Nomads and Saints start all over again

ROUND 1 PREVIEW: Having climbed the top of the AFL North West tree, reigning premiers the New England Nomads men and Inverell Saints women now need to return to ground level and start at the same place as everybody else.

It just so happens that the Nomads and Saints meet in the Anzac Round opener with Bellevue Oval set to be rocking to the sounds of football making their return.

Despite being the champs and playing at home, the Nomads will enter the contest as the underdog.

First and foremost because Inverell has bee smarting all summer long about the one-point loss the Nomads inflicted upon them in last year’s Preliminary Final and are out to turn the tables.

Secondly the Nomads will be fielding an understrength team as this Anzac weekend marks the end of the University of New England holidays.

The women’s clash at Armidale also promises to be a great encounter but just like the men’s match, the Saints are favoured to win and get their title defence off to a great start.

At Tamworth, the Kangaroos will be defending their home patch against Gunnedah.

The women start proceedings at noon and the Poochettes will be in strange territory as it’s been a very long time indeed since the Gunnedah girls have taken the field having lost their previous match.

The Bulldogs men are expected to be an improved unit in 2023 and will provide a very stiff test for the Kangaroos when the men’s match starts at 2pm.

ROUND 1 – Saturday, April 22

NEW ENGLAND NOMADS vs INVERELL at Bellevue Oval, Armidale

(12.00pm – Women; 2.00pm – Men)

TAMWORTH KANGAROOS vs GUNNEDAH at Tamworth No.1 Oval, Tamworth

(12.00pm – Women; 2.00pm – Men)

BYE: Tamworth Swans