Country footy: The big movers and sliders in 2025

The Weekly Times has made its calls on who we think will be the premiers, bolters, sliders and best and fairest winners in every league in Victoria and southern NSW. See our list.

The pre-season grind is over and the real action in country footy is about to start.

Clubs have spent countless days and weeks trying to improve their lists and some have fared better than others.

Attention now turns to what is going to happen on the field in coming months, culminating in finals in August and September.

The Weekly Times has made its calls on who we think will be the premiers, bolters, sliders and best and fairest winners in every league in Victoria and southern NSW.

BALLARAT

Premier: Darley

Bolter: Sebastopol

Slider: East Point

Best and fairest: Mickitja Rotumah-Onus (East Point)

BELLARINE

Premier: Torquay

Bolter: Portarlington

Slider: Modewarre

Best and fairest: Connor Menadue (Portarlington)

BENDIGO

Premier: Sandhurst

Bolter: Castlemaine

Slider: Golden Square

Best and fairest: Lachlan Tardrew (Sandhurst)

CENTRAL HIGHLANDS

Premier: Daylesford

Bolter: Springbank

Slider: Hepburn

Best and fairest: Daniel Burton (Gordon)

CENTRAL MURRAY

Tom Toma has returned to Cohuna Kangas after stints with Golden Square and Essendon VFL. Picture: Essendon Football Club

Premier: Cohuna Kangas

Bolter: Koondrook-Barham

Slider: Kerang

Best and fairest: Tom Toma (Cohuna Kangas)

COLAC DISTRICT

Premier: South Colac

Bolter: Birregurra

Slider: Alvie

Best and fairest: Ed Curnow (Lorne)

EAST GIPPSLAND

Premier: Boisdale-Briagolong

Bolter: Wy Yung

Slider: Paynesville

Best and fairest: Kade Renooy (Boisdale-Briagolong)

ELLINBANK DISTRICT

Premier: Neerim-Neerim South

Bolter: Longwarry

Slider: Lang Lang

Best and fairest: Kody Wilson (Neerim South)

GEELONG

Former St Kilda player Seb Ross is coaching Colac this year. Picture: Michael Klein

Premier: South Barwon

Bolter: Colac

Slider: St Mary’s

Best and fairest: Seb Ross (Colac)

GEELONG DISTRICT

Premier: East Geelong

Bolter: Corio

Slider: Belmont Lions

Best and fairest: Joel Bennett (Corio)

GIPPSLAND

Premier: Wonthaggi

Bolter: Wonthaggi

Slider: Bairnsdale

Best and fairest: Isaac Chugg (Wonthaggi)

GOLDEN RIVERS

Premier: Ultima

Bolter: Murrabit

Slider: Macorna

Best and fairest: Jack Cattanach (Hay)

GOULBURN VALLEY

Premier: Echuca

Bolter: Seymour

Slider: Euroa

Best and fairest: Callum Brown (Mansfield)

HAMPDEN

Lewis Taylor will coach Terang-Mortlake again in the Hampden league. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

Premier: Koroit

Bolter: Port Fairy

Slider: North Warrnambool

Best and fairest: Lewis Taylor (Terang-Mortlake)

HEATHCOTE DISTRICT

Premier: North Bendigo

Bolter: Huntly

Slider: White Hills

Best and fairest: Harrison Jarvie (North Bendigo)

HUME

Premier: Osborne

Bolter: Howlong

Slider: RWW Giants

Best and fairest: Connor Galvin (Osborne)

KYABRAM DISTRICT

Premier: Murchison-Toolamba

Bolter: Rushworth

Slider: Stanhope

Best and fairest: James Lloyd (Murchison-Toolamba)

LODDON VALLEY

Premier: Marong

Bolter: Maiden Gully-YCW

Slider: Newbridge

Best and fairest: Mitch Langan (Pyramid-Hill)

MARYBOROUGH-CASTLEMAINE

Premier: Natte Bealiba

Bolter: Talbot

Slider: Trentham

Best and fairest: Maldon’s Damian Wust (Maldon)

MID GIPPSLAND

Premier: Fish Creek

Bolter: Boolarra

Slider: Newborough

Best and fairest: Jordan Staley (Tarwin)

MILLEWA

Premier: Bambill

Bolter: Werrimull

Slider: Gol Gol

Best and fairest: Luke Stanbrook (Bambill)

MININERA DISTRICT

Premier: Penshurst

Bolter: Woorndoo-Mortlake

Slider: Hawkesdale-Macarthur

Best and fairest: Josh Rentsch (Penshurst)

MORNINGTON PENINSULA DIV ONE

Premier: Frankston YCW

Bolter: Sorrento

Slider: Rosebud

Best and fairest: Finlay Bayne (Mt Eliza)

MORNINGTON PENINSULA DIV TWO

Premier: Chelsea

Bolter: Frankston Bombers

Slider: Somerville

Best and fairest: Liam Tyrrell (Crib Point)

MURRAY

Premier: Congupna

Bolter: Cobram

Slider: Finley

Best and fairest: Harry Beasley (Cobram)

NORTH CENTRAL

Premier: Sea Lake-Nandaly

Bolter: Calder United

Slider: Donald

Best and fairest: Trent Donnan (Sea Lake-Nandaly)

NORTH GIPPSLAND

Premier: Heyfield

Bolter: Rosedale

Slider: TTU

Best and fairest: Jai Massese (Yallourn Yallourn North)

OMEO DISTRICT

Premier: Omeo-Benambra

Bolter: Swan Reach

Slider: Swifts Creek

Best and fairest: Conor Harvey (Swifts Creek)

OVENS & KING

Premier: Greta

Bolter: Whorouly

Slider: Goorambat

Best and fairest: Jesse Smith (Whorouly)

OVENS & MURRAY

Sam Murray coached Wangaratta Rovers to the O&M flag last year. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

Premier: Wangaratta Rovers

Bolter: Myrtleford

Slider: Wodonga

Best and fairest: Sam Murray (Wangaratta Rovers)

PICOLA DISTRICT

Premier: Katamatite

Bolter: Tocumwal

Slider: Strathmerton

Best and fairest: Jack Gerrish (Katamatite)

SOUTHWEST DISTRICT

Premier: Cavendish

Bolter: Heywood

Slider: Tyrendarra

Best and fairest: Mitch Riddell (Westerns)

SUNRAYSIA

Premier: Imperials

Bolter: Mildura

Slider: Merbein

Best and fairest: Brendan Dew (Mildura)

TALLANGATTA DISTRICT

Premier: Kiewa-Sandy Creek

Bolter: Rutherglen

Slider: Beechworth

Best and fairest: Elliott Powell (Tallangatta)

UPPER MURRAY

Premier: Bullioh

Bolter: Tumbarumba

Slider: Cudgewa

Best and fairest: Darcy McKimmie (Cudgewa)

WARRNAMBOOL DISTRICT

Premier: Merrivale

Bolder: Allansford

Slider: South Rovers

Best and fairest: Manny Sandow (Nirranda)

WEST GIPPSLAND

Premier: Cora Lynn

Bolter: Kilcunda Bass

Slider: Inverloch-Kongwak

Best and fairest: James Munro (Cora Lynn)

WIMMERA

Ararat’s Tom Williamson is the reigning Toohey Medal winner in the Wimmera league. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

Premier: Ararat

Bolter: Nhill

Slider: Horsham Demons

Best and fairest: Tom Williamson (Ararat)

Originally published as Country footy: The big movers and sliders in 2025