The Essendon District Football League senior season will kick off on April 5.
The league released its fixtures for the three senior men’s divisions and the women’s premier division, which will all start on April 5.
In the men’s premier division competition, reigning premiers Keilor will unfurl its flag against Deer Park.
Greenvale hosts Strathmore and East Keilor will take on Airport West, while Maribyrnong Park and Aberfeldie, and Pascoe Vale and Essendon Doutta Stars, will play under lights.
In other matches, round three will be split across three days with the Good Friday clash between Strathmore and Keilor kicking things off.
NAIDOC Week will be celebrated across the round 13 split round, with Keilor and Aberfeldie continuing their celebratory matchup.
It will be a top five, with the grand final is set to be played on the weekend of September 20.
Division 1 will return to being a 10 team competition.
In round one, Avondale Heights will play West Coburg, while Taylors Lakes will unfurl its division 2 flag against Roxburgh Park.
Hillside and Oak Park will meet, with Craigieburn hosting St Albans, while there will be a twilight clash between Tullamarine and Moonee Valley.
Hillside hosts St Albans on Good Friday, with the rest of round three to be played on April 26.
It will be top-five finals series with the grand final set for the weekend of September 13.
Division 2 will be a 10 team competition for the first time.
Keilor Park and Rupertswood, which were both relegated, face each other in round one.
Elsewhere, Hadfield and Northern Saints will meet, while Coburg Districts will host Westmeadows, and Burnside Heights will play Glenroy.
East Sunbury and Sunbury Kangaroos will play a twilight match.
Keilor Park and Coburg Districts while play on Good Friday, while there will be three Anzac Day match ups.
The grand final is set to be played on the weekend of September 6.
The women’s premier competition will again be an eight-team competition with Greenvale replacing Westmeadows, and will extend to 16 rounds.
In round one, Hillside faces Oak Park, while Greenvale will unfurl the division 1 flag it finally captured in 2024 against Keilor.
Maribyrnong Park will host Aberfeldie, while Essendon Doutta Stars play Moonee Valley.
There will be three bye weeks with breaks over Easter weekend, King’s Birthday weekend, and during the July school holidays on July 12.
A three-week finals series between the top four sides is set to commence on the weekend of August 16 and 17, with the grand final currently slated for the weekend of August 30.
Tara Murray
