THE GAMES
- Portarlington vs. Newcomb @ Ron Evans Oval – Friday, 2:10pm
- Torquay vs. Ocean Grove @ McCartney Oval – Friday, 4:00pm
- Queenscliff vs. Geelong Amateur @ Queenscliff Recreation Reserve – Saturday, 2:10pm
- Barwon Heads vs. Drysdale @ Howard Harmer Oval – Saturday, 2:10pm
- Modewarre vs. Anglesea @ Community Bank Oval – Saturday, 6:00pm
MATCH OF THE ROUND
Toss up between Barwon Heads-Drysdale and Modewarre-Anglesea. After the Seagulls unfurl their premiership flag, all eyes will be on which end of the ground former Collingwood and St Kilda star Nathan Brown goes to on debut. The Hawks will also have some handy additions of their own, with James Breust and Flinn Chisholm to add some starch to Luke Matthews’ line-up. On Saturday night, as Modewarre turns on the lights at Community Bank Oval for the first time, several former GFL stars will make their first BFL appearance. At the Warriors, Tom Hornsey (St Joseph’s/Grovedale), Darby Schilder (Bell Park/St Mary’s) and Brett Blair (South Barwon) will wear the maroon and blue for the first time. For Roos fans, they’ll see Luke Rounds (Bell Park) debut in the vertical stripes. The best part of the weekend is you can watch both of these games if you’re willing to make the trek from Howard Harmer Oval.
WAGENER WILL HAVE TO WAIT
Logan Wagener’s listing by Werribee has one slight downside – he won’t be available for Newcomb’s Good Friday clash with Portarlington. The VFL club has told the newly-appointed Power skipper to sit out the match ahead of next week’s practice match against Richmond, where he will push his case for a Round 1 berth.
EX-JOEYS TO HAVE AN IMPACT
Three members of St Joseph’s 2018 GFL premiership team will line-up in the BFL this year. Newcomb secured the services of former Werribee and Geelong VFL midfielder Brenton Rees heading into the 2020 season. Star forward Lucas Anderson, who kicked 87 goals in 41 games in red, gold and black, will finally get to debut for Torquay. Also lining up in yellow and black is former Tiger junior Ben McNamara, who was a pillar in the Joeys’ defence in their success across 2017-18. He will add to the four senior games he played as a teenager in 2015.
WELCOME BACK (1)
Josh Finch. Paul Hudson. James Darke? Can the star midfielder make a triumphant return to Torquay and join ‘Finchy’ and ‘Homer’ as the only three-time winners of the Les Ash Medal. The youngest-ever winner of the medal in 2014, he returned from a stint with GFL club St Albans to do the Ash-premiership double in 2017. At age 26, he’s in the prime of his career.
WELCOME BACK (2)
Pete O’Connor was stiff to be shown the door by Barwon Heads after leading the Seagulls to their first finals appearance in 2014, so it’s great to see him back coaching in the competition with Portarlington. O’Connor and Seagulls legend Geoff Miles have joined forces as a coach and football manager with the aim of stabilising the situation at Demonland.
DELEDIO DEPARTS DEN
Matt Deledio has made the late call to play elsewhere in 2021. A clearance has been lodged by Deledio, who has played 75 games for Torquay, to join Girgarre in the Kyabram and District League. Former Tigers star Billy Barnes coaches Girgarre.
THE NUMBER
50. This year marks half-a-century of BFL action. It all started in April 1971 with eight teams embarking on a 17-round season. The winners in Round 1 that year – Barwon Heads, Queenscliff and Drysdale and Winchelsea. We spoke with inaugural league president Les Ash about the BFL’s formation.
THE TEAMS
