The reigning premiers will welcome the Bulldogs to Nirranda Recreation Reserve for what looms an exciting start to the year on Saturday, April 1 as the Blues enter a new era under senior coach Nick Couch.

Fellow 2022 finalists Merrivale and Kolora-Noorat will also play against each other in a jam-packed opening round of football, while South Rovers will begin life under new coach Tim Condon with a home game against Russells Creek.

Other marquee fixtures set to generate plenty of local interest will be the traditional Good Friday clash pencilled in between Old Collegians and Merrivale on April 7. That will be the only match on the Easter long weekend.

The league will take a mid-season bye on Saturday, July 1.

All eyes will be on round four on the netball courts as A grade reigning premier Nirranda plays Merrivale in the 2022 grand final re-match.

The netball season commences with Nirranda to take on preliminary finalists Panmure in a blockbuster clash in A grade, while improving sides Dennington and Timboon Demons lock horns.

Warrnambool and District league president Kylie Murphy said it was pleasing to finalise the football and netball fixture for season 2023.

"It is a tough job to put the draw together and when a good time to start is," she said.

"We want to be aware of cricket finals so we've gone the 1^st of April to start and we're pleased with that. We'll have that Easter weekend off except for Old Collegians and Merrivale and then we'll play around 11 weeks in a row and take a break."

She added it was important the clubs had a bye to look forward to in the first week of July.

"A lot of people like to have that weekend off because it's school holidays so we've kept with that, and before you know it we'll be back into finals," she said.

"That'll come around quickly, no doubt."

2023 WDFNL draw

Round one, April 1

Dennington v Timboon Demons

South Rovers v Russells Creek

Merrivale v Kolora-Noorat

Allansford v Old Collegians

Nirranda v Panmure

Good Friday, April 7

Old Collegians v Merrivale

Easter bye

Round two, April 15

Russells Creek v Dennington

Kolora-Noorat v South Rovers

Panmure v Allansford

Timboon Demons v Nirranda

Old Collegians bye

Merrivale bye

Round three, April 22

Dennington v Kolora-Noorat

South Rovers v Old Collegians

Merrivale v Panmure

Allansford v Nirranda

Russells Creek v Timboon Demons

Round four, April 29

Old Collegians v Dennington

Panmure v South Rovers

Nirranda v Merrivale

Timboon Demons v Allansford

Kolora-Noorat v Russells Creek

Round five, May 6

Dennington v Panmure

South Rovers v Nirranda

Merrivale v Allansford

Russells Creek v Old Collegians

Kolora-Noorat v Timboon Demons

Round six, May 13

Nirranda v Dennington

Allansford v South Rovers

Timboon Demons v Merrivale

Panmure v Russells Creek

Old Collegians v Kolora-Noorat

Round seven, May 20

Dennington v Allansford

South Rovers v Merrivale

Russells Creek v Nirranda

Kolora-Noorat v Panmure

Old Collegians v Timboon Demons

Round eight, May 27

Merrivale v Dennington

South Rovers v Timboon Demons

Allansford v Russells Creek

Nirranda v Kolora-Noorat

Panmure v Old Collegians

Round nine, June 3

Dennington v South Rovers

Timboon Demons v Panmure

Old Collegians v Nirranda

Kolora-Noorat v Allansford

Russells Creek v Merrivale

Round 10, June 10

Timboon Demons v Dennington

Russells Creek v South Rovers

Kolora-Noorat v Merrivale

Old Collegians v Allansford

Panmure v Nirranda

Round 11, June 17

Dennington v Russells Creek

South Rovers v Kolora-Noorat

Allansford v Panmure

Nirranda v Timboon Demons

Merrivale v Old Collegians

Round 12, June 24

Kolora-Noorat v Dennington

Old Collegians v South Rovers

Panmure v Merrivale

Nirranda v Allansford

Timboon Demons v Russells Creek

July 1 - bye

Round 13, July 8

Dennington v Old Collegians

South Rovers v Panmure

Merrivale v Nirranda

Allansford v Timboon Demons

Russells Creek v Kolora-Noorat

Round 14, July 15

Panmure v Dennington

Nirranda v South Rovers

Allansford v Merrivale

Old Collegians v Russells Creek

Timboon Demons v Kolora-Noorat

Round 15, July 22

Dennington v Nirranda

South Rovers v Allansford

Merrivale v Timboon Demons

Russells Creek v Panmure

Kolora-Noorat v Old Collegians

Round 16, July 29

Allansford v Dennington

Merrivale v South Rovers

Nirranda v Russells Creek

Panmure v Kolora-Noorat

Timboon Demons v Old Collegians

Round 17, August 5

Dennington v Merrivale

Timboon Demons v South Rovers

Russells Creek v Allansford

Kolora-Noorat v Nirranda

Old Collegians v Panmure

Round 18, August 12

South Rovers v Dennington

Panmure v Timboon Demons

Nirranda v Old Collegians

Allansford v Kolora-Noorat

Merrivale v Russells Creek

Finals series

Qualifying final, August 19

Elimination final, August 20

Second semi-final, August 26

First semi-final, August 27

Preliminary final, September 2

Grand final, September 9

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