Broadford hopes to sign football coach in the next few weeks ahead of move to Bendigo

Bendigo’s newest club has revealed when it could make its first major announcement and how it is planning on making the move in 2026.

Broadford has outlined plans to join the Bendigo league next year. Picture: jh photography

Broadford is “full steam ahead” and confident it will be competing in the Bendigo league next year.

And the Kangaroos are about to make a major announcement, marking the first move towards making it a reality.

Broadford last year were accepted into the Bendigo league after last playing in the Outer East league in 2023.

The club made the move after trying and failing to move to the Kyabram and District league.

This year the football club is in recess with the netball teams playing in Melbourne’s Northern league in anticipation of joining Bendigo in 2026.

Broadford Football Club last played football in Outer East in 2023. Picture: jh photography.

Broadford president Bonnie Welch said everything was on track for next year.

“We’re full steam ahead with our preparation and planning for entry into Bendigo next season,” she said.

“The committee is really united and working very hard to ensure we are ready to go.

“We’ve got working groups that have been non-stop looking into recruiting and having conversations to appoint the right club football coach to take us to the next level.

“We’ve got a recruitment committee that have been working tirelessly to get the right person.

“We will get there, we will and it’s exciting and I don’t think people understand the journey we’ve been on.”

Welch revealed the club is down to two candidates in the search for its football coach and the final position could be announced by the end of the month.

“That is what we are aiming for,” she said.

“We’re on the cusp. We’ve had some amazing conversations with high quality candidates over this journey to get the right fit.

“I want to say in a matter of weeks but we need to respect the process that’s going on out there in the netball and football landscape around respecting the process of others elsewhere.

“We want to make it (the announcement) as quickly as possible but not compromising on quality.”

Welch said the club’s recruiting of players for next year will come down to who it hires.

The club also has past players ready to return and have started programs in Broadford primary school and secondary school to get recruits for the under-18s.

Welch added the team would utilise players from other clubs in the region, with no senior programs, for junior talent.

“We do know we are going to need a lot of players,” she said.

“We’ve got a working group dedicated solely to this. There’s multiple avenues in terms of recruitment we’ve been using in our networks.

“(After the season is over) we just want to open the club back up into its full sense.

“Get into a natural flow of preseason and work with our club football coach around what the pathway looks like in terms of getting ready for the next season.

“They bring their own brand with them. We want to give them the flexibility to come in and launch the way they want to launch.”

Welch said Bendigo had to work for Broadford otherwise there is no other option for them to play football.

“We’re confident that we are going to be able to go in and meet the requirements of Bendigo,” she said.

“We’re under no illusion it is a tough hask.

“But we know and we believe (we can do this) and are very excited for this.”