ST Albans pioneered the reintroduction of Friday night football in the Western Region Football League last season.
Now the Saints will break new ground again next March when they kick off their 2013 campaign with a Good Friday twilight game against Hoppers Crossing at Kings Park Reserve.
Saints president Vern Ryan said it was the brainchild of senior coach Ian Denny to explore new ways to generate interest in the club and the competition and he is thrilled that Hoppers Crossing will come to the party.
“He was the one who came up with the idea,” Ryan said. “It’s something outside the square.”
Football on the religious holiday is not played at the AFL level, meaning a big football-hungry crowd should throng Kings Park Reserve.
The Saints will respect the meaning of the day and not schedule matches until 2pm, beginning with the under-18s and followed by the reserves and seniors.
They will follow up with a Friday night game against Deer Park on April 12, which is actually part of the official opening round. The Good Friday showpiece is a round three game that has been moved forward.
For Hoppers Crossing, it will be the perfect stage to unveil boom recruits Brodie Moles and James Mulligan, both former Western Bulldogs.
The rest of the teams will start their campaigns on April 13 with the blockbuster of the round to see reigning premier Altona host Spotswood in the grand final rematch at Grant Reserve.
Hoppers Crossing will host Port Melbourne Colts, two sides who met in last year’s finals. Sunshine Kangaroos and Albion square off in a local derby.
New kids on the block Yarraville-Seddon will unfurl their second-tier premiership flag at home against North Footscray.
In division 2, which starts a week earlier on April 6, byes are gone after the defection of Coburg Districts to the EDFL and the introduction of new clubs Sanctuary Lakes Sharks and Manor Lakes Storm.
The expansion clubs have been granted home games in round one with the Sharks taking on Sunshine Heights at Featherbrook Reserve and the Storm hosting Laverton Magpies.
The other games will see Albanvale welcome North Sunshine, Braybrook visit Parkside, Caroline Springs on the road at Wyndhamvale and Glenorden host West Footscray.
WRFL OPENING ROUND
Division 1: St Albans v Deer Park; Altona v Spotswood; Hoppers Crossing v Port Melbourne Colts; Sunshine v Albion; Yarraville-Seddon v North Footscray
Division 2: Albanvale v North Sunshine; Glenorden v West Footscray; Manor Lakes v Laverton Magpies; Parkside v Braybrook; Sanctuary Lakes v Sunshine Heights; Wyndhamvale v Caroline Springs
