BY NATHAN DOLE
Century mark almost hit as junior footy kicks off
ALMOST 100 teams will be in action across this weekend’s start to the Bendigo Junior Football League season.
Week one of the ’24 campaign will involve grading matches for the under-12, 14 and 16 boys age groups.
Premiership points will be up for grabs in the under-12 girls and under-15 girls competitions.
Sponsors of the Bendigo Junior FL, one of the biggest and longest-running junior leagues in Victoria are Bendigo Bank, La Trobe University Bendigo, Bendigo Club, and Cavalier Homes.
A huge weekend to mark the season start begins with Friday night’s under-12 girls matches being played from 5.15pm and 6.15pm.
Matches will be played at Mercy Junortoun Sports Precinct on Canty Oval or O’Keefe Oval.
Teams in action are Marong, St Francis Blue, Mount Pleasant, White Hills, Golden Square and St Therese’s.
Kangaroo Flat forfeited to St Francis Green.
Grading for the under-12 division is on Saturday.
There will be 16 matches played at Mercy Junortoun Sports Precinct, or at Enterprise Oval in Strathfieldsaye’s Tannery Lane.
A group of 33 teams includes three from Eaglehawk, Maiden Gully YCW Eagles, South Bendigo, and Strathfieldsaye.
Clubs fielding two teams are Golden Square, Marong, North Bendigo, St Francis, St Therese’s , and White Hills.
Also in the under-12 division are Castlemaine, Heathcote, Huntly, Kangaroo Flat, Maryborough, Mount Pleasant, Quarry Hill, St Kilian’s-St Peter’s, and St Monica’s.
Eight grounds will be used for under-14 grading on Sunday.
Matches will be at Harry Trott Oval in Kennington, Huntly’s Strauch Reserve, Kangaroo Flat’s Dower Park, Marist College in Maiden Gully, Marong’s Malone Park, Strathfieldsaye’s Triple M Park and Enterprise Oval, and Wade Street in Golden Square.
There are 25 teams in the under-14s.
This season’s contenders are Bendigo-based clubs Eaglehawk, Golden Square, Huntly, Kangaroo Flat, Maiden Gully YCW Eagles, North Bendigo, Sandhurst, South Bendigo, Strathfieldsaye, White Hills.
Other teams in the under-14 division are from Castlemaine, Heathcote, Marong, Maryborough and Rochester.
Play for the under-15 girls starts on Sunday.
It’s a 13-team competition.
Clubs fielding two teams are Eaglehawk, Golden Square, Kangaroo Flat, Marong, Sandhurst and Strathfieldsaye.
The Demons from White Hills are also in the competition.
Grading for under-16 boys will be on Sunday.
Grounds to be used are Dower Park, Harry Trott Oval, Marong’s Malone Park, Marist College, Strauch Reserve, and Triple M Park.
A group of 19 teams includes two from Golden Square, Huntly, Maiden Gully YCW Eagles, Sandhurst, South Bendigo, and Strathfieldsaye.
The Lockington Bamawm United Cats, Castlemaine, Kangaroo Flat, Marong, Maryborough, Rochester and White Hills will also compete in the BJFL’s top age group.