WE might have only just turned the calendar over to 2023, but the scent of football season is already in the nostrils of many Golden Rivers Football and Netball League (GRFNL) fans.
The make-up of the GRFNL will be vastly different this season, with reigning premiers Nullawil leaving to join the North Central Football League, and 2022 Preliminary Finalists Quambatook folding.
It leaves the competition wide open – Wandella will be right up there as usual – but a drought-breaking premiership for Moulamein or the end of Macorna’s finals drought could also be on the cards.
Whatever the case, it’s sure to be an unfamiliar season without the departed clubs but nonetheless exciting, and we now know the dates to lock into our diaries with the release of the fixture.
The season will start slightly later than usual on April 15, with Wandella hosting Macorna, Murrabit travelling to Moulamein and Ultima making the long trip to Hay.
Feature rounds are back, including Headspace Round (April 29, round 3), Pride Round (June 17, round 9), NAIDOC Round (July 8, round 11), and Road Safety Round (July 22, round 13).
Finals begin on August 26, with the Grand Final to be played on September 23.
With so much to look forward to, The Guardian has identified three games to look out for.
WANDELLA VS MACORNA ROUND 1
The highlight of the opening round sees Macorna travel to Wandella in a big litmus test to see how much the Tigers can improve this year.
There’s an air of excitement around the Tigers heading into the 2023 season, which will be hoping to reach their first finals series since 2012.
They have recruited well, highlighted by the signing of boom recruit Nick Ingleton.
Ingleton was a part of Strathmore’s Essendon District Football League Premier Division flag in 2022 and spent time with Coburg in the VFL.
The 189cm utility can be used all over the ground but is at his best in defence, where he can use his intercept marking and rebounding capabilities.
Another big signing for the Tigers is the addition of half-backman Alex Kirby.
Kirby has been one of the best-rebounding defenders in the GRFNL for a while now, where he can utilise his elite kicking.
He will also add a bit of spice to the contest with Kirby moving from the Bombers to the Tigers.
The Bombers will head into the season as one of the premiership favourites.
They finished third on the ladder in 2022 but were bundled out by a red-hot Moulamein in the Elimination Final.
In their efforts to return to the top of the mountain for the first time since 2017, the Bombers have gone out and signed 2022 Marong premiership midfielder Adam Ward along with a pair of former Quambatook boys in experienced key defender Jarred Schlitz and ruckman Jonty Taylor.
While only round one, expect a finals-like intensity from both sides as they look to improve on their 2022 standings.
HAY VS ULTIMA ROUND 1
It will be interesting to see how the bottom two sides from 2022 fare in 2023, and with them facing each other on opening weekend, a win first up could be crucial for either side confidence-wise.
With the GRFNL expected to bunch up this season with last season’s two best regular-season sides departing, a good start to the season will give the Lions or Roos a sniff of finals.
This contest will indicate whether we’ll see any improvement from last season’s cellar dwellers.
Hay has looked to the top end to bring in some extra talent for 2023.
Luke Arandt will return to the club from Waratah in the Northern Territory Football League and will bring a big recruit with him in Dom Booth.
Booth is a tough inside midfielder who is a stalwart at Waratah and has premiership experience with the Katherine Camels in 2022.
Ultima has brought in Mallee Eagles ruckman Luke Doolan along with Simon Makur, Jake Foster, Braydon Ottrey, Jake Fletcher and Tyler and Mitch Makepeace.
MOULAMEIN VS WANDELLA ROUND 1
The two pre-season premiership favourites do battle for the first time in 2023, a month into the season.
After the Swan’s 44-point Elimination Final win over the Bombers last season, the red and black will be looking for revenge and to make a statement.
The Swan’s fairy-tale finals run was one of the stories of last season as they searched for their first Grand Final win since 1988.
Nullawil taught them a lesson on the final day in September, but the experience will make them all the better for it, and with the Maroons leaving the competition, the Swans are deservedly a pre-season favourite.
While the Swans haven’t gone on a signing spree like other clubs, the bulk of their 2022 playing group will return in a great show of consistency for the club.
However, the club announced the additions of Lochie Phillips and Amos Farrell last month.
Phillips played at Dimboola and Kyabram, while Farrell started his senior career at Echuca before spending time at Mathoura and the UNSW Bulldogs.
The pair plied their trade at Craigieburn in the EDFL in 2022.
These two sides could easily be the duo that fights it out for the silverware on September 16, and we might just get a preview of that in Round 4.
