Bendigo: New look South Bendigo on a roll with second big win of season

South Bendigo has responded in emphatic style to concerns from rivals about player points reductions for recruits in 2025.

South Bendigo has responded to heat from rival Bendigo league clubs about points reductions for players it recruited this season by beating another highly-ranked team.

South has won its first two matches against top-three teams in 2024, Strathfieldsaye and Gisborne, and returns to the QEO on Anzac Day to play another undefeated team, Eaglehawk.

But behind the scenes there is rising angst about player points allocations for up to six South recruits.

Sandhurst president Marc O’Farrell confirmed he contacted AFL Central Victoria about “anomalies” with points allocated to South players after round 1, but declined to comment further when contacted by The Weekly Times.

Points for Josh Nitschke (2 points) and Macgregor Cameron (1 point) were among six players’ allocations queried.

Macgregor Cameron has returned to South Bendigo as a one-point player this season. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

Cameron was a four-point player at South Bendigo two years ago and returned this year after playing for Pines in the Mornington Peninsula league last season.

But South Bendigo president Dujon Fuzzard said his club explored the same options open to other clubs in getting points reduced.

“Our club submitted several player points reassessments, as many clubs do across Central Victoria,” he said.

“Some of these were rejected.

“(But) others were supported by a panel of five officials, including two Bendigo Football-Netball League board members.

“We are comfortable with the process and our focus is firmly on season 2025.

“It’s our view that the BFNL will be a vibrant competition in 2025 and we are committed to improving the standard of play and spectacle for supporters.”

Also upsetting some rival clubs was a response that under AFL Victoria rules, player points assessment panels were not obliged to give reasons for their decisions.

Matt Taberner playing for Fremantle last year. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Meanwhile, former Fremantle forward Matt Taberner played for Myrtleford on Sunday as a three-point player despite the Ovens & Murray club believing he would be a one-pointer due to his previous playing history.

AFL Northeast Border confirmed Taberner didn’t meet the criteria as a “home club” player by playing 40 or more junior matches for Myrtleford and was assessed as a six-point AFL player.

But he was eligible for a one-point deduction for each of the three seasons where he played a minimum of five games in those years.

“We understand equalisation and the player points system and accept the system for what it is,” Myrtleford coach Craig Millar said.

“There is not one perfect system.

“The points system provides as much black and white and as minimal grey as it possibly can.

“It’s just the anomalies people get frustrated with, but there is an appeal process in place.”

Taberner booted only one goal for Myrtleford on Easter Sunday in a shock defeat to Lavington before he backs up against undefeated Wangaratta on Anzac Day.