WorkSafe Victoria Country Season Guide

With the triumphant return of WorkSafe Victoria Country Football, we have gathered the information and put in our predictions to let you know what to expect for season 2022 in your local league.

In this season guide, we look at the top competitions in country football including start dates, the clubs competing, key player signings and more, as we prepare you to go into the rest of the season as country football experts.

See below for our WorkSafe Victoria Country Football Season 2022 guide:

Ballarat Football Netball League

League: McDonald’s Ballarat Seniors
2022 season start date: 9 April 2022
Most recent premier: East Point FNC (2019)
2021 top-of-the-ladder: North Ballarat
Teams 2022:

• Bacchus Marsh Seniors
• Ballarat Seniors
• Darley Seniors
• East Point Seniors
• Lake Wendouree Seniors
• Melton Seniors
• Melton South Seniors
• North Ballarat Seniors
• Redan Seniors
• Sebastopol Seniors
• Sunbury Seniors

Favourites for top 4: Melton, North Ballarat, Darley, Bacchus Marsh

Key player signings:

• Brett Bewley (Darley)
• Nick Rodda (Darley)
• Dylan Jones (Melton South)
• Jackson Merrett (East Point)

New Darley signing, Brett Bewley

League: Ballarat Football League Women's
2022 season start date: 9 April 2022
Most recent premier: N/A
2021 top-of-the-ladder: Redan FNC
Teams 2022:

• Redan FNC
• Darley FNC
• Sebastopol FNC
• Melton Centrals
• Carisbrook
• Bacchus Marsh FNC
• Melton FNC
• Lake Wendouree FNC

Bellarine District Football and Netball League

League name: DOW Bellarine Football and Netball League Seniors
2022 season start date: 2nd April 2022
Most recent premier: Barwon Heads (2019)
2021 top-of-the-ladder: Torquay
Teams 2022:

• Anglesea
• Barwon Heads
• Drysdale
• Geelong Amateur
• Modewarre
• Newcomb
• Ocean Grove
• Portarlington
• Queenscliff
• Torquay

Favourites for top 4: Modewarre, Torquay, Drysdale, Newcomb

Key player signings:

• Aaron Black, Modewarre
• Sam Darley, Geelong Amateur
  

Modewarre's, Aaron Black discusses tactics with a coach (Photo by K Rock Football)

Bendigo FNL

League: Bendigo Bank Seniors
2022 season start date: 9th April 2022
Most recent premier: Strathfieldsaye FNC (2019)
2021 top-of-the-ladder: Strathfieldsaye
Teams 2022:

• Castlemaine
• Eaglehawk
• Gisborne
• Golden Square
• Kangaroo Flat
• Kyneton
• Maryborough
• Sandhurst
• South Bendigo
• Strathfieldsaye
  

Favourites for Top 4: Strathfieldsaye, Gisborne, Golden Square, Kyneton

Key player signings:

• Bailey Henderson (Castlemaine)
• Tommy Horne (Castlemaine)
• Fraser Verhey (Eaglehawk)
• Brady Rowles (Eaglehawk)
• Dan Davie (Gisborne)
• Matt Panuccio (Gisborne)
• Jarrod Fitzpatrick (Golden Square)
• Liam Jacques (Golden Square)
• Mitchell Collins (Kangaroo Flat)
• Sam Barnes (Kangaroo Flat)
• Steve Georgiou (Kyneton)
• Dean Bartrop (Kyneton)
• Jake Lohmann (Maryborough)
• Lachie Hood (Sandhurst)
• Hamish Hosking (Sandhurst)
• Isaiah Miller (South Bendigo)
• Liam Byrne (South Bendigo)
• Brady Hore (Strathfieldsaye)
• Bo Alexander (Strathfieldsaye)
  

Champions IGA Central Victoria Football League (Women's)

2022 Season Start Date: 3rd April 2022
Most recent premier: Golden Square Football Netball Club
2021 top-of-the-ladder: Golden Square Football Netball Club
Teams 2022:

• Bendigo Thunder WFC
• Castlemaine FNC
• Eaglehawk FNC
• Golden Square FNC
• Kangaroo Flat FNC
• Kerang WFC
• Kyneton FNC
• North Bendigo FNC
• Strathfieldsaye FNC

Favourites for Top 4: Golden Square FNC, Bendigo Thunder WFC, Eaglehawk FNC, Kangaroo Flat FNC

Key player signings:

• Jac Louttit (Bendigo Thunder WFC)
• Tiahna Cochrane (Castlemaine FNC)
• Lily Den Houting (Eaglehawk FNC)
• Carly Ladson (Golden Square FNC)
• Jordan Savoia (Kyneton FNC)
• Cherelle Byrne (North Bendigo FNC)
• Ireland O’Rourke (Strathfieldsaye FNC)
  

A Castlemaine player handballs in a night match against Kyneton

Geelong Football League

League: Blood Toyota Geelong Football and Netball League
2022 season start date: 2 April 2022
Most recent premier: St Mary’s (2019)
2021 top-of-the-ladder: St Mary’s
Teams 2022:

• Bell Park
• Colac
• Geelong West Giants
• Grovedale
• Lara
• Leopold
• Newtown & Chilwell
• North Shore
• South Barwon
• St Albans
• St Mary's Seniors
• St Joseph's

Favourites for top 4: St Mary’s, South Barwon, Newton and Chillwell, North Shore

Key player signings:

• Darcy Lang, Colac
  

Darcy Lang coaching his teammates at Colac Football Club

League: Geelong/Bellarine 2022 Senior Women's (grading)
2022 season start date: 9 April 2022
Most recent premier: St Mary's (2019)
2021 top-of-the-ladder: Geelong Amateur
Teams 2022 (grading) :

• Drysdale
• Torquay
• St Mary's 1
• Anglesea
• Newtown & Chilwell 1
• Barwon Heads
• Newtown & Chilwell 2
• St Mary's 2
• Geelong Amateur
• Grovedale
• Barwon Heads
• St Joseph's
• South Barwon
• Geelong West Giants 1
• Lara Senior
• North Geelong
• Geelong Amateur
• Geelong West Giants 2
• St Albans Senior
• Colac Imperials

Gippsland Football League

League: Gippsland Football League Seniors
2022 season start date: 2 April 2022
Most recent premier: Maffra (2019)
2021 top-of-the-ladder: Leongatha
Teams 2022:

• Bairnsdale
• Drouin
• Leongatha
• Maffra
• Moe
• Morwell
• Sale
• Traralgon
• Warragul
• Wonthaggi Power

Favourites for top 4: Maffra, Moe, Leongatha, Traralgon

Key player signings:

• Logan Austin (Bairnsdale)
• Brett Eddy (Traralgon)
• Nick Graham (Warragul)
• Jed Lamb (Warragul)
• Jack Leslie (Sale)
• Tom Schneider (Traralgon)

Jed Lamb poses with Warragul coach, Dean Alger (Photo Warragul & Drouin Gazette)

GOTAFE Goulburn Valley Football League

League: GOTAFE GVL Seniors
2022 season start date: 9 April 2022
Most recent premier: Kyabram FNC
2021 top-of-the-ladder: Echuca FNC
Teams 2022:

• Echuca FNC
• Rochester FNC
• Kyabram FNC
• Tatura FNC
• Mooroopna FNC
• Shepparton Swans FNC
• Shepparton United FNC
• Shepparton FNC
• Seymour FNC
• Euroa FNC
• Benalla Saints FNC
• Mansfield FNC

Favourites for top 4: Echuca, Seymour, Euroa & Kyabram

Key player signings:

• Sam Reid (Echuca)
• Shaun Atley Chris Jansen (Rochester)
• Paul Newman (Kyabram - Coach)
• Ben Cosgriff (Tatura)
• Michael Hartley Louis Pinnuck (Seymour)
• Will Hayes (Euroa)
• Paul Hunter (Euroa)
• Noah Hura (Euroa)
• Will McIntosh (Euroa)
• Josh Marchbank (Benalla)
• Jack Hutchins (Mansfield)
  

Mornington Peninsula FNL

League name: MPFNL Division One Seniors
2022 Season start date: 2nd April 2022
Most recent premier: Dromana (2019)
2021 top-of-the-ladder: Bonbeach
Teams 2022:

• Bonbeach FNC
• Dromana FNC
• Edithvale-Aspendale FNC
• Frankston Bombers FNC
• Frankston YCW FNC
• Mt Eliza FNC
• Pines FNC
• Red Hill
• Rosebud FNC
• Sorrento FNC

Favourites for top 4: Red Hill, Pines, Sorrento, Dromana

Key player signings:

• Russell Gabriel (Pines)
• Shane Savage (Pines)
• Kurt Lopo (Edithvale-Aspendale)
• Dylan Roberton (Frankston YCW)
• Nick Wood (Sorrento)

Dylan Roberton returned to the field for Frankston YCW

Murray Football League

League: Eagle i T-L Irrigation Murray Football League
2022 season start date: 2 April 2022
Most recent premier: Nathalia (2019)
2021 top-of-the-ladder: Tongala
Teams 2022:

• Barooga
• Cobram
• Congupna
• Deniliquin Rams
• Echuca United
• Finley
• Moama
• Mulwala
• Nathalia
• Numurkah
• Rumbalara
• Tongala
  
  

Favourites for top 4: Cobram, Deniliquin, Tongala, Moama

Key player signings:

• Kyle Dunkley (Barooga)
• Brock McLean (Tongala)

Ovens and Murray Football League

League: SS&A Cup
2022 season start date: 2 April 2022
Most recent premier: Lavington (2019)
2021 top-of-the-ladder: Albury
Teams 2022:

• Albury Seniors
• Corowa Rutherglen Seniors
• Lavington Seniors
• Myrtleford Seniors
• North Albury Seniors
• Wangaratta Seniors
• Wangaratta Rovers Seniors
• Wodonga Seniors
• Wodonga Raiders Seniors
• Yarrawonga Seniors

Favourites for top 4: Wangaratta, Lavington, Yarrawonga, Albury

Key player signings:

• Angus Baker (Wodonga)
• Tim Broomhead (North Albury)
• Jackson Clarke (Wangaratta Magpies)
• Simon Curtis (Myrtleford)
• Brodie Filo (Wangaratta Rovers)
• Jake McQueen (Wangaratta Rovers)
• Michael Gibbons (Yarrawonga)
• Leigh Williams (Yarrawonga)
• Bryan Hodgson (Albury)
• Brendan Kantilla (Wodonga Raiders)

MBCM Northern Country Women’s League

2022 season start date: 1st April 2022
Most recent premier: Nathalia FNC
2021 top-of-the-ladder: Echuca FNC
Teams 2022:

• Echuca
• Nathalia
• Shepparton United
• Benalla
• Tatura
  
  

Favourites for top 4: Echuca, Nathalia, Shepparton United, Benalla

Players chase the ball in the MBCM Northern Country Women's League

Sunraysia Football Netball League

League: Sunraysia Senior Men's
2022 season start date: Friday 15th of April
Most recent premier: Irymple (2019)
2021 top-of-the-ladder: Imperials
Teams 2022:

• Imperials
• Irymple
• Red Cliffs
• Ouyen United
• Robinvale/Euston
• Merbein
• Wentworth
• Mildura
• South Mildura
  

Favourites for Top 4: Irymple, Imperials, Merbein Wentworth

League: Sunraysia Women’s Football League
2022 season start date: Friday April 22
Most recent premier: Bambill
2021 top-of-the-ladder: Gol Gol
Teams:

• Nangiloc
• Cardross
• Gol Gol
• Werrimull
• Bambill
• Meringur
  
  

Favourites for top 4: Nangiloc, Werrimull, Gol Gol, Bambill

Western Border Football League

League: WBFL A Grade
2022 season start date: 2 April 2022
Most recent premier: Millicent (2021)
2021 top-of-the-ladder: South Gambier
Teams 2022:

• Casterton Sandford
• East Gambier
• Millicent
• North Gambier
• South Gambier
• West Gambier

Favourites for top 4: South Gambier, Millicent, North Gambier, West Gambier

Wimmera Football Netball League

League: WFNL Seniors
2022 season start date: 9th April 2022
Most recent premier: Minyip Murtoa FNC (2019)
2021 top-of-the-ladder: Minyip Murtoa FNC
Teams 2022:

• Ararat
• Dimboola
• Horsham Demons
• Horsham Saints
• Minyip Murtoa
• Nhill
• Southern Mallee Giants
• Stawell
• Warrack Eagles

Favourites for top 4: Minyip Murtoa, Southern Mallee, Horsham Saints, Horsham Demons

Key player signings:

• Tanner Smith (Minyip Murtoa)