The region’s senior football sides are already looking towards 2025, with coaches resigning and re-signing at various clubs.
Murray Football League minor premier and flag favourite Congupna recently announced that coach Ben Bingham would return to his role in 2025.
The Road’s coach led his side to a 17-1 record for the 2024 home-and-away season, with Bingham saying he was always eager to stay at Congupna next season.
“It was an easy decision to sign on again,” Bingham said.
“I have got my family here now — my wife plays at the club.
“Even though it is not my junior club, it will be my third year as coach next year and the place feels like home.”
This weekend, The Road will play Finley at Rumbalara Recreation Reserve for a place in the grand final — Congupna won the corresponding match against eventual premiers Mulwala in 2023.
The Road has a reputation as being a strong family and community-focused club; Bingham believes that it is due to the close connection between The Road’s footballers and netballers.
“My biggest thing is how tight all the playing list is,” he said.
“Whether it is football or netball, I have been at different clubs, and the biggest thing I have found (at Congupna) is whether it is the best player in the senior team or one of the reserves guys; everyone is really good mates and love to hang around with each other.
“At the football club or on the weekend.
“We are here to win games of football, but at the end of the day, if you are not enjoying yourself off the field as well, there is no point in playing.”
Fellow Murray Football League side Nathalia has announced that co-coaches Glenn Boyd and Ryan Butler will continue as coaches of the Purples in 2025.
Boyd said the group’s energetic and youthful nature made signing on for next season easy.
“I thought we had a great young group and we were not far off making finals this year,” Boyd said.
“We started the season well, and I think at the midway point of the season, we were sitting where we had hoped to be.
“Then we had a few injuries in the middle part of the year and we dropped a few games we couldn’t afford to.
“Other than that, the year was really positive; we played about five or six kids (who were) under-18 for most of the year.”
Butler and Boyd have shared the coaching role for the past two seasons at Nathalia.
Boyd said the duo had a yin and yang partnership when it came to their coaching.
“We see football in different lights,” he said.
“Ryan is still playing.
“Our synergy, I think, has worked really well with us being at opposite ends of the scale.”
In the Goulburn Valley League, Euroa player-coach Ryan Pendlebury has signed on for another season in the black-and-white stripes.
The Magpies finished the home-and-away season in sixth place before losing to Rochester by 25 points in an elimination final on Sunday.
In the Kyabram District League, Tallygaroopna coach Daniel Clarke will be stepping away from the club next season.
The Redlegs thanked Clarke for his tireless efforts for the club both on and off the field in a recent Facebook post on the club’s social media.