Temporary home 'highly likely' as Blues look to Deakin

HAMPDEN league powerhouse Warrnambool is keen to strengthen its ties to Deakin University as it looks to commence a temporary tenancy at the insitution's east Warrnambool oval. The Blues, who normally play out of Reid Oval, have been earmarked to play nine fixtures at the vacant reserve. Warrnambool football president Ken Radley said while the deal was not yet official, it was "highly likely" the club would use the facility with the Reid Oval unavailable due to a multi-million dollar revamp. "Deakin University have been fantastic in accommodating us," he said. "There's a little bit of work to do but it's looking highly likely we'll play there. "We're looking forward to having it as a base." Radley said the venture would benefit both Warrnambool and Deakin University. He said the Blues were keen to keep the club together as one and felt the facility catered for its needs with juniors, seniors and netballers. "It certainly has benefits for Deakin in that their facilities would be used by the Warrnambool community," Radley said. "It might get members of the public out to Deakin to see what's our there and stimulate a bit of growth and some partnerships. "We've been looking at things since about November and we've had good support from the Hampden league when looking at possible solutions." Radley said the club had connections to Deakin University Sharks - a former Warrnambool and District league outfit who went into indefinite recess in 2016 - through both himself and senior coach Matt O'Brien. READ MORE: "We're both former coaches out there. Matt had a little bit more success than I did," Radley said. "There are connections there and we're keen to get some links with the past players and have some functions out there." He said Warrnambool was bullish about its football program and the integration of juniors and seniors throughout pre-season. Hamilton Kangaroos chairman Lachy Patterson, whose club will host three night matches under new lights at Melville Oval, said the fixtures allowed greater flexibility. "It's something we've worked hard to get after the installation of our new lights and the Hamilton community and opposition teams have been very supportive," he said. "Night or twilight games give us the opportunity to play those 'Super Saturday' rounds which are fantastic and allow us to come together as a club. "That opportunity is something we're pretty excited about." FULL FIXTURE Good Friday Game from Round 4 Koroit v South Warrnambool Victoria Park Round 1 - 10th April 2021 Terang Mortlake v Camperdown - Ridley Recreation Reserve (Super Saturday) Portland v Koroit - Hanlon Reserve (Twilight) Hamilton Kangaroos v Port Fairy - Melville Oval (Night) Cobden v North Warrnambool Eagles - Cobden Community Bank Reserve South Warrnambool v Warrnambool - Friendly Societies Park Round 2 - 17th April 2021 North Warrnambool Eagles v South Warrnambool - Bushfield Oval Camperdown v Cobden - Leura Oval (Night) Koroit v Terang Mortlake - Victoria Park Port Fairy v Portland - Gardens Oval Warrnambool v Hamilton Kangaroos - Deakin University Round 3 - 24th &amp; ANZAC Day 25th April 2021 South Warrnambool v Camperdown - Friendly Societies Park Cobden v Koroit - Cobden Community Bank Recreation Reserve Terang Mortlake v Port Fairy - Ridley Recreation Reserve Portland v Hamilton Kangaroos - Hanlon Reserve (Anzac Day) North Warrnambool Eagles v Warrnambool Bushfield Oval Round 4 - 1st May 2021 Port Fairy v Cobden - Gardens Oval Hamilton Kangaroos v Terang Mortlake - Melville Oval (Night) Warrnambool v Portland - Deakin University Camperdown v North Warrnambool Eagles - Leura Oval BYE Round - 8th May Round 5 - 15th May 2021 South Warrnambool v Port Fairy - Friendly Societies Park Cobden v Hamilton Kangaroos - Cobden Community Bank Recreation Reserve Terang Mortlake v Portland - D.C Farran (Super Saturday) North Warrnambool Eagles v Koroit - Bushfield Oval Camperdown v Warrnambool - Leura Oval Round 6 - 22nd May 2021 Hamilton Kangaroos v South Warrnambool - Melville Oval Portland v Cobden - Hanlon Reserve Warrnambool v Terang Mortlake - Deakin University Port Fairy v North Warrnambool Eagles - Gardens Oval Koroit v Camperdown - Victoria Park Round 7 - 29th May 2021 South Warrnambool v Portland - Friendly Societies Park Cobden v Terang Mortlake - Cobden Community Bank Recreation Reserve North Warrnambool Eagles v Hamilton Kangaroos - Bushfield Oval Camperdown v Port Fairy - Leura Oval Koroit v Warrnambool - Victoria Park Round 8 - 5th June 2021 Cobden v South Warrnambool - Cobden Community Bank Recreation Reserve Portland v Camperdown - Hanlon Reserve Terang Mortlake v North Warrnambool Eagles - Ridley Recreation Reserve Hamilton Kangaroos v Koroit - Melville Oval Port Fairy v Warrnambool - Gardens Oval Round 9 - 12th June 2021 - Queens Birthday Weekend Portland v North Warrnambool Eagles - Hanlon Reserve Camperdown v Hamilton Kangaroos - Leura Oval South Warrnambool v Terang Mortlake - Friendly Societies Park Koroit v Port Fairy - Victoria Park Warrnambool v Cobden - Deakin University Round 10 - 19th June 2021 Warrnambool v South Warrnambool - Deakin University North Warrnambool Eagles v Cobden - Bushfield Oval Camperdown v Terang Mortlake - Leura Oval Koroit v Portland - Victoria Park Port Fairy v Hamilton Kangaroos - Gardens Oval Round 11 - 26th June 2021 South Warrnambool v North Warrnambool Eagles - Friendly Societies Park Cobden v Camperdown - Cobden Community Bank Recreation Reserve Terang Mortlake v Koroit - Ridley Recreation Reserve Portland v Port Fairy - Hanlon Reserve Hamilton Kangaroos v Warrnambool - Melville Oval Bye - 3rd July 2021 Round 12 - 10th July 2021 Camperdown v South Warrnambool - Leura Oval Koroit v Cobden - Victoria Park Port Fairy v Terang Mortlake - Gardens Oval Hamilton Kangaroos v Portland - Melville Oval Warrnambool v North Warrnambool Eagles - Deakin University TAC Road Safety Round - Round 13 - 17th July 2021 South Warrnambool v Koroit - Friendly Societies Park Cobden v Port Fairy - Cobden Community Bank Recreation Reserve Terang Mortlake v Hamilton Kangaroos - Ridley Recreation Reserve Portland v Warrnambool - Hanlon Reserve North Warrnambool Eagles v Camperdown - Bushfield Oval Round 14 - 24th July 2021 Warrnambool v Camperdown - Deakin University Hamilton Kangaroos v Cobden - Melville Oval Portland v Terang Mortlake - Hanlon Reserve Koroit v North Warrnambool Eagles - Victoria Park Port Fairy v South Warrnambool - Gardens Oval Round 15 - 31st July 2021 South Warrnambool v Hamilton Kangaroos - Friendly Societies Park Cobden v Portland - Cobden Community Bank Recreation Reserve Terang Mortlake v Warrnambool - D.C Farran North Warrnambool Eagles v Port Fairy - Bushfield Oval Camperdown v Koroit - Leura Oval Round 16 - 7th August 2021 Portland v South Warrnambool - Hanlon Reserve Terang Mortlake v Cobden - D.C Farran Oval Hamilton Kangaroos v North Warrnambool Eagles - Melville Oval Port Fairy v Camperdown - Gardens Oval Warrnambool v Koroit - Deakin University Round 17 - 14th August 2021 South Warrnambool v Cobden - Friendly Societies Park North Warrnambool Eagles v Terang Mortlake - Bushfield Oval Warrnambool v Port Fairy - Deakin University Camperdown v Portland - Leura Oval Koroit v Hamilton Kangaroos - Victoria Park Round 18 - 21st August 2021 Cobden v Warrnambool - Cobden Community Bank Recreation Reserve North Warrnambool Eagles v Portland - Bushfield Oval Terang Mortlake v South Warrnambool - Ridleys Recreation Reserve Port Fairy v Koroit - Gardens Oval Hamilton Kangaroos v Camperdown - Melville Oval Qualifying and elimination finals 28th August and 29th August 2021 - venues TBC Semi finals 4th and 5th September 2021 - venues TBC Preliminary final Saturday 11th September 2021 - venue TBC Grand final Saturday September 18 2021 - venue TBC Have you signed up to The Standard's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? 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