Easter start for South West Football League

The South West Football League season will begin with two tradition rivals battling it out, when reigning premiers South Bunbury and 2016 wooden spooners Carey Park play on Easter Saturday.

The fixtures were revealed at the delegates meeting on Monday night.

Last year’s opening round double-header has been scrapped.

Instead the round will feature the Collie Eagles taking on the Harvey Bulls and Augusta-Margaret River to host Donnybrook on the Saturday. On the Sunday Harvey-Brunswick-Leschenault will battle Busselton, while the Eaton Boomers will play Bunbury on Monday.

The season will start on the Easter weekend to accommodate for the grand final which will fall on September 25, the weekend before the AFL grand final.

Two byes will take place on the June 18-19 and July 9-10 weekends because of the Landmark Championships, with the Peel Football-Netball League to host the SWFL in the first game, before the two-day carnival the next month.

Other significant fixtures include Carey Park hosting the Collie Eagles on April 25 in the Anzac Day game in Round Two, before the two teams battle at the Collie Recreation Ground in Round 11 for the NAIDOC Week Indigenous Recognition Game.

All Colts games in Round five will be played on the Friday night across three grounds because of Groovin’ the Moo on Saturday, May 13.

Finals will start on the first weekend of September, with the possibility of a double-header final.