With Scott Berch
As we enter into what promises to be a super exciting Mid Gippsland Football Netball League season, the excitement and anticipation for the competing clubs is palpable. Will the power houses of the last few years remain at the top of the ladder or, after some years of development and recruiting, will we see a surge up the ladder from one of last year’s battlers?
One thing is for sure though: the ladder has everyone on no wins and the scoreboards will all start with zeroes as we close in on the first bounce of season 2026.
What happens next and how that plays out come seasons’ end will be decided on a weekly basis over the coming weeks and months. And we look forward to bringing you all the comings and goings, the ins and out and highs and lows as and when they occur.
But firstly, the pre-season preview, a chance to throw caution to the wind and nominate winners and losers before a single ball has been kicked. A chance to be proven a messiah or a mug comes seasons’ end. Using last years’ ladder as a starting point, a few words on each of the Prom Coast clubs from their senior coaches, and their “ins” and “outs”, here are some thoughts on their prospects for the season ahead.
Foster
The reigning premiers might have topped the ladder last year but gee they were forced to work brutally hard to win the flag. They jumped to an early lead in the decider, but ultimately found themselves up against it late in the game, trailing at the last change. These Tigers though are a tough breed and managed to kick three goals to one and secure the flag over an inaccurate Fish Creek by eleven points.
Hard to see them taking a backwards step this year with a strong off season in terms of recruiting and a fresh voice, Jake Best, taking the reins. Unlike the three other top four sides from last year, however, the Fosters Reserves tend to struggle (they managed just the three wins in 2025) and with their outs for the coming season including Mitchell Green (retired), Michael Green (ACL), Matthew Clark (retired) and Billy Flavelle (ACL), it might well be that lack of depth is their Achillies heel.
Having said that, they do look to bring in at least two players who have played at a higher level that seriously know how to light up the scoreboard, as well as perennial team of the year member, Jack Weston who crosses from Toora.
Best comes with a fantastic resume on the back of a stint as Traralgon coach in the Gippsland league. The key forward can turn a game on its head on his own, but is well aware his team will be the hunted this year. When asked about the season, Best was looking no further ahead than Round One. He said, “we have Fish Creek in a grand final rematch. It’s always a quality contest and will be a great early test to see where we’re at.”
Prediction: Top two and a big say in what happens post season.
Fish Creek
The crew from Fishy just don’t know how to not be involved in the pointy end of the season. They were only accurate kicking away from a hat trick of Premierships last year to go with the three dozen or so they have celebrated as a club over the years. Truly a phenomenal effort that shows no sign of abating.
Fish Creek coach Jarrad Walker, concedes there is “a bit of change for us coming into this season. A few retirees and a couple moving on,” but was quick to point out “we have recruited well.” As if we’d expect anything less!
Those recruits include Charlie Wilson, Jack Davis, Jackson Weidemann, Rhett Weidemann and Mitch Hicks with Blaine Coates also returning after a year off.
When asked specifically about the senior football side Walker was focused on “improving our depth and putting time into developing the juniors coming through” and thought this would be a great opportunity for “a fresh group of coaches for the reserves and juniors” to make an immediate impact saying that “the stronger those teams can be the stronger the senior side will be.”
Walker was enthused by Round One. “Coming up against Foster in the grand final rematch will be exciting. I guess it would be nicer to watch our flag go up but with a new look team it’ll be good to see where we sit against the comp’s best.”
Prediction: Third of fourth and a big say in what happens post season.
Meeniyan Dumbalk United
The Demons, having beaten Yinnar twice in the home and away season, went into their Semi Final against the Pies last year with the confidence of a side that was expecting to play in the following week's Preliminary Final. Unfortunately for them, their only finals win was against Thorpdale during week one of the campaign with Yinnar having the game parcelled up at the main break.
Rhett Kelly, MDU’s senior coach, said, “The playing group and club are excited for the upcoming season, and we have seen excellent numbers during pre-season training thus far.” This should come as no surprise for a club that has played finals over the last few seasons and had their thirds playing in last year’s Grand Final.
Kelly was happy that MDU had “successfully added depth to our midfield and strengthened our defence with several key additions,” while also referencing “a strong group of young players across both the seniors and reserves who have shown great development over the last 18 months, which will provide us with solid depth throughout the year.”
With a strong pre-season under their belt and a couple of practice games locked in, Kelly said his players “cannot wait for the season to begin and look forward to facing Newborough at home in round one.”
Prediction: Top four and two finals wins.
Tarwin
After finishing atop the ladder a handful of years ago it has been a relatively quiet period for Tarwin. Last year saw their best footy be more than good enough to beat finalists with their worst leaving many scratching their heads. Coach Lachie Jones has spent the off season working hard on a combination of player retention and recruiting, in an attempt to ensure the Sharks bounce back into the finals this season.
Some significant outs see Flynn Brosnan, Matt Williams, Darcy Brosnan, Tom Vanderkolk, Travis Krause (retired), Matt Zagni and Nathan McRae move on, with Kyle Yann, Taite Cumming, Jordan Bertacco, Rem Dal Pozzo, Lucas Harmer, Toby Mahoney, Dylan Garnham and Nick McKenzie taking over the empty lockers.
Jones labelled the Sharks off season as “productive” with “numbers across the pre-season excellent.” He went on to say “the playing group is hungry for success and they are putting the work in” with a recent intra-club hit out prepping the lads for their final dress rehearsal against Yarragon.
Looking ahead to his side's Round One clash with Morwell East, Jones is “excited to see how our brand looks” and that “the Hawks may be a little bit of a mystery in 2026 but we are excited about the year commencing.”
Prediction: Sixth or seventh. They will miss or make finals by a single game or percentage.
Toora
The side nobody wanted to play in the run to the finals last year, Toora have been suspiciously quiet in the off season. The lads from Toora sent plenty of ripples through the league with late season wins that shaped the make up of the top six, and excluding one very notable departure, Jack Weston, appear to have maintained their list. Undoubtedly Weston is a loss but the side is always, and always will be, more than one player.
The inclusion of several players will strengthen the batting order and with Lachy Earles from Yarram and Matt Allan from the strong Mornington league coming in it would be a brave team who takes Toora lightly. Toby Redpath will also be a fascinating watch. He showed he was more than capable of hitting the scoreboard in the lunch time league last year with several bags of five, but will he take the next step and become a part of the late game forward fifty?
Smart lamented the loss of Jack Weston but went on to say “we have picked up some vital recruits in areas that will help to improve our gameplay,” making particular reference to obtaining a ruckman, “who will provide the side with a first look at the ball around stoppage,” which he felt would be critical in implementing his desired game style.
Prediction: Between tenth and thirteenth. Improvement measured by beating sides they should beat every time.
Stony Creek
The Lions, it seemed, were so often just a “breath” away in more than a handful of games in 2025. They were always up for the fight but not quite able to deliver the knock-out punch when it mattered. Coach Troy Shepardson will have spent the pre-season trying to find a way to ensure that his side finds a way to get the job done in season 2026.
A big part of that will be the inclusion of some boom recruits. Shepardson said as a club “we welcome in Aidan Simmons, Luke Frith and Jacob Strickland,” who he hopes will add plenty of experience to his list.
On the other hand however, he loses Hayden Bull, Jye Loughridge and Ethan Busse, all of whom featured in the best at different parts of season 2025.
Like most coaches Shepardson said his pre-season “has been really positive,” but he was particularly pleased “with plenty of buy in from the lads” who have made it their goal for the year “to stay in games longer and hopefully win a few of those close ones we found ourselves on the wrong side of.”
Prediction: Between tenth and thirteenth. Improvement measured by home ground performances.
