Question 1

Location, Dates and Round Information

Accepted Answer

VDL this season is being held at Bundha Multi-Level Sports Complex.

Address: 111 Queens Parade, Fitzroy North VIC 3068.

Please note that parking at the venue is limited. Players are encouraged to arrive early to allow sufficient time to park and be ready for their scheduled games.

Season Dates (Updated 15.04.26)

March
Mar 14 — VDL2
Mar 21 — VDL2
Mar 28 — W1 / M1 / CW
April
Apr 11 — M2
Apr 18 — W1 / M1
May
May 2 — VDL1 / VDL2
May 9 — M1 / W1 / M2 / CW
May 16 — VDL2
May 23 — M1 / W1
May 30 — VDL2
June
Jun 13 — M2 / W1 / M1
Jun 20 — VDL2 / W1 / CW
Jun 27 — M2
July
Jul 11 — VDL Cloth Qualifying Championship
Jul 18 — VDL1 / VDL2
Jul 25 — M2 / W1 / M1 / CW
August
Aug 1 — VDL2
Aug 8 — NO GAMES
Aug 15 — VDL1 / VDL2
Aug 22 — W1 / M1 / M2 / CW
Aug 29 — W1 / M1 / M2
September
Sep 5 — VDL1 / CW
Sep 12 — VDL1 / VDL2
Sep 19 — CATCH UP GAMES
October
Oct 3 — FINALS WEEK 2
Oct 10 — FINALS WEEK 3
Oct 17 — FINALS WEEK 4
Oct 24 — GRAND FINALS

Note: Due to circumstances outside of our control, some weeks may need to be adjusted or switched around. We will endeavour to provide as much advance notice as possible should any changes occur. Please always refer to the live schedule on the  player portal.

Question 2

Divisions Information

Accepted Answer

Cloth Divisions

VDL Cloth (Mixed)
 The highest state-level mixed cloth dodgeball competition.
VDL Cloth (Women’s)
 The highest state-level women’s cloth dodgeball competition. 
VDL Cloth (Men’s)
 The highest state-level men’s cloth dodgeball competition.

Foam Divisions
VDL 1 (Mixed)
 The highest state-level mixed foam dodgeball competition.
VDL 2 (Mixed)
 The intermediate mixed foam dodgeball competition.
VDL Men’s 1
 The highest state-level men’s foam dodgeball competition.
VDL Men’s 2
 The intermediate to novice men’s foam dodgeball competition.
VDL Women’s 1
 The highest state-level women’s foam dodgeball competition.
VDL Women’s 2
 The intermediate to novice women’s foam dodgeball competition.

The divisions run each season are subject to registration numbers.

To maximise participation and competitive balance, some divisions may be split for finals.

For example, VDL 2 may be divided into VDL 2 and VDL 3 finals following the round-robin stage, allowing more teams the opportunity to compete in finals.

Question 3

Mixed Divisions - Player Ratios

Accepted Answer

The following player ratios apply to the mixed divisions:

VDL 1 and VDL Cloth (Mixed) - no more than three (3) players of a single gender on court at any one time
VDL 2 and VDL 3 - no more than four (4) players of a single gender on court at any one time

Question 4

Australian Player Caps and Division Team Caps

Accepted Answer

Australian Representative (AR): This term refers to a player who has been officially selected for the Australian National Dodgeball squad or has represented Australia at the World Dodgeball Federation Championships (WDBF) at the past two World Championships. It does not include regional competitions. Furthermore, "No AR" specifies that no Australian Representatives of the respective ball format are permitted to participate in a particular division.

Australian Representative Cap (ARC): To promote the sport's growth and maintain competitive balance, VDL has imposed an Australian Representative Cap. This cap limits the number of Australian Representatives who can participate in specific divisions. For instance, "ARC1" signifies a limit of one Australian Representative on court at any given time. The ARC applies to the representatives for the respective ball formats and applies across both mixed and gendered divisions of that ball type.

International National Representatives: VDL will assess the eligibility of national representatives from other countries on a case-by-case basis. Teams intending to field players or substitutes who have represented another country at a national level must contact VDL as soon as practicable to seek approval prior to participation. VDL reserves the right to not allow international national representatives to play on the day if prior approval is not sought and obtained.

Australian Dodgeball Championships Clubs (ADCC): The Australian Dodgeball Federation may apply different ARC requirements for the Australian Dodgeball Championships Clubs (ADCC). These requirements are separate from VDL ARC rules.

Division Team Caps: To continue to support the growth of, and build competitive depth in, our most competitive foam dodgeball divisions, VDL is retaining division team caps for VDL 1 and VDL 2, VDL Women’s 1 and VDL Men’s 1 this season.

Club managers and team captains will have the opportunity to register their interest in divisions that have division team caps.  However, VDL will retain full discretion in the allocation and assignment of teams in divisions to ensure that each division maintains a balanced level of fairness and competitiveness. For the avoidance of doubt, VDL retains the right to promote and relegate teams as it sees fit (including by considering a team’s performance and results in previous seasons, and the skill, experience and achievement of its players) and may require teams to play grading matches prior to the commencement of the season.

The following ARCs and division team caps apply:

Teams in all divisions have a registered player cap of 12 players per team.

Question 5

Player Registration Fee, Game Fees, Bond and Payments

Accepted Answer

The 2026 Player Registration fee is $80 per player. This is a once-off payment for the 2026 season and will cover all divisions that the player plays in. Player registration closes on 2 March 2026. All players registering after this date will be required to pay a late player registration fee of $100 per player.

Team season bond

Each team will also be required to pay a $220 season bond prior to the commencement of the season.  The season bond will be used to cover any forfeit match fees, unpaid match fees, set-up/pack-down penalties in the first instance.  Teams who have their season bond applied to such payments during the season will be required to top up their season bond to $220 again before they may participate in any further rounds. Unused season bonds will be automatically applied to pay the match fees for the team’s last games in the season and any leftover amounts will be refunded to the team after the season has ended.

The match fee is $110 per team, per game.

Payments must be made within one (1) week of each round. The match fee covers court hire, equipment, paid referees, recorded matches, statistics and other administrative costs.

For clubs with multiple teams, please organise one lump sum payment per division ($110 x Number of games played by teams in your club in the division) for each round.

VDL bank account details

BSB: 083054
ACC: 242946587

Please use the following description format for your payment “Team name, Division, Round #”  Example: BearsVDL1Round1

Question 6

Team Name & Uniform Guidelines

Accepted Answer

Team Names:

To maintain a professional and inclusive standard across the Victorian Dodgeball League (VDL), all team names must align with the values and presentation of a state-level competition. When selecting a team name, please ensure it meets the following criteria:
Team names must be respectful and inclusive. Names should not contain or imply profanity, innuendo, discriminatory, or suggestive language.
The format "Location + Mascot/Descriptor" is encouraged for consistency across the league (e.g. Traralgon Trailblazers, Doncaster Demons).
Names must be family-friendly and suitable for players and spectators of all ages.
Avoid slang, puns, or phonetic spellings that may be interpreted as inappropriate or unprofessional (e.g., Fat Dogs, Phat Dogs, Frat Dogs).
Names should be unique, not parody existing teams in a derogatory way, and avoid references that could be considered offensive or inappropriate in a competitive sporting context.

VDL reserves the right to reject or request changes to any team name that does not align with these standards.

Uniforms:

We have extended uniform penalties to rounds held after 25th April 2026, due to supply chain delays.

Uniforms are mandatory for each team. Below are the uniform requirements for this season:

Surname Visibility: Each player's surname must be prominently displayed on the back of the jersey. Please avoid the use of first names or nicknames to maintain a formal and uniform appearance. Players/teams are responsible for ensuring that their surname on their jersey is generally visible in the match recording and matches their registered surname for statistics recording purposes.
Player Numbers: The player's number on the back should be large, legible, and in a contrasting colour and font to ensure they are easily distinguishable from a distance. Symbols are not permitted. Players/teams are responsible for ensuring that their player number on their jersey is generally visible in the match recording and matches their registered player number for statistics recording purposes.
VDL Logo Placement: The official VDL logo is to be affixed to one of the jersey sleeves, ensuring league representation is visible.
Appropriate Design: Team jerseys should not include any potentially offensive or inappropriate content, such as swear words or crude imagery. 
Unique Numbers: Within each team, player numbers must be unique to prevent any confusion. For instance, having players numbered 7 and 07 on the same team is not permitted.
Team Shorts: While team shorts are encouraged for a cohesive look, they are not mandatory. 
Affiliate Logos: Player Jerseys may only display logos from ADF and WDBF affiliated leagues. This ensures all sponsorships are in alignment with the VDL’s sponsors and governing bodies.

Different colourways of the same jersey will not be considered as matching for uniform purposes.

Teams will be penalised one (1) point (by having this point awarded to their opponents) for each player who does not wear a matching jersey in each game. This penalty is applied at the commencement of the match and is not rescinded in the event that any uniforms are delivered after the start of play. The penalty for uniform infringements is capped at 4 points per team per match.

No uniform penalty will be applied if a player is wearing a matching jersey but the jersey does not have the correct surname and/or player number, or if the only difference between the jerseys are sponsorship/affiliate logos (as long as the jerseys otherwise appear matching/uniform).

Question 7

Recorded matches

Accepted Answer

VDL endeavours to record and upload all games within a reasonable amount of time where possible. All recorded games will be uploaded to our Youtube channel.

Due to situations out of our control, some games might not be recorded and there may be delays in uploading recorded games. In these situations, please contact us and we can organise a discount for that round.

Question 8

Player statistics

Accepted Answer

We intend to move to a new statistics platform this year - stay tuned for more details.

It is the responsibility of players and teams to ensure that their player details on their jerseys are generally visible in the match recordings to enable their statistics to be recorded. No discounts or refunds will be provided where statistics are not recorded due to players not being identifiable on the match recording due to wearing an incorrect jersey, having an incorrect player name and/or player number on their jersey, or because those details are not visible in match recording. Statistics will also not be retrospectively manually entered or updated in these circumstances.

Question 9

Rules and Referees

Accepted Answer

Rules

We have aligned our rules to comply, as far as practicable, with the current WDBF rules.  The rules for VDL are available here: https://www.dodgeballaustralia.org.au/vic

Referees
Referees are encouraged to complete training modules offered by the Australian Dodgeball Federation.

In 2025, VDL will introduce a new referee grading system to support development and enhance our officiating standards. Referees will be classified into three levels, with corresponding match payments:

Not Trained: $20 per game
Level 1: $25 per game
Level 2: $27.50 per game

Referee training dates will be announced soon. Please note that this training is separate from the modules provided by the Australian Dodgeball Federation (ADF).

If you would like to express your interest in becoming a paid referee for VDL this year, please click here to join the VDL Referees Facebook Group.

Each round referees will have the ability to advise of their availability. VDL will also be looking to run training sessions for referees to ensure we maintain the highest standard of refereeing throughout the season, leading into finals.

Question 10

Blue cards (Misconduct)

Accepted Answer

The VDL upholds the principles of honesty and integrity in the sport and has introduced a system called the "Blue card". This system aims to safeguard the reputation of the sport and protect the referees and players.

To learn more about our misconduct policy or to report any potential misconduct go to our 2026 Player Misconduct and Disciplinary Policy.

Question 11

Set-up and pack-down

Accepted Answer

All teams are expected to assist with set-up and pack-down as rostered on the fixtures from time-to-time during the season.

Some divisions may be on set-up or pack-down more often than others. For example, the cloth divisions may have more allocated set-up rounds due to cloth being scheduled for the start of each VDL day (to minimise disruption and delays from adjusting the taping of the courts) and less teams being registered in the cloth divisions (such that less rotation of set-up duties can occur). However, we will endeavour to ensure that all teams within the same division are rostered for set-up or pack-down on a similar number of occasions.

Please note that set-up and pack-down duties have not been evenly distributed across the season, so your team may have been rostered for set-up or pack-down duties for rounds that are in close proximity to each other.

Teams must field at least four people to assist with set-up and pack-down when rostered for the duration of:

the time listed in the fixtures to the commencement of the first game of the day for set-up; and
from the time of the last scheduled game of the day until pack-down is complete to the satisfaction of the VDL Team.

Teams that do not assist with set-up or pack-down when rostered to do so, or do not provide enough people to assist with set-up or pack-down, will incur a penalty of $110 per instance, to be applied at VDL’s discretion. The relevant team will not be permitted to participate in VDL until the penalty has been paid to VDL.

If there are any difficulties with assisting with set-up or pack-down, teams are encouraged to contact the VDL Team as soon as possible in advance of their rostered set-up or pack-down round.

Question 12

Incident reporting

Accepted Answer

To ensure the safety and well-being of all players, VDL encourages players to report any incidents that occur during VDL games, including instances of physical, verbal, or sexual assault. If you witness or experience any incidents during gameplay, please email us at info@dodgeballvictoria.com with the details.

By reporting incidents, you can help ensure that the situation is documented and can be used to assist in any investigations. VDL will thoroughly investigate all significant incidents reported to us prior to confirming any final outcomes.

Our goal is to provide a safe and inclusive environment for all players, and we take all reports seriously. We handle all reports with the utmost confidentiality and sensitivity. Additionally, please note that VDL has a zero-tolerance policy for any form of harassment or violence, and any reported incidents will be thoroughly investigated and dealt with accordingly.

Please be reminded that any serious incidents should also be reported to the police and/or the relevant authorities. If you have any questions or concerns regarding our policies or the incident reporting process, please don't hesitate to contact VDL.

Question 13

Unregistered Players & Subbing

Accepted Answer

Unregistered players

An unregistered player (i.e. a player who is not registered to the team they are seeking to play for) can play a maximum of THREE games before having to register. If a player continues to play beyond three games while being unregistered, VDL reserves the right to include the player’s registration fee in the respective team’s match fees for that round (or a subsequent round).

No statistics will be allocated to a player for the period they are unregistered and will not be retrospectively allocated if the player later registers.

Unregistered players do not count towards a team’s “minimum number of registered players” required to not incur a forfeit.

Unregistered players cannot participate in any finals games.

Subbing (Applies to registered and unregistered players)

A player may substitute for a team that is unable to field a full team of six (6) registered players for gendered divisions or the minimum number of players of each gender to meet the applicable gender ratio for mixed divisions for a round-robin game provided they meet all of the following conditions:

They are not playing for more than one team in each category (mixed foam, gendered foam, gendered cloth or mixed cloth) in a single round.
They are not a registered player of another team within the same division.
They are not filling in for a team below their registered team's division.

Breaching the substitute rules may result in a forfeit.

VDL reserves the right to review player substitutions and decline substitutes on the basis that it would unfairly disrupt the competitive balance of the VDL competition.

Any teams intending on having national representatives from other countries or players from other State leagues as substitutes must contact VDL as soon as practicable to obtain approval for that player to play at VDL. As a courtesy, teams should also contact the opposing team captain to obtain their consent to the substitution.

Example 1, a player registered on a VDL2 team may substitute for a VDL1 team or higher, but they may not substitute for another VDL2 or VDL3 team. This is to prevent any players from substituting for multiple teams within the same division and potentially causing imbalances in the competition. For clarity, the player will not be able to play on their VDL2 team in the round that they are a substitute player for a VDL1 team.

Example 2, a player registered on a VDL M2 team may substitute for a VDL M1 team, but they may not substitute for another M2 team. For clarity, the player will not be able to play on their VDLM2 team in the round that they are a substitute player for a VDLM1 team.

To declare a substitute use the the 2026 Player Portal

Question 14

Substitute Registry

Accepted Answer

All Teams that require a substitute for an upcoming match or round must register the substitute player. Failing to register substitutes before your matches may result in a forfeit. Substitutions must be submitted at least 2 days before the match to ensure timely processing

All players will have access to the substitute registry for transparency.

To declare a substitute use this form

Question 15

Forfeit matches

Accepted Answer

In the event that a team is unable to field a team for a scheduled match, the team will be considered to have forfeited the match and will be charged the full match fee for both teams.

The season bond will be used to cover any forfeited matches. Teams who have their season bond applied to a forfeit during the season will be required to top up their season bond to $220 again before they may participate in any further rounds.

Multiple forfeited matches, or unpaid forfeit match fees, may result in penalties for the team or its players, including the loss of eligibility to participate in future rounds/seasons (including in other divisions).

This policy is in place to ensure that all teams are held accountable for their commitment to the season, and to prevent disruption to the schedule and other participating teams.

Please note that forfeit matches will not be rescheduled, and the opposing team will receive an automatic 10- 0 win. We highly encourage all teams to show up and compete to the best of their abilities, as that is what makes VDL enjoyable for all participants.

Question 16

Finals

Accepted Answer

Players must have played in at least 50% of round robin games for their team during the season in order to qualify to play in any finals games for their team.

Question 17

Club Championship Points

Accepted Answer

Clubs across multiple divisions will earn points for their final standings (determined in finals). The club with the overall highest points tally will be crowned the VDL Club Champions. In cases where a club has multiple teams in the same division, points will only be allocated for the highest standing team.

Question 18

VDL Tipping

Accepted Answer

What is Tipping?

The VDL Tipping Competition is an optional, complementary feature available to the VDL community. The competition allows participants to predict match winners and accumulate points across the season. Participation in the tipping competition is free and does not affect match results, standings, or competition outcomes.

Eligibility

The VDL Tipping Competition is open to members of the VDL community with an active VDL account for the current season. This includes registered players, substitutes, and other approved participants. VDL reserves the right to restrict participant eligibility where required.

How Tipping Works

Participants may submit a tip for each scheduled match
Tips must be submitted before the scheduled match start time
Tips are locked once a match begins
Tips cannot be edited after the match start time
Correct tips are awarded points
Points accumulate across the season
Participants are ranked on the VDL Tipping Leaderboard

Weighted Points

Points may be weighted based on the distribution of tips for each match.

Where one team receives significantly fewer tips, additional points may be awarded for correctly tipping that team. This is intended to maintain competitive balance within the tipping leaderboard.

VDL reserves the right to adjust or modify the weighting system during the season if required.

Leaderboard

Participants are ranked based on total points earned across the season.

Prizes

VDL may award end of season prizes to top performers on the tipping leaderboard.
Prizes may include VDL merchandise or other promotional items.

Tie Breakers

Players on the VDL Tipping Leaderboard are ranked primarily by total points earned. Where two or more participants are tied on points, the following tie breakers will be applied in order, where necessary:
Most total points
Most correct tips (wins)
Most matches tipped (games with predictions)
Fewest incorrect tips (losses)

If participants remain tied after applying the above criteria, VDL may apply additional methods at its discretion to determine final rankings.

General Conditions

The VDL Tipping Competition is provided as a complimentary feature. Participation is voluntary.

VDL reserves the right to:

modify tipping rules
adjust scoring
correct errors
invalidate tips where required
determine final leaderboard standings

All VDL decisions relating to the tipping competition are final.

Suspension or Removal

VDL reserves the right to suspend, modify, or discontinue the tipping competition at any time, including during an active season, at its sole discretion.

Tipping may not be available for all matches or rounds. This may occur due to technical limitations, scheduling changes, or other circumstances outside of VDL’s control.

VDL will not be liable for any loss of points, rankings, or standings resulting from modification or discontinuation of the tipping competition.

Question 19

Contact us

Accepted Answer

Should you have any feedback, suggestions or grievances, please do not hesitate to contact us at info@dodgeballvictoria.com

We will be updating our website regularly with fixtures, current rankings and player statistics during the season.

Keep up to date on everything VDL by following us on Facebook and Instagram!

2026 VDL Team (Cherie Fung, Niko Seneviratne, Tyler Bowman)

PLAYER

Player Handbook