The Western Border Football League will kick off season 2023 this weekend, 261 days since the 2022 grand final.
In what is shaping as the league’s last year as a stand alone competition, two games will be played on Saturday, with the third to be played on Tuesday for Anzac Day.
West Gambier will kick off its 2023 campaign hosting Casterton Sandford at Malseed Park on Saturday.
It will be the first of many trips to Mount Gambier for the Casterton Sandford players for the year as they seek to start their season on the right foot.
It will be the first chance for the opposition to get a glimpse at the West Gambier side that has created a large amount of hype during the off season after recruiting some exciting talent.
It will surely be an interesting hit out after last year’s battles between the two sides, round 1 last year saw Casterton Sandford travel to Malseed Park and beat West by 29 points, a result the Roos have not forgotten.
While West Gambier defeated the Victorians the next two times they faced off, the side still has a lot to play for as it hopes to prove to be a top contender this season.
East Gambier will face a massive task for the Bulldogs’ opening game as it faces reigning premiers Millicent.
Millicent will travel to McDonald Park to kick off its title defence as the Saints seek to complete the much desired three-peat.
East Gambier will need the home ground advantage, seeking to avoid a repeat of last season where the Bulldogs were only able to win the one game and finished bottom of the table.
The Saints will be confident it can kick off the 2023 season off with a big win after it convincingly won all three games against East Gambier last season.
While the Saints have lost some key players during the summer, some handy recruits and young players stepping up will see them be a force to be reckoned with once again.
The Bulldogs will hope to start the season with a strong performance to give the young side some much needed confidence after the departure of coach Jayden Eldridge.
Blue Lake Sports Park will host the 2023 Anzac Day clash between South Gambier and North Gambier on Tuesday.
North Gambier will hope to improve on last year’s results when the Tigers suffered an 11-point defeat at home.
The opening round will be an interesting one for the Demons, which has had a troubled preseason due to several key players departing the club and the Tigers will enter the game as favourites, despite South playing in last year’s grand final.
