THIS coming weekend was set to be the start of the EDFL's 90th Anniversary Season.
Twelve huge games were going to take place on Saturday to kick off Round 1, before traditional rivals Keilor and Strathmore concluded the round on Good Friday the following week (the Hillside v Taylors Lakes Good Friday clash was designated a Round 2 game).
While the start of the 2020 season is now on hold until May 31, we've decided to preview each of the 13 games we had in place for Round 1 anyway, even if they're not actually going to be played.
PASCOE VALE v ESSENDON DOUTTA STARS
Saturday 2:15pm at Raeburn Reserve
Two new-look sides were set to meet for what would have been an intriguing game of footy.
The Panthers are champing at the bit to put last year's finals disappointment behind them and a solid Round 1 performance here against the up-and-coming Stars would have been a massive boost.
Up forward it would have been awesome to see how Damandeep Aujla complemented the likes of Matthew Watson, Josh Cauchi and Daniel Archer.
Down back, new arrivals Nick Parthenopoulos, Nick Linton and Nick Gooch, or 'The Three Nicks' if you will, would have had their hands full trying to quell a Douttas side that desperately needed to become more potent in 2020.
James Peters, Mitch Jensen, Alex Boyse and Karl Brown were all set to line-up together for the first time inside the Douttas forward 50, providing for an exciting and unpredictable match-up.
GLENROY v MARIBYRNONG PARK
Saturday 2:15pm at Sewell Reserve
For what it's worth, this was going to be our EDFL Match of the Day broadcast game this weekend.
Glenroy went 0-2 against the Lions last year but in both games, the Roys kicked poorly to lose by 12 points and 19 points respectively.
While its list did undergo some change, Glenroy was hopeful this would be the year it started to climb up the ladder and games like this were vital in that quest.
The Lions entered 2020 in the same boat, hopeful their list additions would push them up the ladder and, perhaps, into finals contention.
The re-introduction of the Prowse brothers and Marwan Abdul-Wahed would have been a sight for sore eyes for Marby fans and the new-look forward line was set to make an immediate impact at Sunny Sewell.
CRAIGIEBURN v ABERFELDIE
Saturday 2:15pm at DS Aitken Reserve
The fixture gods weren't exactly kind to Craigieburn for its first game back among the big boys, but such is life when you're in Strathmore Community Bank Premier Division.
The Eagles were set to host an Aberfeldie line-up that would have featured some high-quality new recruits, including former Sydney Swan Toby Pink and ex-Williamstown pair Nick Meese and Peter Faulks.
While you'd presume Meese would have the upper hand, his ruck dual with Craigieburn's Billy Morrison was set to be the highlight match-up of the game.
Based on transfers activity, Aberfeldie's 22 would likely have featured more new faces than Craigieburn's but that said, only the bravest of punters would have been tipping against Abers here.
AVONDALE HEIGHTS v GREENVALE
Saturday 2:15pm at Canning Reserve
In the corresponding fixture at Canning Reserve last year, Greenvale was spurred by the stellar performances of Addam Maric (three goals), Nick Maric and Courtenay Dempsey (two each), eventually getting up by eight points in soggy conditions.
Given this Saturday's game would also have likely been played in the wet, we may have been on track for yet another arm wrestle.
The Jets were planning to develop their younger talent alongside what is still a very handy experienced brigade, and this would have been our first opportunity to see exactly what it would have looked like.
Avondale Heights is also somewhat of an unknown and this game was a perfect opportunity to gauge how first-year coach Patrick Byrne's side would shape up this year.
The arrivals of Muhammad Saad, Matthew Darby and Danko Bzenic provided some promise of an improved showing from the Heights this year and the club would have targeted this game as an opportunity to cause an upset and make an early-season statement to the rest of the competition.
KEILOR v STRATHMORE
Good Friday 2:15pm at Joe Brown Oval
Clearly the biggest game of the round, this year's Good Friday game was going to be a belter.
The Blues were poised to unfurl their 2019 flag in front of a packed Joe Brown Oval crowd following a perfect 20-0 season, but Strathmore was primed to spoil the blue, red and white party.
No side was going to enter 2020 hungrier than the Mores, following two seasons that both ended with heartbreaking preliminary final losses.
Strathmore was set to field a very strong Round 1 line-up that would have featured all of its best players from 2019, including Team of the Year entrants Adam Iacobucci, Luke Jarrad, Andrew Vavra and Kyle Weightman, as well as Reynolds Medal runner-up, Nick O'Brien.
Keilor was, and will remain, the 2020 premiership favourite, given it was set to welcome back injured stars Damien Cavka and Jesse Wallin in this game, with Nick O'Kearney set to make his much anticipated return later in the year.
This game loomed as a massive early-season test for the premiers, coming up against a fellow contender that now wants to prove it too should be worthy of 2020 premiership calculations.
TAYLORS LAKES v ROXBURGH PARK
Saturday 2:15pm at Lionheart Reserve
This fixture was one of the best games we saw in Division 1 last year, with Taylors Lakes managing to hold on and win by a single kick in Round 14.
In the first meeting between these two back in Round 6, it was Roxburgh Park who got up by 11 points in an entertaining game at Lakeside Drive.
That alone would have made for a mouth-watering match-up here to start the new season.
However, it was the expected unveiling of new Lions recruits Patrick Rose and Scott Harding that had most of us circling this a game of note this Saturday.
Rose is a proven star as a strong lead-up forward and would have taken Division 1 by storm, so perhaps there is a Roxy defender or two sleeping a touch easier this week.
Coach Michael Farrelly would have ensured his Magpies were up for the task, but we'll have wait a little longer to see just how much his side has improved following a three-win season last year.
WEST COBURG v WESTMEADOWS
Saturday 2:15pm at Shore Reserve
Another even Division 1 match-up that we've become well accustomed to over the years.
West Coburg wasn't too far off making a run for finals last year and after a quiet summer on the transfers front, it looked as though the Burgers were going to enter 2020 with a rather settled line-up.
Playing every home game on the tiny Shore Reserve instead of the finals-worthy Coburg City Oval was set to be a significant advantage for the Burgers this year, especially against sides that like to spread the ball.
They would have fancied their chances against a slightly new-look Westmeadows outfit with some pressure to keep performing this year.
The Tigers were keen to move from finals hopeful to genuine premiership contender and they were well-placed to do so after adding up to five new recruits to an already formidable best 22.
A road win here would have kick-started Westmeadows' quest for premiership glory nicely, while West Coburg would have relished the chance to make a big statement of its own at its spiritual home.
SUNBURY KANGAROOS v EAST KEILOR
Saturday 2:15pm at Eric Boardman Reserve
This was a game that could have gone any number of ways.
We know that sides coming up from Strathmore Community Bank Division 2 take their time adjusting to the new standard of Division 1, making this a very tricky proposition for the Kangaroos against last year's runner-up and this year's flag favourite.
But being at home and coming off a superb undefeated campaign in 2019, Sunbury coach Anthony Leydin would have ensured his side took the fight to the highly-rated Cougars.
Given Williamstown was scheduled to play in the VFL on Saturday night, it's unlikely we would have seen 2008 Hawthorn premiership player Clinton Young make his Sunbury debut here, but his eventual inclusion did loom as a crucial boost for the Kangaroos as the season developed.
The Roos could have used the help, as eight of the 22 players who earned premiership medals last season will not be in action in 2020.
You would therefore have to think East Keilor entered this game as a warm favourite and after falling one win short of premiership glory last year, they may have used this game to create some early-season momentum.
TULLAMARINE v HILLSIDE
Saturday 6:00pm at Leo Dineen Reserve
Tullamarine's annual night game was set to be a beauty this weekend, with visiting Hillside looking to challenge for the top four this year.
The Demons were on-track to again contend for the flag, with some new recruits headlined by Shannon Broadbent and Kadan King-Davies adding to what was already a very solid and well-established list.
Leo Dineen Reserve is a big ground and the Demons were looking forward to utilising some newfound leg speed against Hillside's slightly new-look midfield.
The defections of Victor Micallef and Brandon Coletta to East Keilor loomed as huge holes to fill for new Sharks coach Charlie Denaro, but he would've been quietly confident about some of the decent new weapons he had up his sleeve.
One of those was Hisham Kerbatieh, a hard-running mid/forward with a strong appetite for goal.
Kerbatieh was set to be one of Division 1's best new recruits and he would have loved nothing more than to put on a show for his new club under Saturday night lights.
This would have been one of the more entertaining games of the weekend, so we're super keen for this match-up when it finally does come around.
AIRPORT WEST
Bye
Airport West's 2020 campaign was not due to get underway until after Easter, so its pre-season schedule was already on an altered trajectory in the lead-up to Round 2.
The Eagles' return to Division 1 was set to begin with a massive 2018 grand final re-match at home to Tullamarine – a game slated to be an EDFL Match of the Day broadcast game.
While 2019 Premier Division Team of the Year member Damandeep Aujla was a huge loss over the summer, many pundits were excited to see Airport West unveil its well-credentialed new forward Dean Limbach in this highly anticipated match-up.
Under new coach Jimmy House, the Eagles had a fresh feel about them coming into 2020 and it would have been awesome to see how they fared against a fellow premiership contender early in the new season.
OAK PARK v COBURG DISTRICTS
Saturday 2:15pm at JP Fawkner Reserve
This game was Oak Park's chance to turn over a new leaf and start afresh under returning new senior coach, Todd Clark.
Playing in the EDFL's third tier for the first time, the Kangaroos were looking forward to welcoming the likes of Michael Peart, Bryce Crosswell, Jesse Hemmens and Isaac Willett back into their fold.
On paper, Oak Park looked primed to field a pretty strong line-up and would have entered this game as a favourite, but Coburg Districts would most certainly have been up for the fight.
It too enters 2020 under a new coach, with gun forward Tom Gleeson set to take the reins as a playing-coach.
The Lions boasted a structurally sound line-up and were looking forward to adding Luke Vesnaver, the division's B&F Medal winner in 2017, and Nathaniel Biggs, back into the fold this year.
Both clubs were poised for big things in 2020 and this loomed a huge test for both to start the new season.
KEILOR PARK v HADFIELD
Saturday 2:15pm at Keilor Park Reserve
A game that perhaps last year most would have overlooked, this time around loomed as a sneaky blockbuster.
The reason being is both the Devils and Hawks recruited very well over the summer and entered 2020 with expectations of rapid improvement.
Keilor Park was set to field a line-up that featured up to 18 new faces in Round 1, while Hadfield's best 22 also received a significant boost of talent coming in from higher levels.
Picking a winner here is therefore hard work given all of the unknowns about how each of these new-look sides would gel, but you would probably have to install Hadfield as the favourite for now.
What would have been predictable was the entertainment value this game would have produced between two clubs who were poised for big improvements this year.
EAST SUNBURY v NORTHERN SAINTS
Saturday 2:15pm at John McMahon Reserve
Another intriguing Round 1 match-up between two sides that had interesting summers.
This was our first opportunity to assess how East Sunbury would adjust to life without star midfielder Tom Cree.
The Thunder in-turn introduced some fresh experience into its line-up with Joel Butler, Tom Evans, Ryan Peters, Jake Cronin and Jack Dillon all set to play key roles.
So this game presented a perfect opportunity to establish some early season momentum against a young opponent with tempered expectations.
The Northern Saints looked set for a tricky year under new coach Peter Lohner, following the departure of several key players over the summer.
Perhaps a young side like the Saints would have enjoyed the open expanses of John McMahon Reserve, but you'd have to think the Thunder would have held serve here.
BURNSIDE HEIGHTS v JACANA
Saturday 6:00pm at Burnside Heights Recreation Reserve
The highlight we were looking forward to here was seeing the purple and gold of Jacana simply taking the field after going into recess in the middle of last year.
It's a famous club that has produced some great talent over the years and as recently as 2017, the Jags were the benchmark of Strathmore Community Bank Division 2.
But as the club looked to continue its re-build in 2020, on-field results were not going to be its biggest priority this year.
Much like Keilor Park in 2019, the Jags were always going to struggle this year and were likely to play without a reserves side, so games like this will have served as percentage-boosters for opponents like Burnside Heights.
Under lights in the season-opening game of last season, Josh Covelli booted eight goals as the Bears dominated Jacana to the tune of 64 points.
A similar result, for both Covelli and his team, was on the cards again here.
MOONEE VALLEY
Bye
As was the case last year, Moonee Valley had the bye for Round 1.
A late start didn't seem to matter last year, given the Fog went on to have a great year and was beaten in the grand final by a more talented and undefeated opponent.
The Valley was the talk of Strathmore Community Bank Division 2 over the summer, recruiting very well while retaining nearly all of its 2019 list.
The new line-up was set to feature several new faces, including quality key recruits in forwards Sam O'Brien, Michael Lobb and defender James McLuckie.
A Round 2 home game against East Sunbury on April 18 was going to be the unveiling of Shanon Carroll's new and improved best 22 – a game in which the Fog would have started a warm favourite.
