Ultimate preview of the 2023 Bendigo Football League

Gisborne is eyeing off multiple premierships but the chasing pack is closing in. Here’s a look at every club ahead of the new Bendigo league season.

In a scary proposition for the opposition clubs, last year’s Bendigo league premiers, Gisborne, are confident its playing list could lead them to further success.

This year, Gisborne enters the season with a change after Rob Waters departed as coach before being replaced by Brad Fox, who coached the under-18s last year.

Also leaving is football director Andrew Reaper who played a major part in guiding the Bulldogs to the title.

Bulldogs president John Wood said the moves had been seamless.

“Rob Waters did a magnificent job but that period during Covid was really difficult (for him),” Wood said.

“At the end of last year Rob said it had taken a toll and he said he didn’t know if he had the gas in the tank to go again.

“But he still wanted to be involved in the club.”

A different looking Gisborne is set to take to the field in 2023 with at least eight changes from last year’s premiership line-up.

Fox said the focus was on using their depth and youth to cover the loss.

“Gisborne’s junior footy has had a terrific history of strong development of players,” he said.

“The strength the club has now is it’s a young list where it’s predominantly home based, home bred talent.

“(Last season) we played 41 players through the seniors during the course of the year.

If recent history is anything to go by the Bulldogs are the team to beat and they plan to be challenging for years to come.

“We’re well placed to have successive years of being around the top of the ladder,” Fox said.

“It’s a bit too presumptuous to say that that’s necessarily multiple year as premiers. But that what the plan is.”

Fox said he expected the top-three from last year, Gisborne, Strathfieldsaye and Golden Square, to be back in the finals this year.

But he also expects South Bendigo to do well.

Bendigo Football Netball League manager Cameron Tomlins agrees and said there are other teams to look out for.

One of them was Eaglehawk who has added former St Kilda captain Jarryn Geary to their coaching staff.

Former St Kilda captain Jarryn Geary is back at his home club. Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

He could play alongside his brother Kallen who also joins the club from Strathfieldsaye.

“Eaglehawk and Sandhurst, there is a bit of anticipation about the way they’ve approached their recruiting this off-season,” Tomlins said.

“Kyneton and South Bendigo were probably the other two who were around the mark and could have done some significant damage last year.

“It’s going to be the teams that gel together quickly will be the ones that make the strides.”

While it looks like a good year for teams at the top, significant challenges could await those sides towards the bottom of the ladder.

Maryborough have not won a game in 26 matches with Castlemaine only beating Maryborough in the past three seasons in the competition.

The season starts on April 15.

In the women’s competition, the Central Victoria Football League, there is plenty of change as the competition goes from eight teams to seven for 2023.

Woorinen enter the competition for the first time with Kerang and Kyneton leaving.

Castlemaine enter the season as the defending champions and will be looking to go back-to-back with Megan Ginnivan, the sister of Collingwood star Jack Ginnivan, captaining the club.

Their season starts on April 21.

Clubs: Castlemaine, Eaglehawk, Gisborne, Golden Square, Kangaroo Flat, Kyneton, Maryborough, Sandhurst, South Bendigo, Strathfieldsaye.

Reigning premiers: Gisborne

2022 league best-and-fairest: Jake Moorhead (Strathfieldsaye)

2022 leading goalkicker: Joel Brett (Golden Square)

Bold prediction: Strathfieldsaye climbs the mountain again as one player kicks 100 goals

CLUB-BY-CLUB PREVIEW

Castlemaine: Last year was tough for the Blues winning just two games, both coming against Maryborough. Despite some inclusions in the off-season the team has also dealt with the loss of key players. The side will do well to get out of the bottom two this year.

Eaglehawk: Unlucky to miss finals last year after losing three of its last four games. The return of former St Kilda captain Jarryn Geary and his brother, Strathfieldsaye premiership winner, Kallen will boost the club. The team has also recruited a leading ruckman, Connor Dalgleish, from Montmorency. A finals tilt could be on the cards for the club.

Gisborne: The Bulldogs won their first premiership in 16 years and only lost two games all season. Despite getting a new coach, with Brad Fox taking over from Rob Waters, most of the team who won the premiership remain. Expect the side to still be strong and in contention for back-to-back flags.

Golden Square: The Bulldogs were the best of the rest last year in Bendigo, falling short of the grand final by two points. The team has kept most of the same squad as last year including leading goalkicker Joel Brett, who kicked 98 goals. Golden Square will be a team to beat this year.

Kangaroo Flat: It’s been a long time since the Kangaroos made the finals with the club last competing in them in 2009. The club will be hoping this year is the year to end it and have recruited talent from Melbourne as well as signing Zac and Josh Rouse who played for Frankston in the VFL. Finals might be a stretch for the team this year but they’ll be competitive.

Kyneton: Led by former Geelong premiership player Paul Chapman, who returns for a second season, the club will be looking to make finals for the first time since 2018.

Maryborough: Heads into the season on a 26-game losing streak and after some big losses in the off-season it might be awhile before the team gets their first win this season. The Magpies have lost midfielders Aidan Ware and Liam Latch to the WAFL and Ballarat respectively. Their best chance of a win might be against Castlemaine.

Sandhurst: The Dragons have been busy in the off-season with Bryce Curnow coming to the club to play and coach this season. He is joined by VFL players Lachlan Tardrew and Sam Conforti. After winning their last four games to make the finals, before falling in week one, the Dragons will be primed to finish higher this year.

South Bendigo: The Bloods are another club looking to rise in the off-season after recruiting well following a big year last year. South Bendigo won a final for the first time in 10 years last season, after finishing fourth in the regular season, and will be aiming for similar results this year. The club has recruited Steve Stroobants who played more than 100 VFL games and also won a best-and-fairest at the club before. There are high expectations for the club this season.

Strathfieldsaye: The Storm has been the benchmark of the competition for the past decade, making seven grand finals and winning four. Last year the club fell short, losing to Gisborne. The team has kept most of its players from last year into this year and should finish inside the top-three.