ONE day in September has arrived for hundreds of players in this weekend’s Bendigo Junior Football League grand finals.
There will be 13 matches played to cap the 2025 season.
The league has 15 clubs who feature in the grand finals.
Action kicks off with Friday night’s under-12 Girls match between St Therese’s and St Francis Green at Harry Trott Oval in Neale Street, Kennington.
In the second semi-final it was the St Therese’s Sharks who cruised to a 46-6 win against St Francis Green at Bendigo’s Ewing Park.
The Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL’s preliminary final day at the QEO will feature the Bendigo JFL under-16 seniors match between Sandhurst and Golden Square.
The rising stars from the Dragons and Bulldogs will clash at the iconic venue in View Street from 8.45am.
A 79-59 win by Sandhurst in the second semi-final against Strathfieldsaye put the Dragons into the season decider.
Golden Square won the first semi-final against South Bendigo by a goal.
The Bulldogs fought to win last Sunday’s preliminary final against Strathfieldsaye by two points.
The four grand finals for the under-12 division will be played on Sunday at Harry Trott Oval in Kennington’s Neale Street.
Action begins with the under-12D match between St Monica’s and Kangaroo Flat at 10am.
It’s two mobs who will be vying for glory.
The second semi-final between these teams ended in a 10-1 win for St Monica’s.
Kangaroo Flat bounced back to win the preliminary final against Maiden Gully YCW Eagles by a point.
The under-12C premiers will be White Hills Black or St Kilian’s-St Peter’s.
Their match will start at 11.20am.
White Hills scored a 35-3 win against St Kilian’s-St Peter’s in the second semi-final.
A 49-12 victory by St Kilian’s-St Peter’s against South Bendigo in the preliminary final meant it progressed to the big game.
Feathers will fly in the under-12C match between the Castlemaine Magpies and Huntly Hawks from 12.40pm.
In the second semi-final it was Castlemaine which soared to a 26-19 win against Huntly at Bendigo Club Oval in North Bendigo’s Atkins Street.
The Hawks struck back to win the preliminary final against Heathcote by 22 points.
Finale to Saturday’s play at Harry Trott Oval will be the under-12A match between Maiden Gully YCW Eagles and Golden Square from 2pm.
They met in the qualifying final on Kangaroo Flat’s ground in Dower Park.
On that occasion the Eagles flew to a 47-32 win against the Bulldogs.
A huge Sunday includes seven matches played at Triple M Park in Strathfieldsaye’s Tannery Lane, or at the adjacent Enterprise Oval.
Play on Enterprise Oval kicks off at 9.30am when White Hills Red faces Kangaroo Flat in the under-14 reserves, division two match.
Most recent meeting between them was the second semi-final where the Demons defeated the Roos, 56-25 at Kangaroo Flat’s Dower Park.
Castlemaine will take on Rochester in the under-14 reserves, division one match on Enterprise Oval from 11.15am.
A point separated the Magpies and Tigers when they met in the second semi-final on North Bendigo’s ground in Atkins Street.
It will be the Demons against the Storm as White Hills and Strathfieldsaye contest the under-15 Girls, reserves finale from 1pm.
The Strathfieldsaye team has weathered some storms to make the grand final.
In the first semi, Strathfieldsaye scored a 27-25 win against Mount Pleasant at Toolleen.
Strathfieldsaye then marked a 25-15 win against Rochester in the preliminary final.
Been an easier run for White Hills to the decider as the Demons won the second semi-final against Rochester by 28 points.
Play on Triple M Park starts at 9am when Strathfieldsaye faces South Bendigo in the under-14 seniors grand final.
Strathfieldsaye dominated the second semi-final showdown with South Bendigo at Eaglehawk’s Canterbury Park.
Storm surged to a 111-33 victory against the Bloods.
It’s an all-Sandhurst duel for the under-15 Girls, seniors premiership as Team A takes on Team B from 10.45am.
Sandhurst B won the first semi-final against Strathfieldsaye by 40 points.
In the second semi-final it was Sandhurst A which marked a 51-33 win against Marong Panthers.
A red-hot Lockington Bamawm United will take on Golden Square in the under-16 reserves, division two match from 12.05pm.
The Cats marked a 134-33 win against Leitchville Gunbower in the second semi-final.
Golden Square has also blitzed its two finals.
The Bulldogs scored a 220-1 win against Kangaroo Flat in the first semi and then beat Leitchville Gunbower in the preliminary final by 81 points.
The last grand final to be played features Huntly and Maiden Gully YCW Eagles in the under-16 reserves, division two clash at Triple M Park from 1.50pm.
Been a terrific effort by Maiden Gully YCW Eagles which has faced a knockout final every weekend.
The Eagles scored a 72-39 win against Kangaroo Flat in the elimination final.
Maiden Gully YCW then soared to an 86-13 win against Marong in the first semi-final.
A 50-37 victory against Strathfieldsaye in the preliminary final put the Eagles into the big dance.
Huntly finished the home-and-away series on the top of the ladder.
The Hawks won the second semi-final against Strathfieldsaye by 37 points at Eaglehawk’s Canterbury Park.
Schedule for this weekend’s Bendigo JFL grand finals:
Friday
Under-12 Girls – St Therese’s v St Francis Green, 5.15pm at Harry Trott Oval, Neale Street, Kennington.
Saturday
Under-16 seniors – Sandhurst v Golden Square, 8.45am at Queen Elizabeth Oval, View Street, Bendigo.
Under-12D – St Monica’s v Kangaroo Flat, 10am at Harry Trott Oval, Neale Street, Kennington.
Under-12C – White Hills Black v St Kilian’s-St Peter’s, 11.20am at Harry Trott Oval, Neale Street, Kennington.
Under-12B – Castlemaine v Huntly, 12.40pm at Harry Trott Oval, Neale Street, Kennington.
Under-12A – Maiden Gully YCW Eagles v Golden Square, 2pm at Harry Trott Oval, Neale Street, Kennington.
Sunday
Under-14 seniors – Strathfieldsaye v South Bendigo, 9am at Triple M Park, Tannery Lane, Strathfieldsaye.
Under-14 reserves, division two – White Hills Red v Kangaroo Flat, 9.30am at Enterprise Oval, Tannery Lane, Strathfieldsaye.
Under-15 Girls, seniors – Sandhurst A v Sandhurst B, 10.45am at Triple M Park, Tannery Lane, Strathfieldsaye.
Under-14 reserves, division one – Castlemaine v Rochester, 11.15am at Enterprise Oval, Tannery Lane, Strathfieldsaye.
Under-16 reserves, division two – Lockington Bamawm United Cats v Golden Square, 12.05pm at Triple M Park, Tannery Lane, Strathfieldsaye.
Under-15 Girls, reserves – White Hills v Strathfieldsaye, 1pm at Enterprise Oval, Tannery Lane, Strathfieldsaye.
Under-16 reserves, division one – Huntly v Maiden Gully YCW Eagles, 1.50pm at Triple M Park, Tannery Lane, Strathfieldsaye.
The Bendigo JFL’s fairest and best award winners for the ’25 campaign:
Under-14 seniors: Archer Lethlean, Golden Square; Hser Yu Say Way, South Bendigo.
Under-14 reserves, division one: Declan Brasher, Castlemaine; Asher Rasmussen, Rochester.
Under-14 reserves, division two: Tadym Borserio, North Bendigo.
Under-15 Girls, seniors: Charlise McQueen, Eaglehawk; Olivia Rose, Castlemaine.
Under-15 Girls, reserves: Maleah Alford, White Hills.
Under-16 seniors: Max Connick, Sandhurst.
Under-16 reserves, division one: Cale James, Rochester.
Under-16 reserves, division two: Harrison Condliffe, Lockington Bamawm United.