DIVISION 3: 2014 FIXTURE PREVIEW

The success of a final six in Division 3 and Division 4 was evidenced by the increased tension surrounding matches late in the 2013 season as clubs were still a chance to play finals. And as everyone knows courtesy of Northern Blues, finishing sixth is not just making up the numbers. 
A quirk of a 12 team section means the fixture has a degree of randomness to it in terms of which teams get to play each other twice, however in Amateur football we all know a club’s fortunes weigh heavily on the queue in the medical room and the number of passport stamps players might acquire over the course of a long winter. 
Round 1 on Saturday 5th April is just over 120 days away and the three new clubs to the section will all be keen to get off to a flyer. The promoted Eley Park Sharks are one such club and they face a club they are familiar with in South Mornington. South Mornington will hope their second chance at this grade bares more fruit than their first, but they will have the difficult task of a trip to Whitehorse Reserve in Round 1. 
The Grand Prix plays havoc with the early rounds for the VAFA’s Albert Park based clubs and Albert Park will be delighted to play their first home game of the year at headquarters. The Falcons will host the Division 4 premiers Northern Blues at Sportscover Arena on opening day. 
Relegated Emmaus St Leos found something late in their 2013 campaign and whilst it wasn’t enough to save them, they will hope they can carry that momentum into a home match against Aquinas in Round 1, 2014. 
Richmond Central begin at home to St Francis Xavier, both finalists last year will be keen to push up the ladder further in 2014, both clubs earmarking the campaign as a potentially memorable one. 
Swinburne University and Power House missed finals last year but both were competitive throughout the campaign. They meet in Round 1 on the Razorbacks paddock.
UHS-VU were bitterly disappointed in missing out on a Grand Final Berth in 2013. Two consecutive third place finishes shows this squad is ready and they will start the 2014 year at home to La Trobe University. 
In Round 2, Aquinas will host UHS-VU at the College and La Trobe Uni will meet Richmond Central at the Uni. 
The Division 4 Grand Finalists will lock horns for the only time in 2014 in the Home and Away, the Sharks to attempt to exact a small piece of revenge on the Blues home patch. 
South Mornington will entertain Albert Park at home and St Francis Xavier will meet Power House on home ground. Swinburne starts the year with two home fixtures when they meet Emmaus St Leos to complete the round. 
After the Easter weekend the action continues with Eley Park hosting Aquinas, Emmaus St Leo’s at home to La Trobe Uni and Northern Blues visiting Richmond Central for the first time in their short history. 
South Mornington play a second straight game at home when they will have Swinburne visiting and Albert Park are again away at St Francis Xavier. UHS-VU will meet Power House at Brens Oval. 
Albert Park are finally back on Albert Park Oval 20 in Round 7 with the Falcons to have another home game at Sportscover Arena against Power House in Round 5. 
There are further byes after Round 8 and Round 12 for all clubs. 
The Division 4 fixture is yet to be completed pending the confirmation of teams in this section for 2014. As soon as the make up of this section is finalised a fixture will be produced and published here at vafa.com.au.