BFL bottom five review

FOR five BFL teams in the seniors, the finals will go on without them.

For some, the chance at a flag ended weeks ago. For others, heartbreak came in the final rounds.

6 – Barwon Heads (10-8)

The Seagulls fell just two points shy of a finals berth for the second year in a row, thanks to Anglesea drawing with Queenscliff. Inconsistency cost them – whenever it seemed like Barwon Heads were stringing together some form, a loss would break the momentum. Their three-game win streak to end the season was their longest, which brought them agonisingly short of an Elimination Final. With the appointment of star Damian McMahon as co-head coach, they will look to bounce back with a different look in 2026.

7 – Modewarre (7-11)

After reaching the semi-final from fifth last year, wins and losses were swapped around for the Warriors in 2025. Losing the first three games of the year put their backs against the wall from the beginning, and they struggled to build consecutive wins. A season to forget for Modewarre.

8 – Portarlington (5-13)

After winning three games in 2024, five wins this season is the Demons’ best in over a decade and indicates they are on an upward trend. There were certainly some lowlights, including 130-point drubbings at the hands of Torquay and Geelong Amateur. But with the appointment of Leopold legend Sam Scott as playing coach for the next three years, there is plenty to look forward to at Portarlington.

9 – Newcomb (4-14)

The Power started 2025 with a bang, beating eventual qualifying finalists Queenscliff and Torquay in the first two rounds. The high unfortunately didn’t continue for much longer, but they were able to finish strong with a close loss to Anglesea and a two-point win over Ammos to round out their year. These wins should give Newcomb much confidence to edge further up the ladder in 2026.

10 – Ocean Grove (4-14)

The Grubbers finished with the same record they had in 2024, but the improved competition saw them finish at the bottom of the ladder this year. After a 20-point win over Modewarre to start the season, a nine-game losing streak followed. However, the young side finished the year impressively, with a valiant loss against Ammos followed by a 14-point win over Torquay. Those two matches gave the competition a glimpse of what Ocean Grove could be in years to come.