Hampden Football Netball League unveils 2022 draw

The multi-million dollar redeveloped oval will feature in the opening three rounds of the season with Bushfield-based North Warrnambool Eagles to host a home game at the venue on April 9.

The Eagles will play reigning premier Koroit in a blockbuster showdown between two of the season's flag fancies.

It is one of three North home games at Reid Oval. They will also host South Warrnambool in round seven and Portland in round 14.

Their remaining home fixtures will be at Bushfield Recreation Reserve.

North Warrnambool Eagles is poised to play an away game against Warrnambool at Reid Oval in round three too.

Eagles joint president Gerard Lourey said the club was pleased with the increased exposure at the league's premier ground.

"We have been keen for a couple of years (to play there). We applied in 2020 (before the season was cancelled) to play some more games there, especially when it became available when East Warrnambool went into recess," he said.

"Once the redevelopment happened at Reid Oval, it became even more attractive to us to play some games there.

"We are really excited about that. Our home base will always be Bushfield but it's great to get the opportunity to play a few more games at the Reid Oval."

The two grounds - Reid and Bushfield - are different in dimensions.

"It is something (coach) Adam (Dowie) has been really keen to do, especially for our younger guys, to play a bit more football on the bigger grounds," Lourey said.

"Sometimes we find it a bit restrictive playing on the smaller space at Bushfield."

Warrnambool president Ken Radley said the Blues, who will return to training at their spiritual home on January 31, were counting down to their season-opener.

"I think it's a fantastic outcome, it's the first round and we get to showcase the ground to the community," he said.

"It's going to be a great outcome for the town and we hope we can get a really good crowd to come along.

"The surface is outstanding and I've had a tour of the facilities and they're fantastic. We're looking forward to playing a good brand of football."

Radley said North Warrnambool Eagles' extra games had been given a tick of approval.

"The first year of a new surface, I know (Warrnambool City) council has to be cautious of how much game time is played on it," he said.

"I am sure the curators have thought about that and the ground will obviously hold up a lot better than it has in the past.

"It is a community facility and needs to be used by the whole community."

Other draw highlights include the traditional Good Friday match between South Warrnambool and Koroit on April 15 and the Anzac Day tribute game between Hamilton Kangaroos and Portland on April 25.

Round 12 on Saturday, July 9 will be Indigenous Round while there will be two byes included - May 7 and July 2.

Terang Mortlake will play games at Mortlake's D.C Farran Oval but it's yet to finalise which home games will be at that venue.

The grand final is on Saturday, September 17.

Round one, April 2

Warrnambool v Portland, Reid Oval

Koroit v Hamilton Kangaroos, Victoria Park

Port Fairy v North Warrnambool Eagles, Gardens Oval

Camperdown v Terang Mortlake, Leura Oval

Cobden v South Warrnambool, Cobden Recreation Reserve

Round two, April 9

Hamilton Kangaroos v Warrnambool, Melville Oval

North Warrnambool Eagles v Koroit, Reid Oval

Terang Mortlake v Port Fairy, Terang Recreation Reserve

South Warrnambool v Camperdown, Friendly Societies' Park

Portland v Cobden, Hanlon Park

Good Friday, April 15

South Warrnambool v Koroit, Friendly Societies' Park

Round three, April 23 and April 25

Warrnambool v North Warrnambool Eagles, Reid Oval

Koroit v Terang Mortlake, Victoria Park

Port Fairy v South Warrnambool, Gardens Oval

Camperdown v Cobden, Leura Oval

Hamilton Kangaroos v Portland, Melville Oval (Anzac Day, N)

Round four, April 30

Terang Mortlake v Warrnambool, Terang Recreation Reserve

Cobden v Port Fairy, Cobden Recreation Reserve

Portland v Camperdown, Hanlon Park

North Warrnambool Eagles v Hamilton Kangaroos, Bushfield Recreation Reserve

Bye round, May 7

Round five, May 14

Warrnambool v South Warrnambool, Reid Oval

Koroit v Cobden, Victoria Park

Camperdown v Port Fairy, Leura Oval

Hamilton Kangaroos v Terang Mortlake, Melville Oval

Portland v North Warrnambool Eagles, Hanlon Park

Round six, May 21

Cobden v Warrnambool, Cobden Recreation Reserve

Koroit v Camperdown, Victoria Park

Port Fairy v Portland, Gardens Oval

South Warrnambool v Hamilton Kangaroos, Friendly Societies' Park

Terang Mortlake v North Warrnambool Eagles, Terang Recreation Reserve

Round seven, May 28

Camperdown v Warrnambool, Leura Oval

Port Fairy v Koroit, Gardens Oval

Hamilton Kangaroos v Cobden, Melville Oval

North Warrnambool Eagles v South Warrnambool, Reid Oval

Portland v Terang Mortlake, Hanlon Park

Round eight, June 4

Warrnambool v Port Fairy, Reid Oval

Koroit v Portland, Victoria Park

Camperdown v Hamilton Kangaroos, Leura Oval

Cobden v North Warrnambool Eagles, Cobden Recreation Reserve

South Warrnambool v Terang Mortlake, Friendly Societies' Park

Round nine, June 11

Koroit v Warrnambool, Victoria Park

Port Fairy v Hamilton Kangaroos, Gardens Oval

North Warrnambool Eagles v Camperdown, Bushfield Recreation Reserve

Terang Mortlake v Cobden, Terang Recreation Reserve

Portland v South Warrnambool, Hanlon Park

Round 10, June 18

Portland v Warrnambool, Hanlon Park

Hamilton Kangaroos v Koroit, Melville Oval

North Warrnambool Eagles v Port Fairy, Bushfield Recreation Reserve

Terang Mortlake v Camperdown, Terang Recreation Reserve

South Warrnambool v Cobden, Friendly Societies' Park

Round 11, June 25

Warrnambool v Hamilton Kangaroos, Reid Oval

Koroit v North Warrnambool Eagles, Victoria Park

Port Fairy v Terang Mortlake, Gardens Oval

Camperdown v South Warrnambool, Leura Oval

Cobden v Portland, Cobden Recreation Reserve

Bye, July 2

Round 12, July 9, Indigenous Round

North Warrnambool Eagles v Warrnambool, Bushfield Recreation Reserve

Terang Mortlake v Koroit, Terang Recreation Reserve

South Warrnambool v Port Fairy, Friendly Societies' Park

Cobden v Camperdown, Cobden Recreation Reserve

Portland v Hamilton Kangaroos, Hanlon Park

Round 13, July 16

Warrnambool v Terang Mortlake, Reid Oval

Koroit v South Warrnambool, Victoria Park

Port Fairy v Cobden, Gardens Oval

Camperdown v Portland, Leura Oval

Hamilton Kangaroos v North Warrnambool Eagles, Melville Oval

Round 14, July 23

South Warrnambool v Warrnambool, Friendly Societies' Park

Cobden v Koroit, Cobden Recreation Reserve

Port Fairy v Camperdown, Gardens Oval

Terang Mortlake v Hamilton Kangaroos, Terang Recreation Reserve

North Warrnambool Eagles v Portland, Reid Oval

Round 15, July 30

Warrnambool v Cobden, Reid Oval

Camperdown v Koroit, Leura Oval

Portland v Port Fairy, Hanlon Park

Hamilton Kangaroos v South Warrnambool, Melville Oval

North Warrnambool Eagles v Terang Mortlake, Bushfield Recreation Reserve

Round 16, August 6

Warrnambool v Camperdown, Reid Oval

Koroit v Port Fairy, Victoria Park

Cobden v Hamilton Kangaroos, Cobden Recreation Reserve

South Warrnambool v North Warrnambool Eagles, Friendly Societies' Park

Terang Mortlake v Portland, Terang Recreation Reserve

Round 17, August 13

Port Fairy v Warrnambool, Gardens Oval

Portland v Koroit, Hanlon Oval

Hamilton Kangaroos v Camperdown, Melville Oval

North Warrnambool Eagles v Cobden, Bushfield Recreation Reserve

Terang Mortlake v South Warrnambool, Terang Recreation Reserve

Round 18, August 20

Warrnambool v Koroit, Reid Oval

Hamilton Kangaroos v Port Fairy, Melville Oval

Camperdown v North Warrnambool Eagles, Leura Oval

Cobden v Terang Mortlake, Cobden Recreation Reserve

South Warrnambool v Portland, Friendly Societies' Park

Qualifying/elimination finals, August 27 and 28

Semi-finals, September 3 and 4

Preliminary final, September 10

Grand final, September 17