Last November, the Tallangatta footy club's committee members were scratching their heads and wondering how they could turn their fortunes around.

Recent seasons have been tough going for the Sebastopol footy club. The Burras' senior side hasn't made the finals since they suffered a heartbreaking eight-point loss to Melton in the Ballarat league grand final in 2000.

Until the last day of last year's Goulburn Valley league season, Benalla seemed on track to break their four-decade premiership drought in senior football.

Tongala has won only five senior footy flags since the end of the Second World War, the most recent back in 1984.

The Otway Districts Football Netball Club is usually happy to exist in its own little world.

The two clubs in the geographic centre of the Mallee league, the Sea Lake-Nandaly Tigers and Woomelang-Lascelles, have enjoyed a tremendous rivalry in recent years.

Border-Walwa's footballers have done it tough in recent times.

There was much sadness in the small town of Nyah in late 2012 when the local harness racing club relocated to a new facility in the bustling nearby city of Swan Hill.

There was much sadness in the small town of Nyah in late 2012 when the local harness racing club relocated to a new facility in the bustling nearby city of Swan Hill.

When the Strathfieldsaye Football-Netball Club was accepted into the Bendigo league for the 2009 season, the people running the newly formed entity were thinking long-term.