Sport
13 December, 2025
Anzac clashes given Sunday spots in league 10-team competition
ALL Anzac Round matches in the Loddon Valley league will be played on a Sunday next year.
With Anzac Day falling on a Saturday in 2026, the league has decided to schedule all five games for the following day.
That includes the traditional match between Bridgewater and Inglewood.
The decision to play on Sunday will boost club finances, with sporting competitions on Anzac Day itself, April 25, unable to charge entrance fees before 1pm, the time at which events are permitted to start state-wide.
It will also mean reserves football games and lower grade netball matches can be played on the same day as the seniors.
The Loddon Valley fixture, released on Tuesday, sees the football grand final rematch between Marong and Bridgewater being played in round five on May 9.
Marong will begin its bid for a fifth premiership in a row against Bears Lagoon Serpentine, while Bridgewater takes on Newbridge.
Pyramid Hill will have to wait until round six to try to seek revenge for its A Grade netball loss to Mitiamo in 2025.
New club Macorna will face Maiden Gully away in round one on April 11, with its first Loddon Valley home match against the Superoos a week later.
One of the most anticipated clashes of the season, the first meeting between Macorna and Inglewood, will occur in round four.
Macorna’s new coach Fergus Payne rejected a contract offer to continue coaching Inglewood, where he had spent two years in charge, after a falling out with the club board.
He took two key players north with him after his shock move to Macorna – Team of the Year forward Seb Erharter and full-back Josh Whittle – setting up a proper grudge match between the Blues and the Tigers.
As revealed in the Loddon Herald, Inglewood and Bears Lagoon Serpentine will play a standalone match on the King’s Birthday long weekend to mark the Woodies’ 150th anniversary.
The other eight clubs will play on the following weekend, with Inglewood and Serp having a bye.
- GARY WALSH