With the recent announcement of the 2024 NCFL fixture, the Bendigo Advertiser has put together five games to look forward to in the first five rounds of the season.
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ROUND 1 - NULLAWIL VS BIRCHIP-WATCHEM
The marquee clash of the season's opening round sees the 2023 preliminary finalists pitted against each other.
Nullawil upset the reigning premiers that day on their way to a grand final appearance in their maiden NCFL season.
Both clubs have had big off-seasons, with the Maroons announcing arguably the region's biggest coaching coup for 2024 in late October with Strathfieldsaye three-time premiership coach Darryl Wilson appointed.
Quality BFNL players Hunter Lawrence (Strathfieldsaye) and Nick (Keogh) join Wilson at the club.
Kerang, two-time premiership player and 2023 best and fairest winner Rylee Smith, will also pull on the Maroon jumper.
While the Maroons made the biggest coaching signing in the NCFL this off-season, the Bulls claim the title of biggest player signing.
The Bulls were crying out for a high-quality ruckman in 2023, and next season, they will not only have the best ruckman in the league but arguably the early odds-on favourite for the Feeny Medal.
Sandhurst superstar ruckman Hamish Hosking will immediately make a significant difference for the Bulls as they look to make it two premierships in three years.
ROUND 1 - ST ARNAUD VS WEDDERBURN
Sixth versus tenth from the 2023 ladder might not scream blockbuster clash, but it will be very intriguing to see how much both clubs have gone forwards or backwards under new coaches this pre-season.
St Arnaud failed to win a game in 2023, but there are positive signs with the club acquiring the services of Scott Driscoll as senior coach.
Driscoll led Jeparit Rainbow in 2023, and the inside midfielder will work alongside former Port Adelaide SANFL player Bailey Nicholas and the 200cm Woodville West Torrens product Zac Phillips as they look to spark a Saints revival.
The Redbacks have been slightly quieter this off-season, but the addition of Metherell, who played half-back for Cohuna, plus the Zelenich brothers (Tony, Mike and Richard), will have their faithful hopeful of gradual improvement.
ROUND 2 - BIRCHIP-WATCHEM VS DONALD
These two have established a ripping rivalry in the past couple of years, highlighted by the Bull's triumph over Donald in the 2022 grand final.
Clashes between the sides are generally close, with five points and 16 points deciding the contests this season.
Josh Potter has taken over from Rohan Brown as the Blues' senior coach.
So far, this off-season it has been a case of quality over quantity in the Blues recruiting department, with Todd Stevenson being their premier inclusion for 2024.
Stevenson has had a stellar career that includes stints with EDFL powerhouse Keilor, Bell Park, Perth in the WAFL and Vic Country representative footy.
ROUND 4 - WYCHEPROOF-NARRAPORT VS CHARLTON
Another clash between non-finalists with new coaches in the opening month.
Once this game is complete, we'll have a base to see what these two are set to deliver in 2024.
The Navies improved rapidly in the back half of the season but if that continues under Mitch Collins will be one of next year's big questions.
Wayne Mitrovic's announcement as senior coach of the Demons was followed by a trio of exciting signings for the Demons headed by Steve Kennedy.
Kennedy has won league best and fairest honours with both Altona in the WRFL and Darley in Ballarat, while Altona teammate and club best and fairest winner Jack Marlais will join him at the Demons.
Avondale Heights and former Western Jets tall Mayson Murgov has also linked up with the club.
ROUND 5 - SEA LAKE NANDALY VS NULLAWIL
We'll need to wait until round five for the first grand final rematch in 2024.
There hasn't been much noise on the signing front at the reigning premiers, but that's to be expected, as they don't really need to change anything after going through the season undefeated.
The intriguing thing to see when the Maroons and Bulls play the Tigers for the first time will be if their new inclusions have closed the gap to the all-conquering Tigers.
FIXTURE:
ROUND 1
Saturday, April 13
Nullawil v Birchip-Watchem
Sea Lake Nandaly v Boort
St Arnaud v Wedderburn
Donald v Wycheproof-Narraport
Charlton bye
ROUND 2
Saturday, April 20
Boort v Charlton
Wedderburn v Sea Lake Nandaly
Wycheproof-Narraport v St Arnaud
Birchip-Watchem v Donald
Nullawil bye
ROUND 3
Saturday, April 27
Donald v Nullawil
Charlton v Wedderburn
Sea Lake Nandaly v Wycheproof-Narraport
St Arnaud v Birchip-Watchem
Boort bye
ROUND 4
Saturday, May 4
Nullawil v St Arnaud
Wycheproof-Narraport v Charlton
Birchip-Watchem v Sea Lake Nandaly
Wedderburn v Boort
Donald bye
ROUND 5
Saturday, May 11
Sea Lake Nandaly v Nullawil
Charlton v Birchip-Watchem
St Arnaud v Donald
Boort v Wycheproof-Narraport
Wedderburn bye
ROUND 6
Saturday, May 25
Nullawil v Charlton
Donald v Sea Lake Nandaly
Birchip-Watchem v Boort
Wycheproof-Narraport v Wedderburn
St Arnaud bye
ROUND 7
Saturday, June 1
Boort v Nullawil
Charlton v Donald
Sea Lake Nandaly v St Arnaud
Wedderburn v Birchip-Watchem
Wycheproof-Narraport bye
ROUND 8
Saturday, June 8
Nullawil v Wedderburn
St Arnaud v Charlton
Donald v Boort
Birchip-Watchem v Wycheproof-Narraport
Sea Lake Nandaly bye
ROUND 9
Saturday, June 15
Wycheproof-Narraport v Nullawil
Charlton v Sea Lake Nandaly
Boort v St Arnaud
Wedderburn v Donald
Birchip-Watchem bye
ROUND 10
Saturday, June 22
Boort v Sea Lake Nandaly
Wedderburn v St Arnaud
Wycheproof-Narraport v Donald
Birchip-Watchem v Nullawil
Charlton bye
ROUND 11
Saturday, June 29
Charlton v Boort
Sea Lake Nandaly v Wedderburn
St Arnaud v Wycheproof-Narraport
Donald v Birchip-Watchem
Nullawil bye
ROUND 12
Saturday, July 6
Wedderburn v Charlton
Wycheproof-Narraport v Sea Lake Nandaly
Birchip-Watchem v St Arnaud
Nullawil v Donald
Boort bye
ROUND 13
Saturday, July 13
Charlton v Wycheproof-Narraport
Sea Lake Nandaly v Birchip-Watchem
St Arnaud v Nullawil
Boort v Wedderburn
Donald bye
ROUND 14
Saturday, July 20
Birchip-Watchem v Charlton
Nullawil v Sea Lake Nandaly
Donald v St Arnaud
Wycheproof-Narraport v Boort
Wedderburn bye
ROUND 15
Saturday, July 27
Charlton v Nullawil
Sea Lake Nandaly v Donald
Boort v Birchip-Watchem
Wedderburn v Wycheproof-Narraport
St Arnaud bye
ROUND 16
Saturday, August 3
Donald v Charlton
St Arnaud v Sea Lake Nandaly
Nullawil v Boort
Birchip-Watchem v Wedderburn
Wycheproof-Narraport bye
ROUND 17
Saturday, August 10
Charlton v St Arnaud
Boort v Donald
Wedderburn v Nullawil
Wycheproof-Narraport v Birchip-Watchem
Sea Lake Nandaly bye
ROUND 18
Saturday, August 17
Sea Lake Nandaly v Charlton
St Arnaud v Boort
Donald v Wedderburn
Nullawil v Wycheproof-Narraport bye
Birchip-Watchem bye
FINALS
First semi-final
Saturday, August 24
Second semi-final
Saturday, August 31
Preliminary final
Saturday, September 7
Grand final
Saturday, September 14
