SOUTH Warrnambool and North Warrnambool Eagles will open the Hampden football league’s revamped pre-season competition next month.
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The sides will play two 20-minute quarters in the first match on March 28 with the Eagles, who are likely to unveil prized recruit Dylan Parish, then playing rival Camperdown.
League chief executive officer Mike Farrow yesterday released the draw for what is now its season launch.
Instead of a lightning premiership-style event with prizemoney for two finalists, all clubs play two matches consisting of two 20-minute quarters, with a five-minute break in between.
All participating clubs, except host South Warrnambool, play their matches back-to-back, separated by a 10-minute break.
No prizemoney will be on offer, with the league using the matches to generate interest before the April 18 season opening.
With eight of the league’s 10 clubs participating, each will be eligible for a $500 distribution from major sponsor Boag’s, should they run a day during the season where only beverages from Boag’s distributor Lion are stocked at their bar.
Warrnambool and Terang Mortlake, which have pre-existing practice match commitments, will not feature in the football matches.
The changes mean a night-time season’s launch is no longer needed.
The Friendly Societies’ Park will host the football matches and a netball pre-season cup competition. The netball draw is yet to be finalised.
The football draw is:
9.30am: South Warrnambool v North Warrnambool Eagles; 10.25: North Warrnambool Eagles v Camperdown; 11.20am: Camperdown v Hamilton Kangaroos; 12.15pm: Hamilton Kangaroos v Koroit; 1.10pm: Koroit v Portland; 2.05pm: Portland v Cobden; 3pm: Cobden v Port Fairy; 3.55pm: Port Fairy v South Warrnambool.