The Murray Football Netball League has released its complete season fixture, becoming the third of the AFL Goulburn Murray competitions to do so.
After the Kyabram District League took the first step on the week heading into the Christmas period, the Goulburn Valley League followed shortly afterwards.
Neither of those leagues opted to kick off across Easter weekend, and Murray organisers seized the opportunity to schedule five matches on Good Friday, March 29.
The early headline act is the 2023 football grand final rematch, where defending champions Mulwala will unfurl the premiership flag before renewing hostilities with runner-up Congupna, featuring new star recruit Kyle Mueller.
Cross-border rivals Moama and Echuca United will meet in another opening-round blockbuster at Moama Recreation Reserve.
A twilight fixture comes to Deniliquin as the Rams present recently upgraded light fixturing against Finley.
Cobram, where GVL leading goalkicker Jackson Trengove will suit up, hosts Barooga at Scott Oval in a standalone Easter Saturday fixture as the Murray league seeks to take advantage of Easter tourism in the region.
In a similar bid, the league has opted to play the reverse of each opening round game across the King’s Birthday weekend in round nine.
“The focus of the fixture is to maximise revenue for the clubs, especially early in the season,” the league said in a statement.
“The clubs take advantage of the region’s population boom with an influx of tourists along the river.”
Over on the netball courts, Mulwala’s netballers remain the hunters rather than the hunted but will have to wait until round 16 (August 3) for another crack at premier Tongala, which prevailed in an epic 2023 decider.
A long season awaits for the 12 clubs, with home-and-away fixtures lasting 22 weeks, wrapping up on Saturday, August 24.
Rounds four, eight and 16 will be split rounds, with a general bye set for the weekend of July 6.
After all the toil, grand final day will take place on Saturday, September 21, at Moama Recreation Reserve.
The league said the decision comes on the back of consecutive record attendances in 2023 and 2022.
MFNL organisers booked the league showpiece for the day before the GVL finale and a week before the AFL crowns its 2024 premier.
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