Sport
17 July, 2026
FUTURE MIX
THE LONG-TERM future of football and netball in central Victoria was being discussed at a special meeting of league presidents and the region council last night.
THE LONG-TERM future of football and netball in central Victoria was being discussed at a special meeting of league presidents and the region council last night.
The meeting came as Marong and Maiden Gully continue to push for a transfer from Loddon Valley to the Bendigo league next season.
The BFNL met last Friday to consider the clubs’ applications, but no decision has been announced, with speculation that league officials first wanted to see the lie of the land at last night’s gathering.
Bendigo did agree to Gisborne switching to the Ballarat league in 2027.
AFL Central Victoria region manager Cameron Tomlins told the Loddon Herald earlier this week: “The region has been doing some strategic planning work and intends to present that as one of the agenda items on the progression of football and netball in communities, and pathways.”
He said the region council, which was established in 2024 to guide strategic decisions, club development and participation, would offer its view on what the football and netball landscape might look like in the future.
But Tomlins stressed that the region council had no say in the transfer of clubs, with all decisions to be made by the relevant leagues.
“The region are pretty keen to put in some work and to have some alignment and acknowledgment from leagues that we need to consider what the future looks like.
“We’ll have that discussion about what we think football looks like in the future and how we can come together and make good decisions.”
Tomlins said he believed the Bendigo league “has still got a bit of work to do” in deciding whether to accept Marong and Maiden Gully.
And while league transfers were not formally on the agenda, Loddon Valley chair Richard Hicks said the elephant in the room had to be addressed.
“I will be pushing for agreement that regional planning should be more in the forefront of decisions on club transfers and things like that.”
Hicks welcomed the timing of the meeting. “It will be a good opportunity to see where other leagues are at, and we might even try to work out a collaborative approach for all leagues going forward,” he said.
The last such meeting of league leaders was held late last year, but Hicks said having one in mid-season made more sense.
“Instead of having a meeting at the end of the year when everyone is over football, have something in the middle of the year where presidents can talk when football is front and centre of everything that we do.”
The Loddon Valley clubs and board will meet on Monday, but it seems unlikely Bendigo will have announced a decision on the club transfers by then.
Marong and Maiden Gully need a two-thirds majority of clubs to approve their transfer requests if Bendigo accepts one or both clubs into its fold.
AFL Central Victoria oversees the Loddon Valley, North Central, Bendigo, Central Murray, Heathcote and Bendigo Junior leagues.
Read More: Loddon Shire