Sport
5 November, 2024
MCDFNL fixture drops for 2025 season
The Maryborough Castlemaine District Football Netball League (MCDFNL) sprung a surprise late last week with the release of their 2025 fixture.
Normally released in late November, the release now allows clubs a bit more time to plan out their roadmap for the 2025 season as teams plot ways to bring about an end to Natte Bealiba and Avoca’s reign as senior football and netball premiers respectively.
With a later Easter this season, teams will be starting quite early — April 5 round one’s date, with five games to be played, and three teams having byes that week.
The season will open with a grand final rematch, with Natte Bealiba unfurling their flag at CHS Broadbent Oval when they take on Trentham.
The Saints will be hoping to turn the tables after their 79-point defeat in that grand final, while the Swans will look to make a statement right from the opening bounce.
Defeated football preliminary finalists Harcourt and Lexton will meet at Harcourt, with the Lions looking to reclaim the crown they lost last season.
Big improvers on the football field last season, Dunolly will be hoping to continue their march towards the top four when they host Carisbrook in the opening round.
Meantime, Newstead and Navarre at Newstead, with the Kangaroos looking to bounce up in both football and netball, while Navarre will be hoping to recover from a rare miss in both grades last year.
Avoca and the Maryborough Giants will meet in an early-season blockbuster on the netball court, with the Bulldogs set to unfurl their third flag in four seasons, while it will also be an opportunity for both clubs to snare an early win on the field after finishing 11th and 12th last season.
Campbells Creek will have the bye, while Maldon and Talbot will too — but their round one game sees a Good Friday return to action at Maldon, meeting in what is a rematch of the netball elimination final — which yielded the Hawks’ first netball finals win in 30 years.
That game will be the sole match across the Easter weekend, with all teams to have a break on the weekend of April 19 and 20.
The A grade grand final rematch will be a patient wait, with Natte Bealiba and Avoca not meeting until round 11. It’s a departure from their two meetings last season, which bookended 2024.
Other key games to watch include:
Natte Bealiba and Harcourt to meet in round nine
Lexton league rivals Natte Bealiba and Lexton to meet in round seven
2022 and 2023 football grand finalists Carisbrook and Harcourt to meet in round seven
Talbot and the Maryborough Giants to reprise their semi-final classic when the two teams meet in round nine
The evenly-matched Maldon and Lexton meet twice in 2025, with matchups at Lexton in round two and Maldon in round 15
Harcourt will be looking to gain revenge on Trentham’s football qualifying final victory when the two teams meet in round eight
There is one more general bye across the season, with June 7-8 being the King’s Birthday weekend, but teams will have two chances to replenish their stock throughout the season.
Teams will have the byes in the following rounds:
Avoca: round 7, round 16
Campbells Creek: round 1, round 14
Carisbrook: round 11, round 17
Dunolly: round 4, round 17
Harcourt: round 3, round 16
Lexton: round 12, round 16
Maldon: round 5, round 18
Maryborough Giants: round 8, round 15
Natte Bealiba: round 2, round 15
Navarre: round 9, round 15
Newstead: round 6, round 17
Talbot: round 10, round 18
Trentham: round 13, round 18