Maiden Gully-YCW juniors bid to join Bendigo league rejected

The Bendigo league has been left “bitterly disappointed” after Maiden Gully-YCW’s second attempt to enter an under-18s team in the major league failed.

A second attempt to have Maiden Gully-YCW field a team in the Bendigo Football League under 18s competition this year has been rejected.

The Loddon Valley league appeal against the move was upheld by the AFL Central Victoria Commission on Monday with the LVFL open to the club fielding a team in its ranks this season.

“The Loddon Valley league is supportive of Maiden Gully-YCW having a side in our under-18s in 2024,” LVFL president Simon Tuohey said.

AFL Central Victoria chairman Nicholas Rolfe.

The Loddon Valley team has senior and junior clubs and an initial application by the senior club to field an under-18s team in the BFL was rejected by the AFLCV Commission late last year.

But a fresh bid was mounted by the junior club and won backing again from the BFL, which hopes Maiden Gully-YCW will eventually be the replacement club in all grades for Kyneton, which has departed for the Riddell District league.

Bendigo Football-Netball League chairwoman Carol McKinstry.

BFL chairwoman Carol McKinstry said her league was “bitterly disappointed” with the decision.

“We have requested a meeting with the commission, which we asked for back in December, as we are still trying to seek the reasons for their decision,” she said.

AFLCV Commission chairman Nicholas Rolfe told the Weekly Times in December that one of biggest considerations in knocking back the original application was that Maiden Gully-YCW hadn’t fielded an under-18 team for the last two years.

“Various assurances were given in relation to that,” Mr Rolfe said.

“But ultimately we are in charge of football for the greater good and our primary concern has to be the leagues in combination with the clubs.

“We felt it would be better if they competed in the Loddon Valley for the short-term.”

The Weekly Times has attempted to contact the AFLCV Commission and Maiden Gully-YCW for comment about the latest application decision.