The fixture for the opening round of the 2019 NFNL under-19s football competition has been released.
Twenty sides will compete in the under-19s competition this season, the highest number of teams since 2015.
Grading will again take place over the opening four rounds of the competition, after the process was first introduced in 2018.
All 20 teams will begin in one competition, before being separated into two ten-team divisions after four rounds. Both divisions will have a final-five finals system.
Eltham and Greensborough have each entered two under-19s teams, while Laurimar will field an under-19s team for the first time in the club’s history.
In more positive news, Hurstbridge will field an under-19s team for the first time since 2016, while North Heidelberg and Lalor have united and will compete under the name Bulldog Bloods.
Banyule and Greensborough 1 will start the season with a night match at Beverley Road Oval on Friday April 5.
The remaining nine matches will be played on Saturday April 6.
Bundoora, Eltham 1 and Mernda will each play home matches at alternative venues in the opening round, which will allow each club to play at the same venue as their senior and reserves teams.
Continue below for the full Round 1 fixture:
Friday April 5
Banyule vs Greensborough 1 at Beverley Road Oval @ 7:00pm
Saturday April 6
West Preston-Lakeside vs Heidelberg at J.E. Moore Park @ 9:10am
Bundoora vs South Morang at Bill Lawry Oval @ 9:40am
Eltham 1 vs St Mary’s at Main Street Recreation Reserve @ 9:40am
Hurstbridge vs Greensborough 2 at Ben Frilay Oval @ 9:40am
Laurimar vs Whittlesea at Laurimar Reserve @ 9:40am
Lower Plenty vs Montmorency at Montmorency Park South Oval @ 9:40am
Macleod vs Diamond Creek at De Winton Park @ 9:40am
Mernda vs Bulldogs Bloods at Heidelberg Park @ 9:40am
Mill Park vs Eltham 2 at A.K. Lines Reserve @ 11:40am
