Another bumper season of Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara football and netball is on the cards after the 2022 fixture was announced last week.

With all 10 teams back and keen to go around again, the same pattern of 16 rounds returns with the opening round kicking things off on Saturday, April 23.

It will be a bumper start to the season with four games being played around the region on Saturday before Kybybolite hosts Naracoorte in a special Anzac Day clash.

KNTFL president Peter McLellan said the later start was made to ensure all participants were refreshed and ready to go.

“We are doing the 16 rounds and starting after Easter to give everyone a break, so they are fresh for another big season which is a big commitment for everyone,” he said.

“We have started before Easter in the past and when you start then stop, I do not think it works.

“With some women’s footy on the television and cricket and netball nearly finished, soon it will be all football and there will be a buzz.

“Everyone has started preseason and I hear the numbers are pretty good, so I think a lot are excited to get back into it with a little bit of trepidation about what you can and cannot do, but that is beyond our control.”

The only absence from the fixture was the finals series and McLennan confirmed they would be announced later in the season with the ‘big one’ expected to be played at Kingston.

“We will announce it when we get a lot closer to it,” he said.

“There is a rolling roster and its Kingston’s turn to host the Grand Final, which means every team would have hosted one since 2012.

“Then it will be just swapping between Saturday and Sunday finals in a scheme to make sure everyone gets the same amount and we will put that out there midway through the season to get people excited.”

Although the date Kingston will host the biggest day on the KNT football and netball calendar is undecided, it is expected to be held on Saturday, September 17 – the same day as the Mid South Eastern decider.

In other big news, the Kaniva Leoor United Football and Netball Clubs are negotiating an amalgamation with the Nhill and District Sporting Club, one year after leaving the KNT umbrella.

The three clubs released a joint statement recently announcing they had met to discuss the future with discussions to continue throughout 2022.

“We believe it (potential amalgamation) is the best option for football and netball to continue to operate in the region for long term benefits,” it stated.

Although it is expected the clubs will remain on the Victorian side of the border, McLellan said the KNT football and netball leagues remained more than interested in welcoming back an old friend.

“Everyone has been talking about the possible amalgamation between Nhill and KL United and if that did happen and they want to come back our way, we will welcome them back with open arms,” he said.

“But there is still a lot of work to go ahead for that to happen.”



2022 KOWREE NARACOORTE TATIARA FIXTURE



Round 1: Saturday, April 23: Border Districts v Padthaway; Bordertown v Kingston; Keith v Mundulla; Penola v Lucindale.
Anzac Day: Saturday, April 25: Kybybolite v Naracoorte.

Round 2: Saturday, April 30: Padthaway v Kybyblite; Kingston v Border Districts; Mundulla v Bordertown; Lucindale v Keith; Naracoorte v Penola.

Round 3: Saturday, May 7: Kybybolite v Kingston; Border Districts v Mundulla; Bordertown v Lucindale; Keith v Penola; Padthaway v Naracoorte.

Round 4: Saturday, May 15: Mundulla v Kybybolite; Lucindale v Border Districts; Penola v Bordertown; Naracoorte v Keith; Kingston v Padthaway.

Round 5: Saturday, May 21: Kybybolite v Lucindale; Border Districts v Penola; Bordertown v Keith; Padthaway v Mundulla; Naracoorte v Kingston.

Round 6: Saturday, May 28: Penola v Kybybolite; Keith v Border Districts; Bordertown v Naracoorte; Lucindale v Padthaway; Naracoorte v Kingston.

Round 7: Saturday, June 4: Kybybolite v Keith; Border Districts v Bordertown; Padthaway v Penola; Kingston v Lucindale; Naracoorte v Mundulla.

Bye: Saturday, June 11: SE Interleague.

Round 8: Saturday, June 18: Bordertown v Kybybolite; Border Districts v Naracoorte; Keith v Padthaway; Penola v Kingston; Lucindale v Mundulla.

Round 9: Saturday, June 25: Kybybolite v Border Districts; Padthaway v Bordertown; Kingston v Keith; Mundulla v Penola; Naracoorte v Lucindale.

Round 10: Saturday, July 2: Naracoorte v Kybybolite; Padthaway v Border Districts; Kingston v Bordertown; Mundulla v Kieth; Lucindale v Penola.

Round 11: Saturday, July 9: Kybybolte v Padthaway; Border Districts v Kingston; Bordertown v Mundulla; Keith v Lucindale; Penola v Naracoorte.

Bye:Saturday, July 16: State Country Championships.

Round 12: Saturday, July 23: Kingston v Kybybolite; Mundulla v Border Districts; Lucindale v Bordertown; Penola v Keith; Naracoorte v Padthaway.

Round 13: Saturday, July 30: Kybybolite v Mundulla; Border Districts v Lucindale; Bordertown v Penola; Keith v Naracoorte; Padthaway v Kingston.

Round 14: Saturday, August 6: Lucindale v Kybybolite; Penola v Border Districts; Keith v Bordertown; Mundulla v Padthaway; Kingston v Naracoorte.

Round 15: Saturday, August 13: Kybybolite v Penola; Border Districts v Keith; Naracoorte v Bordertown; Padthaway v Lucindale; Kingston v Mundulla.

Round 16: Saturday, August 20: Keith v Kybybolite; Bordertown v Border Districts; Penola v Padthaway; Lucindale v Kingston; Mundulla v Naracoorte.