GFL Fixture revealed: Top 10 clashes for the 2023 season
The GFL has announced its fixture for 2023, with plenty of excitement building ahead of the new campaign. The Addy breaks down the must-see clashes for the new season here.
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THE Geelong Football League has released the 2023 fixture, and with the football season less than three months away, clubs are getting ready to attack the new season.
The Addy footy team has broken down the new fixture and highlighted the top 10 matches for the upcoming season.
Round 2 – South Barwon v St Joseph’s
Both sides will have new coaches in 2023, with Mark Neeld and Ron Watt to head up the Swans and Joeys respectively.
But the round two clash between the sides will hold greater significance than the first matchup between the coaches.
It will be the annual Anzac Day match between the two sides, with St Joseph’s enjoying a spirited fightback against the Swans to claim a 14-point victory in last year’s edition of the game.
Round 3 – St Mary’s v Leopold
The first time the two clubs have faced each other since the grand final, this one will take place under lights.
St Mary’s triumphed on that day by 45 points, the largest grand final margin since 2017, when the Saints lost to St Joseph’s by 63 points.
Neither side will have an intact 22 from the grand final clash, but with both teams bolstering their lists over the break it is expected both Leopold and St Mary’s will have premiership-contending seasons in 2023.
Round 4 – Colac v St Mary’s
Billed as the top two teams last season, many expected a repeat effort in the grand final after a tantalising season decider in 2019.
But Colac ran out of steam in September, losing back-to-back finals match-ups against Newtown & Chilwell and Leopold to exit the finals early.
After some list turnover, it will be interesting to see how Colac lines up in 2023, but with Darcy Lang and Jon Simpkin still running through the Tigers’ midfield, expect a strong challenge for the Saints.
Round 4 – St Albans v Lara
The two sides have found themselves on the bottom of the GFL ladder in recent seasons, with Lara’s only wins in 2022 coming at the hands of the winless Supersaints.
But with bright young cores, as well as the inclusion of former AFL gun Devon Smith, both Lara and St Albans seem to be trending upwards.
It will be the Supersaints’ best chance in the first half of the season to claim their first scalp since 2019.
Round 5 – Newtown & Chilwell v Leopold
There were tears shed the last time these two teams met.
Tears of despair and tears of joy, depending which side of the result they were on.
Lions forward Connor Giddings broke the hearts of Eagles fans with a goal after the siren to win the preliminary final, ending Newtown & Chilwell’s season early.
Both sides are expected to be contenders again in 2023, making this round 5 clash one not to miss.
Round 12 – Grovedale v Leopold
The Tigers will host the Lions on July 15, with the competition’s two most decorated rucks set to battle it out.
Grovedale announced in the pre-season that Ryan Abbott would be fully available for the Tigers after spending a portion of 2022 aligned with Geelong’s VFL side, while Trent West has declared he would go around again in 2023.
The pair faced off once in 2022, with Leopold securing a 13-point victory in round 16, but the teams could only be separated by two points in round 7, when neither rucks were playing.
Round 13 – Bell Park v North Shore
Last year’s rendition of this clash was a classic, with the Seagulls scraping over the line to win by one point.
Bell Park eventually got its way against North Shore, winning by 26 points in the return game.
Both clubs lost arguably their most important players, with forward Jackson Bright retiring and co-coach Nick Dixon moving to Melbourne, making this match up more interesting.
Round 16 – Newtown & Chilwell v Colac
The Eagles had the edge over the Tigers in the finals campaign last season, and both clubs are expected to be fighting for a top-three spot on the ladder.
Newtown & Chilwell dominated Colac in the first week of finals football, with Matthew Boag kicking six goals, but Colac won in both of the sides’ home-and-away meetings.
Hopefully another classic awaits
Round 18 – Leopold v Newtown & Chilwell
The first edition of this match already made the list, but the prospects of a last-round, season-defining clash between these two sides is mouth-watering at the very least.
With the Lions and the Eagles expected to be fighting for a top three spot on the ladder, this last-round match may decide who gets the double chance the week after.
There’s even the prospect fans get back-to-back clashes between the two sides.
Newtown & Chilwell won the home-and-away season clashes by 20 and five points respectively, before Leopold won in the preliminary final by five points.
Another classic beckons.
Round 18 – Geelong West v St Joseph’s
While St Joseph’s made the finals in 2022 and Geelong West missed out on September action, many expect the script to be flipped in 2023.
The Giants lost gun Baxter Mensch to Broadbeach, but St Joseph’s suffered an exodus of its own, leaving the club to rely on the production of its younger players.
While Geelong West is not expected to be a top-line premiership contender, this round 18 clash could be the one to determine final ladder positions for Giants, as well as other prospective finals-bound sides.
Originally published as GFL Fixture revealed: Top 10 clashes for the 2023 season
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