UPDATED: Northern NSW NPL clubs have resisted a draft plan to have 15 rounds featuring a Friday night game in the 2021 season.
Northern NSW Football on Wednesday released finalised draws for their premier competitions - the NPL, Herald Women's Premier League and the men's second division, Northern League One.
In a draft draw sent out to clubs last week, the NPL was to have 15 of its 18 rounds with a Friday night game, including the season-opener between grand finalists Edgeworth and Maitland on March 26 at Jack McLaughlan Oval.
However, after gaining feedback from clubs, the finalised draw has just six Friday night games. The traditional season-opening grand final rematch will instead be on the Saturday, at 5pm.
While NPL clubs largely rejected the plan, WPL teams embraced the initiative.
The WPL was to have 14 of 21 rounds with a Friday night game and they settled on 13 in the official draw.
That competition will start with a grand final rematch between Newcastle Olympic and Warners Bay at Darling Street Oval on Saturday, March 27 from 2pm.
Northern League One starts a week earlier with a grand final rematch between New Lambton and Singleton at No.2 Sportsground on Saturday, March 20.
TUESDAY: FRIDAY night football will be a feature of the 2021 Northern NSW NPL under a draft season draw issued to clubs last week for feedback.
The 10-team competition will have 15 of 18 rounds featuring a Friday night game, instead of the usual handful at the start of the campaign.
The only rounds not featuring a Friday night game are the second, which has Good Friday on April 2, the following week when the Jets host Wellington Phoenix in the A-League, and the final weekend where all games start on Sunday, August 15, at 2.30pm.
The round two Easter weekend will instead start with a Thursday night clash between traditional rivals Broadmeadow and Newcastle Olympic at Magic Park from 7.45pm. The rest of the round will be played Saturday and Sunday.
The traditional season kick-off between the previous year's grand finalists will be the first Friday night game.
Defending premiers and champions Edgeworth take on Maitland at Jack McLaughlan Oval on Match 26 from 7.45pm. The Eagles defeated the Magpies 1-0 on November 8 to finish the COVID-delayed and shortened 2020 season.
Other round-one games are Lake Macquarie hosting Broadmeadow (5pm) and Olympic at home against Adamstown (6.30pm) on Saturday. Charlestown Azzurri welcome Valentine (2.30pm) and Weston host Lambton Jaffas (4.30pm) on the Sunday.
There are three weekends kept aside for catch-up matches or FFA Cup games. The first is between rounds five and six on April 30-May 1, the traditional June long weekend (12-13) break used for FFA Cup regional qualifiers, and July 24-25 between rounds 15 and 16.
The Herald Women's Premier League will also focus on Friday night matches.
The competition will have 14 of 21 rounds including a Friday night game.
Maitland will start their time in the league by hosting Broadmeadow on Saturday, March 27, at Cooks Square Park with first grade kicking off at 5pm.
Other opening games in the eight-team, 21-round season are Olympic at home against Warners Bay on the Saturday and a double-header at No.2 Sportsground featuring New Lambton versus Adamstown and Merewether up against Mid Coast.
Adamstown are down to play all of their home games at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility.
Maitland host Warners Bay on the Monday of the June long weekend, the 14th. The competition rests over Easter and the weekends of July 3-4 and August 21-22.
The 11-team men's second-division, the Northern League One, starts on March 20-21 with a double header at No.2 Sportsground featuring Cooks Hill versus Thornton and grand finalists New Lambton and Singleton.
Other round-one games are Belmont Swansea hosting Wallsend, Cessnock at home against Kahibah and Toronto Awaba welcoming West Wallsend. South Cardiff have the bye.
Clubs were asked to provide feedback before Tuesday. Northern NSW Football intends to announce finalised draws on Wednesday.
