Country footy: Ballarat league’s top 10 games including Melton, Bacchus Marsh

The 2022 Ballarat fixture is littered with blockbuster games throughout the season. Here are the games we’ve rated as must watch.

Melton will feature in a series of standout games across the season. Picture: Hamish Blair

Stand-alone marquee fixtures headlined by the return of Good Friday footy have headlined the 2022 Ballarat league fixture.

Lake Wendouree will host Redan on Good Friday (April 15) in the two clubs opening round fixture which has been delayed a week with all other sides to open their season on Saturday, April 9.

That opening weekend will be headlined by a clash between Melton South and Melton.

Meanwhile, Bacchus Marsh welcome Ballarat, North Ballarat host Sunbury and Dan Jordan will coach Darley for the first time away to Sebastopol.

The competition’s other stand-alone fixture will see Bacchus Marsh and Sunbury will meet on Queen’s Birthday weekend (Saturday, June 11) at Maddingley Park.

The grand final has been fixtured for September 17.

TOP 10 GAMES TO WATCH

MELTON v NORTH BALLARAT

Round 6, MacPherson Park, Saturday, May 21

The clash we all wanted to see in September last year that sadly never happened. North Ballarat instead had to settle for a “minor premiership” after Covid forced the season to be cancelled and Melton finished second a game behind. The BFL are making us wait until Round 6 as well, which should give both teams plenty of time to hit top form. The Roosters claimed a 20-point win at Mars Stadium in their one and only clash last season so can the Bloods take full advantage of a home game this time around?

LAKE WENDOUREE v REDAN

Round 1, C.E. Brown Reserve, Good Friday, April 15

The clash will mark the return of Good Friday in the competition for the first time in several years. Former AFL big man Jack Fitzpatrick will make his coaching debut for the Lakers in front of what is expected to be a big crowd. The game has been locked in for at least the next two seasons with Redan to play host in 2022.

NORTH BALLARAT v EAST POINT

Round 4, Mars Stadium, Saturday, May 7

Last season‘s minor premier against the league’s last actual premier should be a doozy of a match. In their one and only meeting last season the Roosters took home a 25-point win at Eastern Oval. Jackson Merrett has signed with the Kangaroos after returning to Victoria, offsetting the loss of Joel Ottavi, Lachlan Thornton and Jake McQueen. The Roosters have been quieter but when you’ve got five players in the Team of the Year, there’s probably not too many hole to fill. Mars Stadium should be a tip-top nick as well given the Western Bulldogs will play there on June 23.

MELTON SOUTH v MELTON

Round 1, Melton Recreation Reserve, Saturday, April 9

The traditional rivals would enjoy nothing more than getting off to the perfect start with a big win over one another. South will enter the game as underdogs but given there’s been a big break between seasons anything could be possible.

EAST POINT v SEBASTOPOL

Round 2, Eastern Oval, Saturday, April 23

Covid has seen the two sides clash since East Point’s 2019 grand final win, a game the reigning premier won. Former Essendon midfielder Jackson Merrett should debut for the Kangaroos in a potentially exciting head-to-head clash with reigning Henderson medallist Lachlan Cassidy.

DARLEY v BACCHUS MARSH

Round 2, Darley Park, Saturday, April 23

Under new coach Dan Jordan, Darley would enjoy nothing more than a big win over their local rivals in the second round of the season. Bacchus Marsh enjoyed a much better 2021 with Darley winless but form counts for very little when these two sides meet.

MELTON v DARLEY

Round 4, MacPherson Park, Saturday, May 7

Sebas in Round 1 will be tough but Darley‘s first real test will come when it travels to Melton in Round 4. The Devils have done some magnificent work in the off-season, adding the likes of coach Dan Jordan and ex-AFL midfielder Brett Bewley, but how will they fare against last season’s premiership contender? The Bloods finished second by a game in 2021 and will be looking to take that form into 2022. Mark Orr returns from New Zealand but two-time best-and-fairest winner Ben Archard has departed and Ashden Crone is recovering from an ACL.

NORTH BALLARAT v BALLARAT

Round 3, Mars Stadium, Saturday, April 30

The two sides played out a thriller in 2021 with North prevailing by 2021, despite sitting well ahead of their local rivals on the ladder. You’d expect no different come this season in a clash which should draw a monster crowd.

SEBASTOPOL v SUNBURY

Round 8, Marty Busch Reserve, Saturday, June 4

There might not be a better time for Sebas to end a 20-year losing streak against Sunbury. Records are fuzzy but the Lions dominance could date back to as far as 2000. It‘s an extraordinary record, especially given the Burras recent successes. Sunbury has picked up Port Melbourne VFL-listed player Mitch Lewis while Sebastopol has been quieter on the recruiting front but still boasts the likes of Henderson Medallist Lachlan Cassidy, Tony Lockyer, Toby Hutt, Luke Kiel and Matt Austin.

BACCHUS MARSH v SUNBURY

Round 9, Maddingley Oval, Saturday, June 11

A stand-alone Queen‘s Birthday weekend clash should see a good crowd descend on Maddingley Oval. Traditional eastern bloc rivals, Bacchus Marsh and Sunbury are expected to once again battle for a spot in the top six this season. In a dramatic finale, the Lion leapfrogged the Cobras into the top six on percentage in what would prove to be the last game of the season and while finals were never played, we’re sure it will be remembered. The Lions claimed a 13-point win at Clarke Oval in the penultimate game of 2021, what can the Cobras do at Maddingley?