Bendigo: Maryborough to spend 2025 season in recess
With Maryborough to spend 2025 in recess and doubt remaining whether Broadford is ready to take its place, the Bendigo league has been left with some major headaches.
The Bendigo Football-Netball League has been left with some major headaches in the wake of Maryborough going into recess and Broadford highly unlikely to be its replacement in 2025.
Maryborough’s decision to sit out next season was announced on Friday and Broadford is yet to confirm its intentions for 2025 after being accepted into the competition earlier this month after spending this year in recess.
An eight-team competition is the likely outcome with the league’s board of directors to make a call on whether it plays a 14-round or 21-round season.
The other option is a compromised 18-round season with not every club playing each other three times.
The other big call the league needs to make is whether it sticks with a top-five or changes to a top-four finals.
The neighbouring North Central league had nine clubs up until this year when Wycheproof-Narraport and Nullawil agreed to merge and played a top-four finals series.
The Weekly Times contacted BFNL chairwoman Carol McKinstry for comment on its 2025 fixture plans.
POLL: In the event the Bendigo league is an eight-team competition in 2025, what is the preferred finals structure? @theweeklytimes@ctryfootyscores@AFL_CentralVic
— David Johnston (@david_johnston5) October 10, 2024
In a statement on Maryborough going into recess, she said: “The BFNL supports the decision of the Maryborough FNC to enter into recess for the 2025 season and while we understand this is disappointing news for many within the Maryborough community, the BFNL are committed to supporting the club where possible to ensure that 2026 will be a successful return for the Maryborough Magpies”.
Maryborough’s best two players Coby Perry and Kya Lanfranchi are expected to remain in the Bendigo league with Castlemaine and Strathfieldsaye respectively understood to be the frontrunners for their services.
It remains to be determined what player points amounts Maryborough players in 2024 carry to their new teams next year.
Broadford’s chances of competing in the Bendigo league next year suffered a major setback when former Bendigo Pioneers coach Damian Truslove knocked back its coaching job on his return to Victoria from coaching Sydney Swans reserves.
He has been appointed coach of Banyule in the Northern Football League in Melbourne.
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