The fixture for the opening round of the 2021 NFNL Women’s football competition has been released.
The senior women’s football competition will feature a record 24 teams, with 19 clubs represented across the NFNL.
Four clubs will field a senior women’s football team in the NFNL for the first time, with the competition welcoming Banyule, Fitzroy Stars, Lower Plenty and Whittlesea.
Darebin, Diamond Creek Women’s, Heidelberg, Montmorency and VU Western Spurs will each field two teams during the 2021 season.
Grading will again take place over the opening four rounds, with all 24 teams to begin in one competition, before being placed into three divisions after Round 4.
During grading rounds, teams will still be awarded four points for a win and two points for a draw, however percentage will not be carried over to the regular season ladder.
All grading games will have 15-minute quarters. Once grading has been finalised, Division 1 and Division 2 will revert to 20-minute quarters, while Division 3 games will remain at 15-minute quarters.
The opening round of the 2021 NFNL Women’s season will be played across two days, with matches scheduled on Saturday April 10 and Sunday April 11.
Among the highlights of the opening round are a double-header between Diamond Creek Women’s and Darebin at Plenty Park Oval; Fitzroy Stars and St Mary’s each hosting a game prior to their senior men’s team, and Lower Plenty and West Preston-Lakeside both hosting twilight matches directly after their club’s senior men’s matches.
Continue below for the full Round 1 fixture (match days and times are correct as of March 25)
Please note: Fixtures for the remaining three rounds of grading will be released by 5pm Monday ahead of each round.
Saturday April 10
• Fitzroy Stars vs Banyule at Sir Douglas Nicholls Oval @ 10:00am
• St Mary’s vs Montmorency 1 at Whatmough Park @ 10:00am
• Diamond Creek Women’s 2 vs Darebin 2 at Plenty Park Oval @ 1:30pm
• Diamond Creek Women’s 1 vs Darebin 1 at Plenty Park Oval @ 3:00pm
• West Preston-Lakeside vs Bundoora at J.E. Moore Park @ 4:00pm
• Lower Plenty vs VU Western Spurs 2 at Montmorency Park South Oval @ 4:45pm
Sunday April 11
• Heidelberg 2 vs Hurstbridge at Warringal Park @ 3:00pm
• Laurimar vs Eltham at Laurimar Reserve @ 3:00pm
• Mernda vs Wallan at Waterview Recreation Reserve @ 3:00pm
• Reservoir vs Montmorency 2 at Crispe Park @ 3:00pm
• Whittlesea vs Greensborough at Whittlesea Showgrounds @ 3:00pm
• Heidelberg 1 vs VU Western Spurs 1 at Warringal Park @ 4:40pm
