A top five finals series and two years of two teams relegated from division 1 are among the details revealed by the Essendon District Football League as part of it’s fixture for next year.
The league revealed the fixtures for the three men’s divisions on Tuesday, with two new clubs, Deer Park and St Albans in the mix for the first time.
As previously reported by Star Weekly, both clubs who are crossing from the Western Region Football League, will be in division 1.
With a 12 team division 1 competition next year, the division 1 competition will have a top five final series which will be played across four weeks.
Premier division and division 2 will have the normal top four final series played across three weeks.
There will be a bye in the premier division between round 18 and the semi final weekend to ensure the grand finals are held on three consecutive Saturdays, September 9, 16 and 23.
In a league statement it revealed that at the end of the division 1 season, the bottom two teams on the ladder will be relegated to division 2.
This will occur in both 2023 and 2024, eventually resulting in a 10-team competition for both premier division and division one by 2025.
The premier division season will kick off with the traditional Good Friday clash between Keilor and Strathmore.
In division 1, Hillside and the newly promoted Keilor Park, which have played on Good Friday in recent years against different opponents, will face each other.
Craigieburn and Roxburgh Park will play each other on Good Friday for the first time.
The three Good Friday matches are classified as round three matches, with round one to kick off the following week.
New clubs Deer Park and St Albans start their EDFL lives with matches against Westmeadows and Glenroy respectively in division 1.
The two new clubs will face each other in round two.
Rupertswood faces Moonee Valley in round one.
East Sunbury, which didn’t field teams this year, returns to action against Taylors Lakes on April 15 in division 2.
Also in division 2, Burnside Heights and Coburg Districts will face each other in an Anzac Day eve clash.
The following day Glenroy will host West Coburg and Westmeadows plays Tullamarine in division 1 and Aberfeldie plays Avondale Heights in premier division.
The Sunbury derby between the Sunbury Kangaroos and the Thunder is on April 29.
The first premier division grand final rematch will be on the King’s Birthday Monday.
Tara Murray
