Maryborough in limbo with no appeal rights after transfer snub

One of country Victoria’s oldest clubs left staring at another season in recess. See the reaction to its plight.

Maryborough has become the first casualty of revised rules for clubs wanting to change leagues with no appeal rights available to fight the blocking of its entry into the Maryborough-Castlemaine District league.

Club transfers rules were updated this season with Maryborough attempting to return from recess following a sustained lack of success in the Bendigo league.

The option to appeal was removed and “the matter closed” when the destination league voted against accepting a new club.

MCDFNL’s seven-member board and 13 clubs voted last week not to accept Maryborough being able to reboot in the lower level competition.

Maryborough will be forced to spend another season in recess in a move that has rocked one of country Victoria’s oldest clubs.

“The vote outcome has left our club and community gutted and with no explanation we can only assume the clubs and board members were not looking at the big picture,” Maryborough president Glen Bardsley said.

“Perhaps they believed that our club would be a threat, but you only need to look at our last five years in (Bendigo league) to know this isn’t the case.”

Maryborough Magpies have spent the 2025 season in recess. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

MCDFNL president Paul Wicks said: “I feel sorry for them as much as anyone to be honest.

“There are different reasons why clubs voted the way they did.

“The 75 per cent wasn’t reached, so unfortunately it’s end of story.”

Maryborough’s plight is in stark contrast to many other clubs wanting to change leagues and having the red carpet rolled out for them.

Ballarat has launched another bid to add Gisborne from the Bendigo league and West Gippsland is eager to add Drouin, Pakenham and Officer and Ultima is well advanced with its latest bid to join the Central Murray league.

Maryborough previously played in the Ballarat league, but Bardsley said: “All we wanted to do was drop down a league where we can survive”.

More than half of Maryborough’s team in its Bendigo league last match in 2024 now play for MCDFNL clubs including Carisbrook, Talbot, Maldon, Giants and Natte Bealiba.

One precedent of a club leaving a major league and dominating at a lower level is Bairnsdale, which departed the Gippsland league in 1998 and won eight flags between 2000 and 2010 before returning to the region’s major competition.

Maryborough has a close by example of the difficulty involved in resurrecting a club after two seasons in recess.

Broadford has been accepted into the Bendigo league with full voting rights, but hasn’t announced a coach or any player signings for 2026.