Sport
3 December, 2025
Right royal birthday bash
INGLEWOOD and Bears Lagoon Serpentine will play a standalone match on the King’s Birthday long weekend in 2026 to mark the Woodies’ 150th anniversary.
The one-off clash on June 6 will be the first time the Loddon Valley Football Netball League has scheduled a match on a holiday weekend.
The round-nine game, to be played at Inglewood between two finalists from 2025, will be the only football/netball contest west of Bendigo on that weekend, with the North Central league on a general bye, and will likely attract a bumper crowd.
Inglewood president Darrell Billett said the club had requested the special match as part of its fixture submission to the league and was delighted that it had been given the go-ahead.
The game would be a major focus of a long weekend of celebrations for both the club and the community, Billett said. “We’ve got to make sure it’s a success, and it should be a ripping day for us.
“With the long weekend you can play the game and people from Serp can still go away for the rest of the weekend.”
Inglewood would have a full three days of functions and festivities, with former players and officials invited to join the celebrations.
“The anniversary it what it’s all about, but the bonus will be if we can make a few bucks,” Billett said. “You can’t run a club on chook raffles anymore.”
He said the club’s future had looked rocky for a time when it was struggling for on-field results, but with community and league support, and recent football success, the milestone had been achieved. We had a few kicking us around in the last 20 years, but now every club in the league is supportive of everyone else.”
New Inglewood coach Jackson Hood said, “It’s a massive milestone, 150 years, and to celebrate it with a standalone match is great.
“It’s nice for both clubs, as we’re in the position now where we’re both finalists.”
Serp coach Jake Wilkinson was excited by the chance to play in the standalone clash.
“It’s nice to have this opportunity to promote the league and the game, especially with Inglewood marking such a milestone next season,” he said.
Wilkinson hoped the match would attract a big crowd: “That’s the aim of the game, to make it a marquee clash.”
Serp is Inglewood’s oldest rival, with the Woodies knocking the Bears out of the finals this year on their way to third place, and the two clubs played a match for the Woodies’ 140th anniversary a decade ago.
The King’s Birthday clash is part of a significant shake-up of the league’s fixture in 2026.
The league resisted the lure of beginning the season at Easter, with the 10-team competition launching a week later.
The other four games in round nine will be played on June 13.
Macorna’s debut in the Loddon Valley competition as its tenth team means clubs no longer have two byes during the season.
The June split round will be the only chance for players to have a rest in the home-and-away season, with expectation that the standalone game will continue in future years with all clubs taking turns to feature on the day.
League officials are currently finalising the full 2026 fixture.
Read More: Inglewood, Bears Lagoon, Serpentine