give the senior gig to the 2s coach so recruit no one.

This season they put up a heap of resignings. The captain an there best mid end up at the basin.
There 2 recruits coming back end up at ashwood with the 2s ass coach who leaves aswell.

With last year there junior club “folding” due to only having an under 17.5 an them going up

I understand clubs want to promote within etc but with such a small club I’d be trying to get the Blackburn/mitcham 2s coach an getting him to bring fringe/handy 2s players like stillman did a decade ago

Easier said then done I know

 

[Voice of the G]

Looking at "nuna's" u19 team in the bottom division, they've been pounded every game but one (against bayswaters second team who have copped HUGE losses). Nothing to suggest they will keep playing or hang around.

A winless senior/reserve year for FH could spark a exodus similar to Nuna's last year which ultimately broke them.

Damn shame but with the areas migration numbers its going to happen.

Love to know if anyone knows whats going on with doncaster, like we spoke about earlier the "sharks" are circling for use of schramms reserve. Heathmont have won a couple to ease the pressure on the coach, delaying the Annakis talk, if he accepts a job there, I feel doncaster are done. Too many clubs in one area and not enough players.

Doncaster have a special meeting at the club on Wednesday 18th June to discuss reforming the club in 2026.Would think they would be looking at playing in D4 and hopefully 2 teams.

Begs the question would the EFNL and the clubs look at allowing clubs like Doncaster and Nunawading coming back as a 1 team club in D4.OR even the EFNL look at forming a separate division for clubs that can only field 1 team reading the problems posted on here about clubs struggling to field a reserves side.At this stage would doubt very much that would happen and sadly we could loose both clubs and perhaps a couple more as well.

Have a look at"Big Footy Outer East site" at the moment,a few interesting posts about the future of OE and whether some clubs if not most coming across to the EFNL.

 

[localfootylegend23]

Doncaster have a special meeting at the club on Wednesday 18th June to discuss reforming the club in 2026.Would think they would be looking at playing in D4 and hopefully 2 teams.

Begs the question would the EFNL and the clubs look at allowing clubs like Doncaster and Nunawading coming back as a 1 team club in D4.OR even the EFNL look at forming a separate division for clubs that can only field 1 team reading the problems posted on here about clubs struggling to field a reserves side.At this stage would doubt very much that would happen and sadly we could loose both clubs and perhaps a couple more as well.

Have a look at"Big Footy Outer East site" at the moment,a few interesting posts about the future of OE and whether some clubs if not most coming across to the EFNL.

I doubt they will allow any one team clubs, never have and probably never will. Unless they move to VAFA where there is a strong thirds comp, but then you can't pay players so i'd say they are both done for

Makes sense for a few. With the SFNL fixing itself up lately I'd say a few would be keen to get across there, maybe less travel and a easier standard to compete in?

 

[CliffMcTainshaw]

Forest hill have stuffed up a lot.

Had stillman as coach who brought a lot of Rowville mainly 2s players but obviously are very handy div 4 players.

Silicuna takes over from ass coach to head coach. A brother of one of the yea players ends up there an about 10 yea locals but living in Melbourne players go there.

Yea start up again with the forest hill ass coach a yea legend taking on the roll as yea ass coach. All the yea blokes plus afew others head back home.

Last season Forest hill give the senior gig to the 2s coach so recruit no one.

This season they put up a heap of resignings. The captain an there best mid end up at the basin.
There 2 recruits coming back end up at ashwood with the 2s ass coach who leaves aswell.

With last year there junior club “folding” due to only having an under 17.5 an them going up

I understand clubs want to promote within etc but with such a small club I’d be trying to get the Blackburn/mitcham 2s coach an getting him to bring fringe/handy 2s players like stillman did a decade ago

Easier said then done I know

I believe that Vinny Muccitelli was pursued and that it looked like he would be offered the job, but I'm not sure what happened. Either didn't go ahead with the offer or Vinny knocked it back.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Certainly clubs make mistakes but whenever we talk about demographics etc let’s not forget that junior participation has grown in the east.

Plenty are okay without how it has happened - that’s fine - but it also means you’re okay with senior clubs folding and the senior league shrinking.

Some sports certainly cap junior numbers by club.

If you’re okay with the massive growth in some junior clubs then you’re okay with surrounding senior clubs folding. Can’t have it both ways.

My post from a little while back:

It’s interesting to read about the collapse of numbers in here (or the decline of western civilisation).

2007 is the first annual report that the league showed their junior numbers separately.

Here are the teams vs 2024 (boys only for apples vs apples)

I have also left out the expansion clubs outside of the traditional Eastern area - again, apples vs apples.

Bayswater 7 / 8
Blackburn 8 / 21
Boronia 9 / 8
Chirnside Park 8 / 6
CNMLOC 0 / 1
Coldstream 5 / 2
Croydon 8 / 5
Donvale 6 / 3
East Burwood 10 / 4
East Ringwood 8 / 10
Fairpark 4 / 4
Forest Hill 0 / 1
FTG 10 / 8
GW Hawks 7 / 0
GW Rovers 8 / 7
Heathmont 8 / 10
Kilsyth 5 / 7
Knox 9 / 7
Lilydale 10 / 6
Lysterfield 0 / 17
Mitcham 6 / 11
Montrose 8 / 19
Mooroolbark 8 / 8
North Ringwood 11 / 20
Norwood 14 / 9
Ringwood 4 / 4
Rowville 20 / 19
Rowville Knights 11 / 6
Scoresby 9 / 0
South Croydon 8 / 9
The Basin 9 / 9
UFTG 8 / 9
Vermont 10 / 17
Wan South 10 / 12
Wav Blues 9 / 7

Total 275 / 294

There are more teams now than there was 17 years ago. There are more boys playing football in the eastern suburbs than there was 17 years ago.

That is a fact.

This is not translating to senior numbers if we have clubs dying.

There are areas where there is clear drop-offs. The three Waverley clubs had 24 teams then. Now there is 14. It’s no surprise Glen Waverley went under.

But other observations?

- The EFNL has brought in clubs on the borderline who take EFNL juniors at senior level but do not produce their own juniors in great number. South Belgrave, Silvan, Balwyn are the obvious ones here.

- We are in the era of the junior super club (15+ teams). Blackburn, Lysterfield, North Ringwood, Montrose, Vermont. These clubs had 37 boys teams in 2007. Last year they had 94. Anybody who thinks that hasn’t had a knock-on effect to other clubs is absolutely kidding themselves. (I’ve left Rowville out of this as they’ve always been an outlier and their numbers haven’t changed).

Times have changed, but it hasn’t all been just demographics. Many things have changed within the huge, traditional EFNL area that have not been managed with the overall picture and strength of all in mind.

This lines up with the period that the EFNL has focussed hard on expansion. Coincidence? Forgetting the base and the core? Maybe not. Maybe…

 

[1995CUFI]

If the Outer East clubs come in what are peoples thoughts about div going to a Div 5 and some clubs into Div 6. Given all but two maybe three outer east are superior to whats in DIV 4 and majority of Div 3.

 

[ManInWhite]

If the Outer East clubs come in what are peoples thoughts about div going to a Div 5 and some clubs into Div 6. Given all but two maybe three outer east are superior to whats in DIV 4 and majority of Div 3.

All very hypothetical but something along the lines of the following not impossible:

Assume Doncaster, Nunawading (Forest Hill) may not continue?

Wandin / Woori Yallock / Olinda find a place somewhere around D1 / D2.

D4 get absorbed into D2 / D3 - maybe 10 or 12 club grades.

OE get rid of Alexandra, Yea and assume that Pakenham & Officer go Gippsland direction.

D4 becomes an "OE" division with possibility of Silvan rejoining.

Umpire group all join EFNL but existing OE umpires being able to stick with D4 if they desire.

 

[localfootylegend23]

All very hypothetical but something along the lines of the following not impossible:

Assume Doncaster, Nunawading (Forest Hill) may not continue?

Wandin / Woori Yallock / Olinda find a place somewhere around D1 / D2.

D4 get absorbed into D2 / D3 - maybe 10 or 12 club grades.

OE get rid of Alexandra, Yea and assume that Pakenham & Officer go Gippsland direction.

D4 becomes an "OE" division with possibility of Silvan rejoining.

Umpire group all join EFNL but existing OE umpires being able to stick with D4 if they desire.

Sounds pretty straight forward. Berwick/Beacy could take off soon.

 

[gelder01]

Sounds pretty straight forward. Berwick/Beacy could take off soon.

I doubt that, Berwick improving with the youth coming on and Beacy doing quite well in Div 1. Both clubs in financially sound position. Don’t need to rely on gate takings etc.

 

[localfootylegend23]

I doubt that, Berwick improving with the youth coming on and Beacy doing quite well in Div 1. Both clubs in financially sound position. Don’t need to rely on gate takings etc.

Yep, good points, just mentioned on the talk about anything thread, their big rivals are in the now thriving SFNL. IF they want to reduce travel and get some local rivalry games I could see them jumping ship.

 

[hansie]

If the Outer East clubs come in what are peoples thoughts about div going to a Div 5 and some clubs into Div 6. Given all but two maybe three outer east are superior to whats in DIV 4 and majority of Div 3.

It’s interesting as they are a broad mix in the OE.
Efnl offered wandin Div 1 and upwey have been offered Div 3 so suggest the sides in OE Div 1 would sit between Div 2-3.
The top sides in OE Div 2 maybe low 3 high 4 and the lower sides (belly powelly junction) probably best sit in Div 4 or a Div 5/standalone div

 

[Glorfindel]

It’s interesting as they are a broad mix in the OE.
Efnl offered wandin Div 1 and upwey have been offered Div 3 so suggest the sides in OE Div 1 would sit between Div 2-3.
The top sides in OE Div 2 maybe low 3 high 4 and the lower sides (belly powelly junction) probably best sit in Div 4 or a Div 5/standalone div

Yarra Glen were mid table Div 2 from 2018-2022 and in praccy games were about on par with Chirnside and Kilsyth from the same period (if that gives any indication).

 

[1995CUFI]

Yarra Glen were mid table Div 2 from 2018-2022 and in praccy games were about on par with Chirnside and Kilsyth from the same period (if that gives any indication).

Yeah I would be very surprised if many Outer East were below Div 3.

 

[Thepigshow]

Yep, good points, just mentioned on the talk about anything thread, their big rivals are in the now thriving SFNL. IF they want to reduce travel and get some local rivalry games I could see them jumping ship.

Yeah I would be very surprised if many Outer East were below Div 3.

I’d be surprised if any others besides Wandin, woori and Olinda where above div 3.

 

[1995CUFI]

I’d be surprised if any others besides Wandin, woori and Olinda where above div 3.

Div 2 isn't really that great while Div 4 is way to low for all other than YJ and Powelltown at this stage.

 

[ManInWhite]

Logic says that YJ and Powelly merge anyway which makes it 1 team then...

 

[1995CUFI]

Logic says that YJ and Powelly merge anyway which makes it 1 team then...

Are you going to orchestrate that?

 

[footylord1990]

Whitehorse have signed Haining to coach again in 2025.
They haven’t announced the coaching group but they’ve got a little hidden gem that as an assistant I’m hearing, insanely analytical, sits on the boundary with the iPad. Anyone got any news on this guy?

Talk about a Masterclass from the not-so hidden gem

Pays to listen sometimes

 

[The Quite Man]

Div4
fixture has dropped

 

[unwise gamgee]

Div4
fixture has dropped
View attachment 2487496

Warrandyte will be busy in Round 15

 

[muesli]

Warrandyte will be busy in Round 15

Misspelt their name in Round 2 as well.