Once again, the club thanks you for either attending or registering your intention to attend one of our club’s State League Trials. It was fantastic to see so many there at our 1st trial, especially with plenty of new faces who came along.
The following information just to provide a little further detail for the club’s expectations for state league and also confirm players availability for our 2nd trial along with the upcoming tournaments, thus providing information to help you make the decision on if playing for the club is what you want to do prior to squads being selected.
Our club is very proud in the opportunity we provide players in Western Victoria in playing Volleyball at the highest level in the state, but with that opportunity comes some expectations from the club. Playing State League at any division is a privilege not a right, and the club expects commitment from you as a player. The club offers a unique opportunity in the structure we play our season, with our partnership with the Red Energy Arena (Bendigo Stadium), we play the majority of games in Bendigo at the stadium in ‘double header’ rounds. This enables the travel commitment from our players to be a lot less than what would be expected if we were playing single round games in Melbourne.
With club structure and diversity of our playing group and their hometowns being so remote from each other, we are unable to train on a weekly basis like Melbourne based clubs can. Therefore, we expect all players to be training and playing locally at their home associations to ensure they prepare as well as possible for game day. Beyond this, our squads, especially the Premier Squads, would be expected to attend squad trainings that will be organised by either the coach/squad or the club as a whole. We will ensure to give all players plenty of notice on these dates to ensure players can attend.
For the 2026 State League Season there have been again some minor changes made to the season structure which will affect all divisions. The state league season will start on March 28th and run until the end of August (finals)
The 2026 VVL season structure for each division will look like the following for the club with the follow teams entered:
Men’s Program – Premier 1 & 2 and State League 1 & 2
Women’s Program: Premier 1 & 2 and State League 1
At this stage we don’t have confirmed dates for our rounds, but the information provided from VVI is that there will be 4 homes rounds for us during the season, with 3 rounds held in Bendigo and 1 in Ballarat.
This would mean beyond these games that all our teams would then expect to play at minimum 6-8 games in Melbourne in which a mix of double header rounds and single games would be played during the season.
Beyond the availability/travel commitment required to play state league there would also be a financial commitment in the way of a membership fees for playing for the club and also the VVI registration required to play state league. Please be aware that this will cost somewhere in the vicinity of $450-650 per player depending on their age and uniform requirements.
The club also has the expectation that you make yourself available for both the Warrnambool Seaside Tournament & the Ballarat Skins Tournament, for either your home association or a club team. In the 1st instance for all players is the expectation you make yourself available for your home association, if the numbers permit we will be entering teams into both tournaments for those who do not have a home association team to play for.
***Please be aware while the club will endeavor to enter teams into the pre-season tournaments we cannot guarantee club sides will be entered into each tournament and across multiple divisions, this will be determined by many factors but not limited to: player availability, costings, coaches/team managers availability.***
If you are unsure of commitment to play with the club due to the possibility of your home association entering a team, please feel free to contact the club to discuss, but also speak with your home association.
Following our 2nd trial on the 21st of February, our coaches and the club will be finalising the teams will be entered into the state league season, which at this stage will stand @ 7 (4 Men’s & 3 Women’s). While the club is hopeful to enter as many teams as possible, there are many factors that contribute to this decision. We do request all potential athletes for our 2026 season please ensure that you communicate your intentions for the year. If you believe you cannot commit for the season please make the club aware or contact us to discuss further.
Post our 2nd trial the club will be looking at starting the selection process for our initial 2026 VVL Squads which may include an initial squad selection. Beyond this there will be a further confirmation of squads made following the Seaside & Skins tournaments held in March.
The club also requires further information from yourself, firstly we would like to know your current intentions/availability to play for the Club in the 2026 State League Season.
For which we request all our potential and committed athletes to please complete a quick survey to provide the club with a little further information.
STATE LEAGUE INFO REQUESTCLICK HERE
We do know this is a lot of information to digest, but for us to be able to gauge the number of people interested in playing, which will help guide us to enter the appropriate number of teams, a response with your current thoughts would be much appreciated, if you unsure and have any questions please contact the club or coaches to discuss further.
If you are still unsure of your commitment please still respond to the info request and mark as such.
Secondly, we would your availability for the both the Warrnambool Seaside Tournament held on the 7/8/9th of March and also the Ballarat Skins Tournament held on the 21st/22nd of March.
For the Seaside Tournament the club once again, reiterates for all players, that you make yourself available for your local association team in the first instance. The club would then look at entering teams once we have an idea of the number of players who don’t have a local association team to play in, we will then arrange entering appropriate teams.
For the Skins Tournament, again we expect all players to make themselves available for your local association team. It would be an expectation that all Premier Level Squad players are available for this weekend, be either in association or club team, as this would be our final hit out prior to the season starting. All reserve level players would not have this same expectation to be available, but rather try and make yourself available for this weekend be that for your local association team or a club entered team.
For teams entered under the club name into either tournament there would be a required $50 entry bond from each player for the weekends.
Please RSVP availability for the tournaments which is included in the state league below info request.
We ask if everyone please respond to this ASAP
Download the 2026 Membership Form
Download the 2026 Phantoms Medical Form
Download the 2026 Phantoms Player Expectations summary
Download the 2026 Phantoms Player Expectations
Download the 2026 Phantoms Coach Guidelines
Download the 2026 Phantoms Scholarship Fund
Download the 2026 Club Person of the Year Nomination Form
Download the Phantoms standardised Warm Up
Download the Phantoms Setting Calls with signals
Download Why do athletes need to talk during sport