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Sport

30 November, 2023

2024 MCDFNL fixture comes out with key changes, including Maryborough Giants’ first game

The dawn of the Maryborough Giants will see a historic standalone game for the club to open the 2024 Maryborough Castlemaine District Football Netball League season. The Giants will debut on Saturday, April 6 at Hedges Oval against the B.A Road...

By Michael Thompson

2024 MCDFNL fixture comes out with key changes, including Maryborough Giants’ first game - feature photo

The dawn of the Maryborough Giants will see a historic standalone game for the club to open the 2024 Maryborough Castlemaine District Football Netball League season.

The Giants will debut on Saturday, April 6 at Hedges Oval against the B.A Road Services Talbot Hawks, to kickstart what is a revamped fixture.

With the amalgamation of Royal Park and Maryborough Rovers, the competition is now an 18-round, 13-team fixture, and teams will now have to navigate two byes during the season.

As a result, there will be no school holiday bye, which had been a staple in previous years. Instead, there will be a four-week block where three teams will each have a bye from rounds 12 through to 15.

There will be just one general bye during the season, with the Kings Birthday weekend giving teams a chance to rest and recuperate.

Another change in the fixture at this stage sees no Good Friday game, which had been a staple at Maldon’s Bill Woodfull Reserve in recent years.

Ten of the remaining 11 teams will open up their season on Saturday, April 13, while Trentham will bide their time with the opening round bye.

The highlight of round one sees a rematch of the senior football grand finalists, with premiers Harcourt, under new coach Carl Thiesz, looking to continue their remarkable unbeaten run when they host Carisbrook at Harcourt Recreation Reserve.

After a spicy A grade finals matchup in 2023, expect fireworks at Avoca Public Park when the Bulldogs unfurl their flag as they host local rivals Natte Bealiba, who’ll be desperate to get back on top of the A grade ladder.

Another match-up stemming from an exciting final sees Lexton hosting Maldon, with their football elimination final clash in 2023 going right down to the wire.

Newstead and Dunolly will face off, with the ambitious Kangaroos looking to move up the ladder, while Dunolly will be hoping both their A grade and senior football teams both make finals after experiencing a taste over the last two years.

Navarre will host Campbells Creek, with the Hoppers looking to make their move into the top four after making finals in both football and netball, while Creek will be looking to rebound from finishing bottom in both senior grades.

Trentham’s first game will be the following week on Saturday, April 20, when they host the Giants in their first away trip.

Carisbrook’s expected first game on their new netball court will see them host Campbells Creek on April 27, while their A grade grand final rematch against Avoca is slated for round six.

The battle for the Cole Memorial Cup between Maldon and Campbells Creek will be held in round four, and on the same weekend, the always feisty rivalry between Natte Bealiba and Navarre sees the two teams meet on the first of two occasions.

The Castlemaine derby will be held in round 10, when Harcourt hosts Campbells Creek.

Night games could yet be on the agenda again, with Newstead again looking to push for games under lights after their successful game against Maldon in 2023.

Finals will begin from the weekend of August 24 and 25, with finals locations yet to be determined. In 2023, the first week of the finals saw games hosted at Newstead Recreation Reserve and Castlemaine’s Camp Reserve.

The grand final will be held on September 14, and will once again be played at Princes Park.

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