Bendigo: Riddell District opens the door to disenchanted Kyneton
Kyneton could be playing its final match in the Bendigo league on Saturday. See what’s happening behind the scenes.
The Riddell District league is preparing to roll out the welcome mat to Kyneton as early as next season.
Kyneton, which has been part of the Bendigo league since 1947, is weighing up its future following a community meeting last week where those in attendance strongly endorsed moving to the neighbouring Riddell District competition.
Kyneton has made no public comment following the meeting attended by about 40 people.
The potential move means Kyneton could be playing its final match in the Bendigo league on Saturday against Strathfieldsaye.
Riddell District president Brenton Knott said the “ball is in Kyneton’s court”.
“We have to wait and see how it plays out,” he said.
“We would be happy to work with them to work out what is best for their club, the league and all the (present) participating clubs.”
Kyneton, Castlemaine and Maryborough were involved in recent talks with AFL Central Victoria about the creation of a new league or Bendigo league division two competition.
Kyneton junior teams and a women’s team that won the premiership last weekend already play in the Riddell District league.
Knott said he didn’t attend the Kyneton meeting last week, but confirmed a “proposition” to join the Riddell District league was tabled.
“We like to think we’re a boutique league,” Knott said.
“We’re a little bit metro and a lot country.
“I believe (Kyneton) would be a great fit.
“We want to do what is best for footy in our region.”
Kyneton last won a Bendigo league premiership in 1997.
The club put its senior team in recess in 2013 before returning the following season and has overcome financial troubles that hit the club in 2018.
Meanwhile, applications by Marong, Maiden Gully-YCW and Cohuna Kangas to join the Heathcote District league hit a hurdle this week with a majority of HDFNL league clubs voting for the league to retain the status quo.
League chairman Peter Cole said the three clubs’ futures were in the hands of the AFLCV Commission.
“We voted to accept Maiden Gully last year and that decision was overturned,” Cole said.
“Yes, the majority vote was for our league to stay the same in 2024, but ultimately the commission will make the final call.
“If the commission decides to move these clubs into our league, we will make it work as best we can.”
MORE PLAYER POINTS PLAN
Extra player points is shaping as the short-term solution to bridging the worrying gulf between the Bendigo league’s top and bottom clubs.
AFL Central Victoria Commission chairman Nicholas Rolfe said there was a strong case to increase the number of points for Maryborough, Castlemaine and Kyneton next season initially before a better overall structure of football is found for the Greater Bendigo region for 2025.
Maryborough, Castlemaine and Kyneton were part of failed recent talks instigated by the commission to create a new competition or a second division of the Bendigo league in response to club concerns about their current competitiveness.
Presently Maryborough and Castlemaine have 46 points compared to premiership contenders Sandhurst, Golden Square, Strathfieldsaye and reigning premier Gisborne on 40 points.
Maryborough lost to Strathfieldsaye by 216 points on Saturday.
Kyneton plays with the same 43 points as finals-bound Eaglehawk and South Bendigo.
Six player points equates to just one A-grade player coming directly out of the AFL or from a rival club.
Rolfe said there was an “appetite for change” in the region with the commission’s preferred model being a Bendigo league division one and two.
“Similar sized communities should be playing similar sized communities,” he said.
“(Presently) there seems to be a significant population disparity between the clubs in Bendigo and their country neighbours.
“What we seek to do is adjust that imbalance.
“There is appetite for change, but right now they are more keen on a division one and division two of the Bendigo Football-Netball League as opposed to another stand-alone competition.
“Going forward there needs to be discussion between the commission and the leagues, the commission and the balance of the clubs, the commission and other clubs.”
Maiden Gully-YCW, Marong and Cohuna Kangas were also involved in the talks about a new competition, but the distance between Cohuna and Kyneton was one of the reasons the discussions fizzled out.
Maiden Gully-YCW and Marong are expected to move from the Loddon Valley to Heathcote District leagues next season.
But, Cohuna Kangas’ preference to leave the Central Murray and also join the Heathcote District league is not expected to be as straightforward.
Bendigo league clubs have a $125,000 salary cap — the same as other major competitions including Ovens and Murray and Goulburn Valley.
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