The Riddell District Football Netball League has broken its silence on the fallout from the Kyneton Women’s Football Club being denied entry to it and a neighbouring league.
On Friday, the RDFNL released a statement providing its version of events surrounding the denial of the Wedge-Tailed Eagles from its league twice.
As reported by Star Weekly, the Wedge-Tail Eagles are currently seeking to overturn an AFL Victoria decision to ban them from playing in the neighbouring Central Victoria Football League.
The league said the situation started when tensions between the Kyneton Football Netball Club and its women’s team escalated in 2024.
The club’s major annual function being at the same time as the women’s side played in a grand final was the main point of tension.
The RDFNL said the fundraiser had been locked in and approved by the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation before the date for the women’s grand final was confirmed.
The league said between August and December 2024, there were numerous outcomes workshopped by between the league, the women’s players and KFNC to try and get a solution.
The league said when it was clear that the women’s team would not return to the KFNC, alternative solutions were discussed including the prospect of the team moving to Woodend-Hesket or Gisborne Giants or the women’s team joins the Mt Alexander Falcons and affiliate under their club as a second women’s team.
The RDFNL statement said it was under the impression they would join the Falcons, however, in late January 2025, the RDFNL was contacted to say that the Kyneton Women’s Football Club had been formed.
An application to join the league was denied as new clubs had to be accepted before 1 December, 2024.
The Wedge-Tailed Eagles applications to the CVFL and the Ballarat Football League were also denied.
KWFC ended up playing with the Gisborne Football Netball Club in 2025 under the Gisborne-Kyneton United banner.
The RDFNL statement also shared details on why it had knocked back the club’s application to join the league for 2026 and its objection to it playing in the CVFL.
“It was explicitly outlined … that if the application was made under the Kyneton Women’s Football Club that it would be rejected by the RDFNL,” the league said.
“It was outlined that the Kyneton Football Netball Club had a youth girls team participating in the RDFNL in 2025 with many players ageing out and eligible for senior women’s football in 2026 and the KFNC would be aiming to re-affiliate a team in 2026 and therefore if they wanted to participate in the RDFNL it needed to be under another name.
“It was suggested that the club rebadge as the Wedge-Tailed Eagles Football Club and put in an application for Woodend Racecourse Reserve as their home ground.”
The RDFNL outlined to AFL Victoria that if the KWFC applied under the KWFC name to any neighbouring league that it would appeal, under AFL Victoria rules.
The Kyneton Women’s Football Club in a statement said it acknowledges the league’s statement.
“We stand by the integrity of our players, officials, volunteers and committee, who have acted respectfully and in good faith in their process and we remain confident in the information provided through formal integrity channels.”
