Good Friday footy guide: Where can you watch community football around Melbourne?
FINALISTS Blackburn and Doncaster will open the Eastern Football League season on Good Friday in one of the standout fixtures scheduled for the public holiday.
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FINALISTS Blackburn and Doncaster will open the Eastern Football League season on Good Friday in one of the standout fixtures scheduled for the public holiday.
In a rematch of last year’s Division 1 elimination final, which Blackburn won by 38 points, the Burners and Sharks will clash at Morton Park from 2.10pm.
The top-five tussle is one of several community football fixtures taking place on Good Friday, with games also on in the Northern, Essendon District, Southern, South East and Mornington Peninsula leagues.
The state’s top AFL prospects will also be in action this weekend during Round 2 of the TAC Cup season, which starts on Thursday with a night game between Calder Cannons and Eastern Ranges from 7.30pm.
Two matches will be played in country Victoria on Good Friday with Murray Bushrangers hosting Bendigo Pioneers in Shepparton and Gippsland Power at home against Dandenong Stingrays in Morwell.
Two EDFL matches will be played on Good Friday, with Hillside to welcome Taylors Lakes to Hillside Reserve and Keilor tackling Strathmore in Premier Division.
Strathmore edged out Keilor to finish in the top four last year and both sides will start 2018 with aspirations of a finals berth.
Hillside finished second in Division 1 last season and will be out for atonement after spending the summer smarting from its one-point preliminary final loss to Airport West.
Relegated from Division 1 last year, highly-fancied Eltham will host Diamond Creek in the Northern Football League season opener.
The Creekers were beaten by North Heidelberg in last season’s second division grand final, while the Panthers dropped to Division 2 after finishing on the bottom of the Division 1 ladder.
However, Eltham has been one of the buzz teams of the off-season after adding former Collingwood midfielder Brent Macaffer and Williamstown tall Tim Currie to its stocks.
Hampton Park takes on Springvale Districts in Division 3 of the Southern league, while Doveton will meet Cranbourne in the South East league.
Those holidaying on the Peninsula can head to either Greg Beck Oval in Baxter or Bonbeach Reserve, where two MPNFL games are being played.
Frankston Bombers are at home against Mt Eliza, while Edithvale-Aspendale is on the road against Bonbeach.
GOOD FRIDAY FOOTY
Eastern Football League
Blackburn v Doncaster, Morton Park, Blackburn, 2.10pm.
Northern Football League
Eltham v Diamond Creek, Eltham Central Park, Eltham, 2.10pm.
Essendon District Football League
Keilor v Strathmore, Keilor Reserve, Keilor, 2.15pm.
Hillside v Taylors Lakes, Hillside Reserve, Hillside, 2.15pm.
South East Football League
Doveton v Cranbourne, AJ Robinson Oval, Doveton, 2.10pm.
Southern Football League
Hampton Park v Springvale Districts, Robert Booth Reserve, Hampton Park, 2.15pm.
Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League
Frankston Bombers v Mt Eliza, Greg Beck Oval, Baxter, 2pm
Bonbeach v Edithvale-Aspendale, Bonbeach Reserve, Bonbeach, 2pm.
TAC Cup (no matches in Melbourne on Friday, however games are being played at the weekend and Thursday)
Murray Bushrangers v Bendigo Pioneers, Deakin Reserve, Shepparton, 11.30am.
Gippsland Power v Dandenong Stingrays, Morwell Recreation Reserve, Morwell, 1.30pm.
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