Newcomers Kyneton will kick off the Riddell District Football Netball League season on Good Friday against Woodend-Hesket.
The Tigers, who joined the competition in the off season from the Bendigo Football Netball League, will host the Hawks on the first day of the season on March 29.
The Hawks had played Riddell on Good Friday the past two years, including winning this year’s football clash.
The rest of round one will be hosted the following week with Lancefield playing Diggers Rest, Macedon taking on Riddell in the annual PUKA Up Cup and Wallan at home to Romsey in the CFA Cup.
The Melton Centrals will have the bye in the opening round, with the competition remaining at nine teams with the Western Rams heading to the Western Region Football League from next season.
Good Friday is one of two big marquee games for Kyneton, which will face Lancefield on Anzac Day in the battle of the Tigers.
Macedon will host Diggers Rest on Anzac Day as well, continuing their annual tradition of playing on Anzac Day.
The first of the senior football grand final rematches will occur in round five with Diggers Rest hosting Woodend-Hesket. The Burras were the only team that Woodend-Hesket didn’t beat last year.
The A-grade netball grand final match up will occur the round before with Riddell hoping to get some revenge against Woodend-Hesket. The Hawks won the decider this year in extra time.
The season will again be 18 rounds with every team playing each other twice and having two byes each.
The final round of the season is August 17. The usual four week finals series would result in the grand final being played on the weekend of September 14.
The senior women’s football, D-grade netball and under-19.5 football fixtures will be released next year once teams are finalised. The D-grade netball is a new competition next season, with the netball competition now having five grades next year.
