Southern Football League 2015 season fixtures released

THE Southern Football League will again kick off with a split round that features last year’s bottom four teams in a stand-alone opening weekend.

THE Southern Football League will again kick off with a split round that features last year’s bottom four teams in a stand-alone opening weekend.

Marion, which finished 14th last season, hosts Edwardstown (12th) on April 4, while Aldinga (13th) travels to O’Sullivan Beach-Lonsdale (winless and bottom) on the same day.

All other clubs have a bye and launch their campaigns the following week.

Between them the Rams, Towns, Sharks and Lions won 10 games last season.

SFL president Craig Warman said opening with those matches was unavoidable.

“It’s all to do with the fixturing of the bye,” Warman said.

“Each club needs to get nine home and nine away games, and the only way we can do that with the bye is to have a catch-up round at that time in the year.

“We used to be able to hold it the weekend of the state country championships in July but the Community Football Board have put out a decree that all leagues within SA ... can’t (play) on that weekend.”

Round two features a derby at Port Noarlunga between the Cockledivers and Shoes, the reigning premier, and a face-off between rivals Flagstaff Hill and Happy Valley.

The fixture includes a blockbuster Anzac Day, including the grand final rematch between Reynella and Noarlunga.

It also features O’Sullivan Beach-Lonsdale’s return to Aldinga, 11 months after Hawthorn great Shane Crawford led the Sharks to a drought-breaking win over the Lions.