Gippsland, Murray, Millewa: Country footy’s most even and uneven leagues in 2024

Morwell beat the reigning premiers twice, played two draws and still missed finals. Go inside the closest country footy comp this season.

The Gippsland league was the most competitive country footy league in Victoria in 2024.

The 10-team competition defied some of the longest travel in the state for its member clubs to soar to No. 1 with the average winning margin of matches dropping by close to four goals compared to 12 months ago.

Last season, the average winning margin of matches was more than eight goals.

But the trend of a tighter year was set in the season-opener when five games were decided by an average 17.7 points.

On the flip side, the six-team Millewa league in the Sunraysia region was the most lopsided for the second year in a row, according to data supplied by website, countryfootyscores.com.au.

Its average winning margin improved by 16.5 points, but still finished at a concerning 90.31 points, with another remote competition, the Upper Murray league, at 86 points.

Bullioh won the Upper Murray league premiership on Saturday.

The statewide average this season was 56.93 points, an improvement on last year’s 58.82 points.

Maryborough has endured a tough season in the Bendigo league.

The most uneven major league was Bendigo with winning averages blowing out to 81.12 points as Maryborough endured a wretched season and its future in the competition remains unclear after two attempts to drop to lower standard leagues failed.

Broadford could join the Bendigo league with significant player points and salary cap concessions after being in recess this year.

The northeast region had three leagues in the top-10 most uneven competitions.

But moves to end the blowouts in two of those competitions, the Tallangatta District and Ovens & King leagues, are coming in 2025 with a switch to a tiered player points system.

Gippsland bumped Mornington Peninsula-Nepean’s division one league for the No. 1 spot in 2024 and Wonthaggi found a way to negotiate the hotter competition to make finals after a slow start.

Last year’s runner-up began 0-3, but has stormed home with eight wins from its last nine matches with its only loss being a 14-point defeat to reigning premier Leongatha.

Wonthaggi beat third-placed Moe in the final round, but will open its finals campaign with a 224km trip to Bairnsdale on Sunday for the elimination final against Sale.

Leongatha, the winner of the last two flags, enters finals as favourites.

Wonthaggi Power coach Jarryd Blair. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

But Wonthaggi coach Jarryd Blair said he expected the unpredictability of the home and away rounds to be replicated at the business end of the season.

“If you turn up having a bad day you find yourself getting done,” he said.

“Even if you have a good day, you are usually fighting for the win come three quarter time.

“You have your usuals that are pretty strong and competitive like your Leongathas and what not.

“But coming into this year we felt it was wide open with the top end coming back a little bit.”

The Power lost young guns Jack Hutchinson and Ryan Sparkes to VFL clubs with Hutchinson taken by West Coast in the AFL mid-season draft.

“The results weren’t going our way early,” Blair said.

“It was probably only round one where we walked off the ground disappointed with our effort.

“But it’s enjoyable for me because it attracts blokes who want to get the best out of themselves.

“They know from week to week you’ve got to be doing the work or you get found out.”

Traralgon and Moe will meet in the Gippsland league qualifying final at Maffra on Saturday. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

The race for finals berths went to the wire on Saturday with Wonthaggi, Sale and Morwell in contention for fourth and fifth spots.

The hardluck story of 2024 was Morwell, which missed finals by two points.

In a rollercoaster ride, Morwell beat Leongatha twice, played in two draws against Traralgon and Sale and lost to wooden-spooner Maffra at home by three points in round 14.

The Murray league tightened up the most compared to last year with the average winning plummeting by 23.02 points.

In round 11, there were two draws in the Numurkah-Moama and Nathalia-Finley matches and Cobram beat Mulwala by one point.

Mulwala has won the last two flags, but had to beat Cobram in the final round to make finals.

It finished fifth after putting its spot in jeopardy by losing three of its final five matches following a win against second-placed Finley in round 12.

“100 per cent things have tightened up,” Mulwala coach Kade Rowe said.

“It’s great for the competition and great for country footy to be honest.

“The six teams that have made finals you can throw a blanket over them.

“Anyone can win it.

“Nathalia beat us last week and they’ve finished eighth.

“That’s how tight it has been all year.

“It’s been a very much improved competition right across the board.”

Congupna, which is trying to win its first flag since 1983, has finished on top, but has won four matches by less than 10 points.