![\"\"](\"https:\/\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\/prod\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2026\/04\/631027235_1353709666_11374.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
“That would mean more NRL resources for Victoria.”<\/p>\n
The Crushers will play their inaugural season in the competition’s third grade.<\/p>\n
While they will carry the Bendigo name, Dynon said the club considered itself as more of a Central Victorian team, with players from Maryborough, Seymour and a few other towns among their ranks.<\/p>\n
The Crushers will be led on the field by John Whittle, the club’s inaugural coach and captain.<\/p>\n
Whittle gained an instant place in club history by being the first Crushers player to score a try in an exhibition match against Sunbury late last year.<\/p>\n
“He’s a North Queensland boy, originally from Cairns, and has been doing a really great job running the pre-season,” Dynon said.<\/p>\n
“He’s very good at running drills and getting the best out of our players.<\/p>\n
“He’ll probably play five-eighth for us.”<\/p>\n
The Crushers rounded out their preparation with a three-way trial involving Hume Eagles and North West Wolves at Craigieburn, with the three teams all playing a half against each other.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, a planned practice match against Sunbury United Tigers earlier in the month had to be cancelled.<\/p>\n
Dynon said given their tag as the competition’s newcomer and limited exposure to opposing teams during the pre-season, it was difficult to predict how the Crushers would fare in their first season on the pitch.<\/p>\n
“We won’t know until we play the first few rounds,” he said.<\/p>\n
“From what we understand about the third grade, there can be a lot of changes with teams going very quickly from being good to down the ladder and vice-versa.<\/p>\n
“We won’t know until we get on the park, but I expect us to be competitive.”<\/p>\n
The Crushers’ exposure to competition play has been limited so far to a few exhibition matches last year and their participation in the NRL Victoria Harmony Cup nine-a-side tournament last November. More sport from page 27.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
BENDIGO Crushers Rugby League Club president Mikey Dynon says the team is literally counting down the days until its first game in the NRL Victoria Storm Metro Premiership competition. The club’s first official clash on Saturday 2 May, comes 21 months after a small group of Bendigo rugby league enthusiasts met for the first time […]<\/p>\n