Broadford, Maryborough, Tom Hawkins, Dyson Heppell: Country footy’s biggest talking points heading into the off-season
Country footy’s silly season is underway with speculation rife on all sorts of topics in preparation for 2025. Here are the ones to follow.
Country footy will be done and dusted for another season by the end of the month, but behind the scenes the action doesn’t stop.
Clubs that have had poor years are working feverishly on moves to get better.
Or those who have won silverware or are still in flag contention are aiming to stay at or near the top.
Here are the biggest talking points heading into country footy’s silly season.
BROADFORD
Country footy’s biggest watch.
How will a club that has spent 2024 in recess and only previously played in minor leagues make a comeback in a major competition?
It’s nearly a month since Broadford and the Bendigo league confirmed moves were afoot to make it happen next year.
“Exploring new avenues for growth” is why Bendigo is open to the idea and Broadford needs a home after previously playing in the Outer East, Heathcote District and Riddell District leagues since 2008.
Returning from a season in recess is tough business, but coming back in a major league after a year off is next level hard.
AFL Victoria is prepared to play its part with extra salary cap space and player points.
But Broadford being instantly competitive against the likes of Sandhurst, Gisborne, Strathfieldsaye and Golden Square isn’t happening.
The next steps of officially accepting Broadford into the competition, and who will coach and play for the club are all eagerly anticipated.
MARYBOROUGH
At the same time Bendigo is considering admitting Broadford, the fate of an existing club, Maryborough, hangs in the balance.
Fears going into the season that Maryborough didn’t have the required players to fill all grades were realised early on.
Forfeits at reserves level and the unprecedented move of relying on opposition teams for players to ensure senior matches went ahead, became a weekly occurrence.
The 152-year-old club made the call in May that it was looking at a future outside the Bendigo league.
But attempts to join the Maryborough-Castlemaine District and Central Highlands leagues bombed when clubs in those competitions said no.
The two options open to Maryborough are either staying in the Bendigo league or going into recess, both massive calls that will need to be made in coming weeks.
COROWA-RUTHERGLEN
Corowa-Rutherglen lived the challenges of returning from a year in recess in 2024.
But clearly it’s not content to make up the numbers in the short-term, at least, and has boldly set its sights on luring Daryn Cresswell back to the Ovens & Murray despite him being under contract to coach in Cairns.
Cresswell’s attractions are his ability to recruit and revive struggling clubs.
Corowa-Rutherglen would also appeal to Cresswell given it will have more salary cap space and player points than its nine rivals again in 2025.
But almost three months after two of his current players lined up for Corowa-Rutherglen in one-off matches to test the waters of a potential Cresswell move back, the audacious bid to extricate him up north is still pending.
An announcement has been further delayed with the AFL Cairns competition only starting finals this weekend.
South Cairns finished on top of the ladder and is destined to go deep into finals.
STEVIE J
Yarrawonga’s bid for back-to-back flags in the Ovens & Murray league under Steve Johnson cranks up on Saturday when the Pigeons play Wangaratta Rovers in the second semi-final.
Johnson could be potentially coaching Yarrawonga for only two more matches given he will finish up as coach and seek another coaching job in the Geelong area where he plans to relocate with his family at season’s end.
Yarrawonga has appointed gun goalkicker Leigh Williams as his successor, but where the former Cats superstar coaches in 2025 remains the subject of intense speculation.
His original club Wangaratta has tried to keep him in the O&M, but the return to Geelong remains firmly on the cards.
Geelong league clubs Newtown & Chilwell, Leopold and Colac are on the hunt for new coaches and the prospect of enticing a former AFL star with recent country club coaching experience make him an irresistible option.
MELTON SOUTH
The Ballarat league battler will attempt to buck the trend of clubs failing to have the welcome mat rolled out for them by clubs in their desired destination.
Maryborough was first to be hit with rejections to join the Maryborough-Castlemaine District and Central Highlands after a tortuous season in the Bendigo league.
Mid Gippsland trio Morwell East, Yinnar and Newborough were next to feel a similar cold shoulder from North Gippsland league clubs.
And more recently, Cohuna Kangas were denied entry into the Heathcote District league for the second year.
The only club to be granted its wish to join another league is Dookie United, which will return to the unaffiliated Picola District league next year.
Melton South members are overwhelmingly in support of a return to the Riddell District league.
But the big test remains whether Riddell District clubs will accept them when the crucial vote takes place.
TOM HAWKINS, DYSON HEPPELL
Country clubs Finley and Leongatha stand ready to welcome home their modern day champions in 2025.
Tom Hawkins and Dyson Heppell have retained close ties to their home clubs during lengthy AFL careers which have closed out with recent retirement calls.
There are not many bigger names in Finley than Hawkins and the same applies for Heppell in Leongatha where the former Bombers’ skipper’s brother Aaron will return to play after travelling overseas this year.
What could be the clincher for Hawkins and Heppell is the strong chance Finley and Leongatha will be at or near the top again in 2025.
Leongatha is chasing a third successive Gippsland league flag this year and Finley finished second to Congupna in the Murray league and both clubs can win their way into the grand final on Saturday.
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