The Bendigo Football Netball League (previously known as the Bendigo and District Football Association, Bendigo Football Association and Bendigo Football League) is an Australian rules football and netball competition based in the Bendigo region of Victoria.
History Football in Bendigo appears to have been first played with a match between the Sandhurst Football Club and the Volunteers Football Club in July 1861.
Formed on 10 June 1881 by the city's three clubs (Bendigo, Coachbuilders and Sandhurst) as the Sandhurst Football Association.
Bendigo FC won both the 1886 and 1887 premiership and not Eaglehawk as previously recorded on this page. Sandhurst FC were undefeated premiers in 1889 and not Eaglehawk FC as previously recorded on this page. Eaglehawk FC won the 1900 premiership and not South Bendigo as previously recorded on this page.
It is one of the oldest football leagues in Australia, and among its members are some of the oldest football clubs in Australia, including the Castlemaine Football Club, who joined in 1925 from the Castlemaine District Football Association and are acknowledged as the second oldest football club in Australia and one of the oldest in the world.
The Bendigo Mid-Week Football Association commenced in 1926 and in 1930 and Railways defeated Banks for the premiership. 1926 - Gasworks: 8.17 - 65 d Golden City: 8.11 - 59 1928 - School of Mines: 1.12 - 18 d Banks, Stock Agents & Press: 1.7 - 13 1930 - Railways: 12.9 81 d Banks: 5.6 - 36
John Ledwidge was captain-coach of the Bendigo Football League representative team that won the 1962 VCFL Caltex Country Football Championships by defeating the Wimmera Football League at Horsham.
In 2024, the Bendigo Football Netball League was reduced from ten football teams to nine, following the departure of the Kyneton Football Club to the Riddell District Football Netball League. In the same year, Broadford Football Club indicated its intention to enter the BNFL from 2025 onwards. In August 2025, Gisborne Football Club voted to leave the league to join the Ballarat Football League for the 2026 season onwards.
Clubs
Locations Yellow points represent clubs currently in recess. Club locations - BendigoClub locations - Central Victoria
Current ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.JoinedBFL Senior Premierships Total YearsBroadfordKangaroosHarley Hammond Reserve, BroadfordOEFNL18900 - Castlemaine MagpiesCamp Reserve, Castlemaine CDFL, MFL 1859 1925 41926, 1952, 1992, 2000 Eaglehawk Hawks; Two BluesCanterbury Park, Eaglehawk – 1880 1880 27 1882, 1883, 1894, 1895, 1896, 1897, 1998, 1900, 1901, 1903, 1906, 1908, 1922, 1924, 1935, 1941, 1946, 1953, 1957, 1968, 1971, 1980, 1982, 2007, 2008, 2018, 2025 Golden Square BulldogsWade Street Recreation Reserve, Golden Square GCFL 1932 1935 181938, 1939, 1945, 1964, 1965, 1972, 1975, 1976, 1979, 1988, 1989, 2001, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2023 Kangaroo Flat KangaroosDower Park, Kangaroo Flat GCFL1890 1981 11996 Marong PanthersMalone Park, Marong GCFL, LVFL 1900s 1981-1982, 2027- 0- Sandhurst DragonsQueen Elizabeth Oval, Bendigo – 1861 1880 291881, 1884, 1885, 1889, 1890, 1891, 1893, 1920, 1923, 1927, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1937, 1940, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1973, 1977, 1978, 1981, 1983, 2004, 2016, 2024 South Bendigo BloodsHarry Trott Oval, Kennington – 1893 1893 231899, 1902, 1904, 1905, 1909, 1910, 1911, 1912, 1914, 1919, 1921, 1925, 1950, 1951, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1969, 1974, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994 Strathfieldsaye Storm Strathfieldsaye Recreation Reserve, Strathfieldsaye – 2007 2009 4 2014, 2015, 2017, 2019
Former clubs ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.JoinedBFL Senior PremiershipsFate Total Years Bendigo – 1862 1880-1893 41880, 1886, 1887, 1888, 1892Folded in 1894Bendigo City–19121912-191511913Folded in 1915 Bendigo East – 1919 1919-1924 0-Moved to Golden City FL in 1925California Gully–1900s1904-19140 -Moved to Bendigo Second-Rate FA in 1915Coachbuilders–1870s1880-18860 -Folded in 1887Echuca(1924–52)(1953–73)Murray BombersVictoria Park Oval, EchucaEFL18741924-1941, 1949-197331928, 1967, 1970Played in Echuca FL between 1946-48. Moved to Goulburn Valley FL after 1973 seasonEchuca EastHoppersEchuca East Recreational Reserve, EchucaEFL1890s19400 -Re-formed in Echuca FL in 1946ElmoreElmore Recreation Reserve, ElmoreHDFNL186819460 -Moved to Echuca FL after 1946 seasonGisborneBulldogsGardiner Reserve, GisborneRDFNL18792000-202662002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2022, 2026Moved to Ballarat FNL after 2026 seasonKennington-Strathdale (1973-?)(?-1994)Harry Trott Oval, KenningtonGCFL1930s1973-19940 -Folded in 1994Kyneton(1932–59)(1960-2023)TigersKyneton Showgrounds, KynetonCDFL18681932-1940, 1947-202361936, 1960, 1961, 1966, 1995, 1997Played in Castlemaine District FL in 1945-46. Moved to Riddell District FNL after 2023 seasonLockington Bamawm UnitedCatsLockington Recreation Reserve, LockingtonNEFL19901997-20000 -Moved to Heathcote District FNL after 2000 seasonLong GullyAlberts, Maroons–1900s1888, 1905-19111 1907Moved to Bendigo Second-Rate FA in 1912MarongMoved to Loddon Valley FNL after 1982 season Maryborough MagpiesPrinces Park, Maryborough BFL 1872 1992-2023 21998, 1999Recess between 2024-26. Re-formed in Maryborough Castlemaine District FNL in 2027North Ballarat CityRoostersEureka Stadium, Wendouree–18822006-20070 -Moved to Ballarat FL after 2007 seasonNorth BendigoBulldogsNorth Bendigo Oval, North BendigoGCFL18871887-1897, 1981-19950 -Disbanded in 1898. Moved to Heathcote District FNL in 1996North Sandhurst–18871887-18910 -Folded in 1892 Northern United Swallows Raywood Recreation Reserve, RaywoodGCFL 1949 1981-1996 41984, 1985, 1986, 1987Folded 1 game into 1996 season. Merged with Calivil to form Calivil United in Loddon Valley FNL in 1997ProvincialProsWeeroona Oval, BendigoGCFL19451981-19820 -Moved to Heathcote District FNL after 1982 seasonRochesterDemonsRochester Recreation Reserve, Rochester–18741915-197141958, 1959, 1962, 1963Recess in 1972, re-formed in Goulburn Valley FL after 1971 seasonWest Bendigo–1900s1904-19070 -Moved to Bendigo Second-Rate FA in 1908White HillsDemonsWhite Hills Oval, White HillsGCFL19241981-19830 -Moved to Heathcote District FNL after 1983 seasonYCWCatsBackhaus Oval, Golden SquareGCFL19451981-19830 -Moved to Loddon Valley FNL after 1983 season, now known as Maiden Gully YCW
Senior Football Premierships
1880 Bendigo 1881 Sandhurst 1882 Eaglehawk 1883 Eaglehawk 1884 Sandhurst ? 1885 Sandhurst 1886 Bendigo 1887 Bendigo 1888 Bendigo 1889 Sandhurst* 1890 Sandhurst 1891 Sandhurst 1892 Bendigo 1893 Sandhurst 1894 Eaglehawk* 1895 Eaglehawk 1896 Eaglehawk 1897 Eaglehawk 1898 Eaglehawk 1899 South Bendigo 1900 Eaglehawk 1901 Eaglehawk 1902 South Bendigo 1903 Eaglehawk 1904 South Bendigo 1905 South Bendigo 1906 Eaglehawk 1907 Long Gully 1908 Eaglehawk 1909 South Bendigo 1910 South Bendigo 1911 South Bendigo 1912 South Bendigo 1913 Bendigo City 1914 South Bendigo 1915 1st: Rochester.Abandoned>July>WW1 1916 In recess, WWI 1917 In recess, WWI 1918 In recess, WWI 1919 South Bendigo 1920 Sandhurst 1921 South Bendigo 1922 Eaglehawk 1923 Sandhurst 1924 Eaglehawk 1925 South Bendigo 1926 Castlemaine 1927 Sandhurst 1928 Echuca 1929 Sandhurst 1930 Sandhurst 1931 Sandhurst 1932 Sandhurst 1933 Sandhurst 1934 Sandhurst 1935 Eaglehawk 1936 Kyneton 1937 Sandhurst 1938 Golden Square 1939 Golden Square 1940 Sandhurst 1941 Eaglehawk 1942 In recess, WW2 1943 In recess, WW2 1944 In recess, WW2 1945 Golden Square 1946 Eaglehawk 1947 Sandhurst 1948 Sandhurst 1949 Sandhurst 1950 South Bendigo 1951 South Bendigo 1952 Castlemaine 1953 Eaglehawk 1954 South Bendigo 1955 South Bendigo 1956 Sandhurst 1957 Eaglehawk 1958 Rochester 1959 Rochester 1960 Kyneton 1961 Kyneton 1962 Rochester 1963 Rochester 1964 Golden Square 1965 Golden Square 1966 Kyneton 1967 Echuca 1968 Eaglehawk 1969 South Bendigo 1970 Echuca 1971 Eaglehawk 1972 Golden Square 1973 Sandhurst 1974 South Bendigo 1975 Golden Square 1976 Golden Square 1977 Sandhurst 1978 Sandhurst 1979 Golden Square 1980 Golden Square 1981 Sandhurst 1982 Eaglehawk 1983 Sandhurst 1984 Northern United 1985 Northern United 1986 Northern United 1987 Northern United 1988 Golden Square 1989 Golden Square 1990 South Bendigo 1991 South Bendigo 1992 Castlemaine 1993 South Bendigo 1994 South Bendigo 1995 Kyneton 1996 Kangaroo Flat 1997 Kyneton 1998 Maryborough 1999 Maryborough 2000 Castlemaine 2001 Golden Square 2002 Gisborne 2003 Gisborne 2004 Sandhurst 2005 Gisborne 2006 Gisborne 2007 Eaglehawk 2008 Eaglehawk 2009 Golden Square 2010 Golden Square 2011 Golden Square 2012 Golden Square 2013 Golden Square 2014 Strathfieldsaye 2015 Strathfieldsaye 2016 Sandhurst 2017 Strathfieldsaye 2018 Eaglehawk 2019 Strathfieldsaye 2020 BFNL in recess > COVID-19 2021 BFNL abandoned after Rd.17 COVID-19 2022 Gisborne 2023 Golden Square 2024 Sandhurst 2025 Eaglehawk 2026 Gisborne
Grand Finals
Senior Football Between 1880 and 1903, the team on top of the ladder at the end of the home and away series of matches were crowned Premiers, therefore no official Bendigo Football Association Grand Finals were played prior to 1904.
*1915 - The season was abandoned in late July, 1915 due to World War One. No official premiership was awarded, but Rochester were on top of the ladder. *Undefeated premiers