Ovens & King FL discussion 2026

[dud rocket]

Doesn't Newton work @ Benalla council ? Surely the president / works foreman wouldn't stoop so low as to threaten his tenure?

I think you may have identified the main problem.

 

[half back sledger]

I have seen enough of the books to know what’s being paid and what’s not. Could give you a few examples.

Crawf - blacks wanted him out (only after he was helpful winning a flag). Greta took him on and he has stood up over the last 2 years in a big way. Now Blacks new coach begging him to come back for 4X the money he is on at Greta and he said no thanks.

One of the newer recruits could probably show you some screenshots of some really horrendous messages sent to him by current and former board members when he was weighing up his future.

Could go on and on with examples.

Feel sorry for where the blacks are at right now as the league is a better place with a strong Benalla team. But when you set fire to every bridge you cross it doesn’t do your rep any good.

The writing was on the wall for them after the 22 flag win, when they were calling up opposition players telling them they are shit and they know who won the flag. Mind you this is ovens and King football, terrific to win a flag but Hardly life changing winning a flag in a non ranked league.
Now have a look at where they are at. Egos and poor culture result in rapid prolonged decline.

 

[slim18]

I have seen enough of the books to know what’s being paid and what’s not. Could give you a few examples.

Crawf - blacks wanted him out (only after he was helpful winning a flag). Greta took him on and he has stood up over the last 2 years in a big way. Now Blacks new coach begging him to come back for 4X the money he is on at Greta and he said no thanks.

One of the newer recruits could probably show you some screenshots of some really horrendous messages sent to him by current and former board members when he was weighing up his future.

Could go on and on with examples.

Feel sorry for where the blacks are at right now as the league is a better place with a strong Benalla team. But when you set fire to every bridge you cross it doesn’t do your rep any good.

If the comment about Crawford came out of his mouth I wouldn’t believe a word of it. He’d be pumping his own tyres up or looking for a pay rise…

 

[slim18]

The writing was on the wall for them after the 22 flag win, when they were calling up opposition players telling them they are shit and they know who won the flag. Mind you this is ovens and King football, terrific to win a flag but Hardly life changing winning a flag in a non ranked league.
Now have a look at where they are at. Egos and poor culture result in rapid prolonged decline.

Dunno that that’s exactly correct Sledge.. I did hear that a couple of the boys got a carried away during the celebration period which in my opinion was wrong. That incident alone isn’t the reason for the decline. As I’ve posted here before, I think it was 12 or 13 of the 21 all retired or moved away. Coming back from there is pretty difficult.
The demographics in Benalla make it difficult as well. There just isn’t the number of kids coming through anymore. Benalla Saints have gone out hard recruiting from all over the place to try and get better, it can’t be done from within.

 

[FactChecker]

Dunno that that’s exactly correct Sledge.. I did hear that a couple of the boys got a carried away during the celebration period which in my opinion was wrong. That incident alone isn’t the reason for the decline. As I’ve posted here before, I think it was 12 or 13 of the 21 all retired or moved away. Coming back from there is pretty difficult.
The demographics in Benalla make it difficult as well. There just isn’t the number of kids coming through anymore. Benalla Saints have gone out hard recruiting from all over the place to try and get better, it can’t be done from within.

8/12 retired playing at Greta in 2026.

 

[slim18]

8/12 retired playing at Greta in 2026.

Yeah but they’re all 3 years older and most haven’t been playing except Moran & Collisson.

 

[Fatsideswitch]

Yeah but they’re all 3 years older and most haven’t been playing except Moran & Collisson.

Why so salty then Slim?

 

[Gotheball]

Didn't jacka and O'Connor have a run in the 2's last year?

 

[SwanpoolSeahawk]

For what it’s worth, from what we can see out of Swanpool there doesn’t appear to be any foul play. Collison moving onto a third club does raise a few eyebrows, and he’s probably the only new recruit on any real money. The others haven’t been playing and wouldn’t be costing a great deal.

You also can’t really blame players for being hesitant to return to Benalla. Without trying to be unkind, it isn’t particularly appealing to be part of a club that is struggling, and that inevitably comes with its own baggage.

 

[slim18]

Didn't jacka and O'Connor have a run in the 2's last year?

2 games toward the end of the season.

 

[slim18]

Why so salty then Slim?

Dunno that it’s salty FSS but as you know clubs do a lot to help players off the field, so probably more disappointed I think..

 

[Samtrish]

Everyone playing for second with Benalla All Blacks north east when are naming Riley

 

[SwanpoolSeahawk]

Smedley to Mansfield

 

[slim18]

Everyone playing for second with Benalla All Blacks north east when are naming Riley

I hear it’ll only be a few games Sam but Perth to Greta is a long way !..

 

[Backpockplugga]

Not long enough

I hear it’ll only be a few games Sam but Perth to Greta is a long way !

 

[relton_roberts]

Not long enough

2022 the last year he played? That’s a fair stint out of the game, especially if he’s flying from Perth?

 

[HoldMyBeer]

Where's big billie bulldozer these days?

 

[slim18]

Where's big billie bulldozer these days?

FFS…..Don’t wake him up…

 

[Grassroots Guru]

Where's big billie bulldozer these days?

He's busy chasing the rabbits off the dustbowl that was once Glenrowan's football oval.
Cannot confirm nor deny if he had a bottle of one of Milawa's finest red in hand whilst doing it

 

[Backpockplugga]

Pretty quiet around the league.
Bright lost Thomason, Jamieson boys and Banks but seem to have maintained the rest of their team with the addition of Young from Myrt
Greta have done a merger with 2022 Benalla All Blacks after losing their 3 best players
Whorouly seem to have the same team going again this year
Milawa are posting 2s players as their announcements which is broadcasting a concerning outlook on their season
North Wang seem to have contacted any bloke with 2 working legs in the NE region so will be interesting what team they have rolling out around 1
BD always the unknown but have lost Smedley who has been one of the best coaches in the league in previous years
Anyone else heard much?

 

[navyblueman]

Pretty quiet around the league.
Bright lost Thomason, Jamieson boys and Banks but seem to have maintained the rest of their team with the addition of Young from Myrt
Greta have done a merger with 2022 Benalla All Blacks after losing their 3 best players
Whorouly seem to have the same team going again this year
Milawa are posting 2s players as their announcements which is broadcasting a concerning outlook on their season
North Wang seem to have contacted any bloke with 2 working legs in the NE region so will be interesting what team they have rolling out around 1
BD always the unknown but have lost Smedley who has been one of the best coaches in the league in previous years
Anyone else heard much?

Moyhu announcing some young recruits from Junior league as per previous years, they seem to be good at attracting young talent straight from wang juniors. You would have to say that in the current climate there are worse ways to go about it, they will have a young list again and if they can retain them year to year they should have a string base to recruit from in years to come.

NW - haven’t heard much from the nest. I noticed that Nanson is having a season of cricket in the UK so they will feel his loss up forward.

Doon always fly under the radar and land son god signings so expect them to be right up there again.

Whorouly has signed a defender from Kiewa who played in their permission team so that’s a good get for them. Haven’t heard whether Boyle, Bihun and Scott are going round again.

Greta as reported have lost some real class in McClounan, Kennet and Wettern. But have tried to replace that with Oconnor x 2c Collison, Moran, Newton and co. Expect to maybe be a little off the absolute top end but more depth accross the board and probably an extra 5-6 good depth players in the early game each week.

Bright will have to cover 120 goals plus some midfield/defensive stocks with their losses but you always know they have something up their sleeve so expect them to be right up there again.

 

[slim18]

I know you blokes have been losing sleep over our recruiting for the ‘26 season so I thought I better bring you up to speed. Here’s a list of our top 3,
1.
2.
3.
Hope that eases some of your worries..

 

[half back sledger]

I know you blokes have been losing sleep over our recruiting for the ‘26 season so I thought I better bring you up to speed. Here’s a list of our top 3,
1.
2.
3.
Hope that eases some of your worries..

Looks like the king is more of a jester then a king

 

[slim18]

Could someone make up some gossip so we can argue about it…

 

[Thats Ambitious]

Will the all blacks have a team Slim?