The 2015 VFL season kicked off last weekend - the first since 1997 not to feature Bendigo through the guises of the Diggers, Bombers and Gold.

Jones had coached the stand-alone Gold for the past two years before the club folded at the end of the 2014 season after making the decision not to renew its VFL licence following years of balancing on a financial tightrope taking its toll.

Jones says the arrival of the new VFL season without the Bendigo Gold as part of it has brought about mixed emotions.

There's the obvious disappointment that the club he had given so much to over the previous two years is no longer competing, but at the same time, there is excitement at watching many of his former players who are continuing their careers in the VFL.

From last year's Bendigo Gold squad, 14 have joined new VFL clubs this season - Jesse Wallin (Collingwood), Joe Redfern (Werribee), Daniel Toman (Port Melbourne), Jake Aarts (Richmond), Devin McFarlane (Richmond), Jesse Collins (North Ballarat), Matthew Farrelly (Geelong), Sam Heavyside (Essendon), Tom Pridgeon (Frankston), James Lukich (North Ballarat), Jarrod Bacon (North Ballarat), Brandon Hayes (Port Melbourne), Liam Byrne (Essendon) and Grant Valles (Frankston).

"The boys are spread out over eight different clubs, so most matches this year I'm going to have an interest in to see how they are going," Jones said on Thursday.

"The first game last weekend was Geelong playing Werribee and one of our ex-players Matt Farrelly, who is now playing for the Cats, won the Damian Drum Medal as best on ground... fair to say that put a smile on my face.

"There was some mixed emotions last week about it (the Gold not part of the new season), but overall, I'm really excited for those boys still in the VFL who are going to be playing at clubs with much better facilities and support behind them and no doubt, they will all prosper in those environments."

Jones remains confident that there are former Gold players who still have what it takes to follow in the path of Tyrone Downie, who was last year rookie-listed by the Gold Coast Suns from Bendigo.

"No doubt. Within our group it was hard to focus on culture, development and keeping things positive that you get at those big clubs when there were times when it was just me and Lenny (assistant coach Daniel Schmidt) at training," Jones said.

"I think what we did is give a few guys a taste of the VFL who didn't want to move to Melbourne and they've had the chance to prove that they can compete and want to keep following it.

"The fact that Faz (Farrelly) was BOG in a Geelong side that included 14 or 15 AFL-listed players shows that he has followed the right path and there's a few others still with enormous upside."

While Jones took to Twitter several times in the wake of the Gold's demise to vent his frustration that the club is no longer, he says he has now moved on and is enjoying the next phase of his life, which has included a return to the playing field.

"I'm alright with it because - while I was as passionate about the concept as anyone has been - it's nine months on from when the decision was made and I now live around my family and friends and still have my finger in the pie in footy," Jones said.

"The players I coached will always be important to me, but you've got to move on."

Jones has gone back to grassroots footy this year as the director of coaching with Ellinbank District Football League club Cora Lynn.

The 38-year-old, who played 226 games for St Kilda between 1995 and 2005, has also pulled the boots on for Cora Lynn, but has suffered an injury setback.

"I've dropped 10 kgs and played round one, but did my hamstring in the second quarter, so I'll be out for a few weeks," Jones said.

"I'm loving getting back out and having a kick again."