VFL 2026

[AussieNick1999]

An official merger would saddle the VAFA club with the VFA/L club's debts. Pretty sure that's one reason they're not going that route. Looks like the idea/hope is for the VAFA club to be regarded as a sort of spiritual successor without legally merging the two entities.

I have a feeling this was the VFL club's strategy from the start when they said they wanted the VAFA club to use the ground. Basically an endorsement of the other club as the successor/continuation of their own club without explicitly saying it.

 

[Flyingleslieskite]

I think we can all come to the conclusion Preston in the VFA/VFL are done and they aint coming back

 

[The Nostradamus]

When can we expect the fixture to be announced?

 

[AussieNick1999]

When can we expect the fixture to be announced?

Have no expectations and you'll never be disappointed.

I'll be impressed if the fixture comes out before February.

 

[Shonuff77]

When can we expect the fixture to be announced?

It won't be in January. Most likely February 20ish if we're lucky. AFL clubs decide when their seconds side will play. They try to align it to when they play. It is total bull***t. Being a member of 2 standalone clubs it's frustrating. Richmond and Box Hill need to find a home ground this year so itll take longer depending on the local councils.

 

[AussieNick1999]

It won't be in January. Most likely February 20ish if we're lucky. AFL clubs decide when their seconds side will play. They try to align it to when they play. It is total bull***t. Being a member of 2 standalone clubs it's frustrating. Richmond and Box Hill need to find a home ground this year so itll take longer depending on the local councils.

I was under the impression that Box Hill would be playing at Dingley this year. As for Richmond, I've heard rumours they want to use Kinetic Stadium.

 

[AnUltimateRessie]

AFL clubs decide when their seconds side will play. They try to align it to when they play. It is total bull***t. Being a member of 2 standalone clubs it's frustrating.

this is not true. All teams work with the opposition to schedule their games with preference given to the home side. Standalone clubs actually have more pull in their home games than anything.

Stop making up stuff for a 'poor us' stance.

Clubs received match ups in late December. I would assume preferences need to be in by mid feb and the schedule to be out end of feb

 

[bedford]

Port sadly lost another legend with one of the toughest George Allen

 

[Flyingleslieskite]

Port sadly lost another legend with one of the toughest George Allen

Tragic news

On another note, are they still signing Tom Mitchell? Or has that been put to bed

 

[The_General#1]

I was under the impression that Box Hill would be playing at Dingley this year. As for Richmond, I've heard rumours they want to use Kinetic Stadium.

Would make sense with BH City Oval under construction. Could also be the beginning of the end for the BH /Hawthorn alignment. I recall they signed another 5 year alignment a year or two back so will be interesting if the Hawks go alone at the end of the agreement. Only BH and Casey remain as AFL aligned clubs.

 

[Flyingleslieskite]

Would make sense with BH City Oval under construction. Could also be the beginning of the end for the BH /Hawthorn alignment. I recall they signed another 5 year alignment a year or two back so will be interesting if the Hawks go alone at the end of the agreement. Only BH and Casey remain as AFL aligned clubs.

Yes extended it in 2021 for 5 years, ending this year. I honestly can't see them going their seperate ways.

 

[MortlockWatcher]

I think it would be tough for Box Hill to thrive as a standalone, given the fact they are located in an area where four current premier division Eastern Football Netball League clubs – Blackburn, Balwyn, Doncaster East and Vermont – are in relatively close proximity, making recruiting harder - especially if a significant proportion of the players chose to play for a Hawthorn VFL team instead of a Box Hill Mustangs VFL team.

How well they fared as a standalone club would also be dependant to a degree on the sponsorship revenue the club could generate and whether the sponsor loyalty lay with Box Hill or Hawthorn post-separation. If most of the revenue was coming in because of the Hawthorn link, the Mustangs could find it hard to be competitive.

I think Box Hill needs Hawthorn and probably vice versa, so I agree that the link will be ongoing even in the event of the formation of a national reserves league.

 

[bedford]

I think it would be tough for Box Hill to thrive as a standalone, given the fact they are located in an area where four current premier division Eastern Football Netball League clubs – Blackburn, Balwyn, Doncaster East and Vermont – are in relatively close proximity, making recruiting harder - especially if a significant proportion of the players chose to play for a Hawthorn VFL team instead of a Box Hill Mustangs VFL team.

How well they fared as a standalone club would also be dependant to a degree on the sponsorship revenue the club could generate and whether the sponsor loyalty lay with Box Hill or Hawthorn post-separation. If most of the revenue was coming in because of the Hawthorn link, the Mustangs could find it hard to be competitive.

You could nearly say the same about Sandy

 

[MortlockWatcher]

You could nearly say the same about Sandy

True. They seem to have set themselves up well since the split with a few fundraising initiatives such as the 1929 club and sponsorship seems to be good. They have also benefited from their sound positioning pre-alignments and people have stuck with them.

Their issue will be making sure they are competitive in the VFL in order to attract recruits to the club.

How many neighbouring clubs are cashed up in the way the EFNL premier clubs are? I'm not au fait with the spending capabilities of the Southern league clubs but I suppose Sandy would be competing with maybe Cheltenham, Dingley and East Brighton for the better players in the area, plus Noble Park from the EFNL or Edi-Asp or Chelsea from the MPNFL. Maybe Beaumaris or Parkdale Vultures if players aren't necessarily fussed about being paid to play.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

I have a feeling this was the VFL club's strategy from the start when they said they wanted the VAFA club to use the ground. Basically an endorsement of the other club as the successor/continuation of their own club without explicitly saying it.

Yes the VFL club is dead. It has been wound up and will literally no longer exist.

Having said that, in all but complete technicality, the VAFA club can carry on the history

• Take possession of all the PFC trophies, memorabilia etc - the liquidators can hand it to them or sell it to them for $1 or something
• They already have the name and jumper
• Move into PCO
• Recognise the history of PFC online and at the club. There's nothing at all to stop them "taking ownership" of PFC's history and it would have legitimacy if backed by former PFC people
• Make the effort to engage PFC past players and officials

 

[MortlockWatcher]

I think Box Hill needs Hawthorn and probably vice versa, so I agree that the link will be ongoing even in the event of the formation of a national reserves league.

I think Casey and Sandy would be in a similar boat as Springvale Districts has been the community's club for the last 21 years since the Scorpions moved to Casey Fields, an area with Cranbourne, Narre Warren, Beaconsfield and Berwick on their door stop so reforming the reforming the Scorpions might be a tough task unless they find a new area to call home.

 

[MortlockWatcher]

Yes the VFL club is dead. It has been wound up and will literally no longer exist.

Having said that, in all but complete technicality, the VAFA club can carry on the history

• Take possession of all the PFC trophies, memorabilia etc - the liquidators can hand it to them or sell it to them for $1 or something
• They already have the name and jumper
• Move into PCO
• Recognise the history of PFC online and at the club. There's nothing at all to stop them "taking ownership" of PFC's history and it would have legitimacy if backed by former PFC people
• Make the effort to engage PFC past players and officials

It could be done by bringing in the past players group but with the PFC being liquidated there is actually nothing to merge with or take over or take ownership of the club's history as the lineage has been extinguished upon liquidation and no such actions having occurred.

The same happened with Yarraville when they folded. The past players made a connection with FDFL club Kingsville and they followed them from 1984 onwards. The club chose to acknowledge the Eagles' history despite being a separate entity. Kingsville became Yarraville in 1996 and a new club - Yarraville-Seddon Eagles - was formed in 2006 as a merger of Yarraville and Yarraville Club-Seddon. This club, despite forming 22 years after Yarraville folded, recognises the YFC heritage and hosts reunions for the VFA club.

The best that Preston Bullants can do is something similar, that being to acknowledge that the club represented the community from 1882-2025. They could negotiate the purchase of the memorabilia but, given they have only played senior football since 2013, it would be a stretch to assume ownership of the achievements that brought premierships, awards, etc. They would be purely for display as a recognition of the former tenant of PCO.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

I think it would be tough for Box Hill to thrive as a standalone, given the fact they are located in an area where four current premier division Eastern Football Netball League clubs – Blackburn, Balwyn, Doncaster East and Vermont – are in relatively close proximity, making recruiting harder - especially if a significant proportion of the players chose to play for a Hawthorn VFL team instead of a Box Hill Mustangs VFL team.

How well they fared as a standalone club would also be dependant to a degree on the sponsorship revenue the club could generate and whether the sponsor loyalty lay with Box Hill or Hawthorn post-separation. If most of the revenue was coming in because of the Hawthorn link, the Mustangs could find it hard to be competitive.

I think Box Hill needs Hawthorn and probably vice versa, so I agree that the link will be ongoing even in the event of the formation of a national reserves league.

All depends - Frankston seem to be making it work and they are surrounded by strong local clubs and leagues.

The VFL does have a point of difference from local footy so as part of a strategic plan, any standalone VFL club needs to find a way to press that difference and exist alongside local footy (it's not going anywhere) while still getting engagement from the same football supporters.

It would not be easy but perhaps Frankston are showing it can be done.

 

[MortlockWatcher]

Frankston is not the best example in this scenario.

The key difference between Frankston and Box Hill and Casey is that Frankston has never been part of an alignment so have had full control of its playing list. Creating a list from scratch is undeniably going to be the toughest part, recruiting for an established club, like Frankston, would be less so unless they are perennially on the lower rungs of the ladder like Preston was.

After separating from St Kilda, Sandringham have had to recruit a significant proportion of its list from scratch since the end of last season, something that Box Hill and Casey would have to do in the event of them splitting from their alignment partner.

Box Hill and Casey will be able to attract ambitious players on the premise that they can be part of the pathway to an AFL list, but they will struggle to attract the increasing number of players whose prime motivation is the - the players who bounce from club to club each summer depending on who offers more.

The EFNL clubs around Box Hill would be offering double or triple for high-end talent than what Box Hill could do under their salary cap (which would probably be more strictly monitored that city or country leagues) and in return there is less commitment with training twice a week and playing the same time on Saturday afternoons.

 

[Yoda_]

All depends - Frankston seem to be making it work and they are surrounded by strong local clubs and leagues.

The VFL does have a point of difference from local footy so as part of a strategic plan, any standalone VFL club needs to find a way to press that difference and exist alongside local footy (it's not going anywhere) while still getting engagement from the same football supporters.

It would not be easy but perhaps Frankston are showing it can be done.

Frankston installing the improved light towers was the big game changer.

Allowed them to play more night games which, when coupled with the team doing well saw some of the VFL's biggest stand alone crowds for some time.

Add in the ability to host AFLW games and it has become a real blue print for other stand alone. The functions by the bay brings in a wealth of money as well. The football club is thriving, all on the back of the light towers imho

 

[AussieNick1999]

Frankston installing the improved light towers was the big game changer.

Allowed them to play more night games which, when coupled with the team doing well saw some of the VFL's biggest stand alone crowds for some time.

Add in the ability to host AFLW games and it has become a real blue print for other stand alone. The functions by the bay brings in a wealth of money as well. The football club is thriving, all on the back of the light towers imho

The light towers were the start of it and they are an important part of getting crowds to our games, but what really keeps the club going is the work of some incredibly dedicated and knowledgeable people. Adrian Lloyd came back to the club after a disastrous financial result in 2024 and managed to sign several new sponsors for 2025, and a few new ones this year. There's practically no space left for sponsors around the ground unless you want to mount billboards on top of the grandstand, and although I haven't seen an exact figure for how much revenue he's brought in, but I'm expecting to see a handy profit when the financial report comes out.

 

[Yoda_]

The light towers were the start of it and they are an important part of getting crowds to our games, but what really keeps the club going is the work of some incredibly dedicated and knowledgeable people. Adrian Lloyd came back to the club after a disastrous financial result in 2024 and managed to sign several new sponsors for 2025, and a few new ones this year. There's practically no space left for sponsors around the ground unless you want to mount billboards on top of the grandstand, and although I haven't seen an exact figure for how much revenue he's brought in, but I'm expecting to see a handy profit when the financial report comes out.

I know the bloke who got on the scoreboard, cost him a mint



I maintain the work that Adrian did was on the back of the lights. Cost Frankston City Council circa $250,000, absolutely changed the game. Getting that group from up the road helped on field but the real local support came on the back of the light towers.

 

[CFC1995]

Frankston is not the best example in this scenario.

The key difference between Frankston and Box Hill and Casey is that Frankston has never been part of an alignment so have had full control of its playing list. Creating a list from scratch is undeniably going to be the toughest part, recruiting for an established club, like Frankston, would be less so unless they are perennially on the lower rungs of the ladder like Preston was.

After separating from St Kilda, Sandringham have had to recruit a significant proportion of its list from scratch since the end of last season, something that Box Hill and Casey would have to do in the event of them splitting from their alignment partner.

Box Hill and Casey will be able to attract ambitious players on the premise that they can be part of the pathway to an AFL list, but they will struggle to attract the increasing number of players whose prime motivation is the - the players who bounce from club to club each summer depending on who offers more.

The EFNL clubs around Box Hill would be offering double or triple for high-end talent than what Box Hill could do under their salary cap (which would probably be more strictly monitored that city or country leagues) and in return there is less commitment with training twice a week and playing the same time on Saturday afternoons.

You're overstating the financial draw of local clubs. Players play VFL because it's the best standard they can, which can also lead to AFL opportunities (not all players care though, they just like testing themselves). Basically the top 15 players from every stand alone club currently could earn 3/4 times what they are are earning currently, if they went full time local, but that isn't what motivates them.