St Joseph’s and Leopold will open the GFNL season with an Easter Saturday blockbuster at Lorne, Saturday, April 4.
It will be the second year that Joeys and the Poldas have headed down the Great Ocean Road to do battle at Stribling Reserve.
Both teams will have a different look about them, with this year’s grand finalists losing several key players, including reigning best-and-fairest Luke Webb (Bungaree), big man Joey Chaplin (Western Australia), key forward Oscar Morrison (Bairnsdale), and hard-nosed midfielder James Hickey (Geelong Amateur).
The clash will be former Leopold star Sam Hughes’ first game as coach.
However, the Lions have farewelled multiple premiership players in recent months, including league-leading goalkicker Connor Giddings, who has returned to Hampden league club Portland along with high-flying defender Harris Jennings.
Round 1 will commence on Saturday, April 11, with South Barwon hosting Grovedale at McDonald Reserve for the John Nankervis Shield.
The remainder of the round will follow on April 18, including mouthwatering match-ups between 2025 finalists Colac and Bell Park, and Newtown & Chilwell and St Joseph’s.
In other games, new coach Chris Browne will guide Geelong West for the first time, against Leopold, where he served as an assistant coach in their 2023 premiership year; Lara has a tough ask against reigning premier St Mary’s, and St Albans hosts North Shore.
Newtown & Chilwell and South Barwon will be the new combatants in the annual Big Freeze Match, where local identities take the plunge into icy cold water to raise money for Fight MND.
The Towners will host next year’s edition at Elderslie Reserve on Sunday, May 31.
In other fixture highlights;
- The tradition of South Barwon playing St Joseph’s on Anzac Day will continue. Grovedale and Lara will also do battle on April 25.
- The remainder of the round is scheduled for the following day, including St Mary’s unfurling its 2025 premiership flag ahead of a clash with Bell Park.
- League-wide byes have been scheduled for May 23 and July 4, the latter the middle weekend of the Victorian school holidays.
- Grand final day is confirmed for the AFL Grand Final Public Holiday for a third consecutive year.
X: @krockfootball
WHO DOES YOUR TEAM PLAYS ONCE?
BELL PARK
- South Barwon (h)
- Lara (a)
- Geelong West (h)
- North Shore (a)
COLAC
- St Albans (h)
- North Shore (a)
- Grovedale (h)
- Geelong West (h)
GEELONG WEST
- Bell Park (a)
- Colac (a)
- South Barwon (h)
- Newtown & Chilwell (h)
GROVEDALE
- Colac (a)
- St Mary’s (a)
- St Albans (h)
- St Joseph’s (h)
LARA
- Bell Park (h)
- Newtown & Chilwell (a)
- St Albans (a)
- St Joseph’s (h)
LEOPOLD
- St Joseph’s (Lorne)
- Newtown & Chilwell (h)
- North Shore (h)
- St Mary’s (h)
NEWTOWN & CHILWELL
- Leopold (a)
- Geelong West (a)
- Lara (h)
- St Mary’s (a)
NORTH SHORE
- Bell Park (h)
- Colac (h)
- Leopold (a)
- South Barwon (a)
SOUTH BARWON
- Bell Park (a)
- Geelong West (a)
- North Shore (h)
- St Mary’s (h)
ST ALBANS
- Colac (a)
- Grovedale (a)
- Lara (h)
- St Joseph’s (a)
ST JOSEPH’S
- Leopold (Lorne)
- Grovedale (a)
- Lara (a)
- St Albans (h)
ST MARY’S
- Grovedale (h)
- Leopold (a)
- Newtown & Chilwell (h)
- South Barwon (a)
