Sport
8 July, 2025
MCDFNL to vote on Magpies’ application
The Maryborough Castlemaine District Football Netball League (MCDFNL) will decide if the Maryborough Football Netball Club (FNC) will join the league in 2026 tomorrow night.
The equation is simple for the Maryborough FNC. All seven members of the league’s board and a representative from all 13 clubs in the MCDFNL will cast a vote at tomorrow’s special general meeting to decide if the club’s application to join the league will be approved.
The Magpies will need 15 votes in favour to complete the move to the MCDFNL.
It’s a road the Maryborough FNC went down last season, as they sent an expression of interest to the league, seeking alternatives for their future away from the Bendigo Football Netball League (BFNL).
The decision came after the club was unable to grab a win in senior football since 2022 and didn’t field an A grade netball team in 2024.
However, the club was advised that an informal vote of club presidents represented a nine to four majority against the proposal and was indicated a formal vote would mirror the same results.
With the door slammed on an MCDFNL inclusion in 2025, along with a rejection from the Central Highlands Football League and merger talks stalling, the club made the tough decision to enter into recess for the first time in 80 years to help rebuild on and off the field.
After a taskforce implied a return to the BFNL wasn’t a viable option, the Magpies shifted back into discussions about moving leagues for the first time in over 30 years, formally applying to join the MCDFNL in May.
As part of their application process, Maryborough FNC met up with all 13 teams in the MCDFNL to discuss their intentions before officially presenting their application at the MCDFNL’s presidents and secretaries meeting on June 4.
Now all the Magpies faithful can do is wait, as they will be informed of the outcome of the vote after the special general meeting.
“We could have just thrown in the towel and said ‘this is too hard’ but the feedback we have gotten from a lot of people is the Maryborough Magpies have to play,” Maryborough FNC president Glen Bardsley said to The Addy in May.
“We have got an opportunity to keep the club alive and keep over 150 years of history going.
“There’s a lot of kids not playing football and netball at the moment because they can’t get into a team.
“Football and netball bring people together, and if you lose that what have people got?”