THE EFL has announced its fixture dates for the 2014 season.
All EFL teams, barring Veterans, will commence their home and away campaigns on the weekend of Saturday 5 April and Sunday 6 April.
As announced in August, the EFL will take part in a Victorian Metropolitan Representative Football carnival to be held on the eve of Round 1. This carnival, which sees the EFL take on the VAFA for the Number 1 ranking in Victoria on Saturday 29 March, will occur exactly one week prior to the start of the home and away season.
In some other major points:
THERE will be an Easter bye weekend for all clubs after the first two rounds of the season. ANZAC Day lands on the Friday after the bye weekend.
A spilt round for Division’s 1 and 2 will occur in Round 13 to coincide with the Vic Metro-Vic Country challenge match. This gives players who have been selected for the Vic Metro squad a chance to play.
JUNIOR finals will commence on Sunday 27 July. Junior Grand Final Day will occur on Sunday 17 August.
SENIOR finals for Division’s 3 and 4 will commence on the weekend of Saturday 23 August and Sunday 24 August. Division 1 and 2 finals will begin the weekend after.
DIVISION’S 1 and 3 – both 12-team competitions – will use a final five format. Division 1 Grand Final day will be held on 20 September.
DIVISION’S 2 and 4 – both 10-team competitions – will use a final four format. The first senior Grand Final Day will feature Division 4 on Saturday 6 September.
With clubs currently in the process of nominating their requests, the official senior fixture is intended to be released at the EFL’s Annual General Meeting on Thursday 28 November.
As per usual, the junior fixture will be released one or two weeks out from Round 1.