Football
6 November, 2025
Good Friday rivalry to open 2026 Wimmera league season
The eagerly awaited 2026 Wimmera Football Netball League fixture has been released by the WFNL board, with the season set to kick off with a clash of traditional rivals.
Stawell will host Ararat on Good Friday, April 3, to open the new season.
The rest of Round One will be played on April 11, featuring Horsham Saints versus Warrack Eagles, Minyip Murtoa versus Horsham, and Nhill versus Southern Mallee Thunder.
Fans keen for the grand final rematches will have to wait for Anzac Day to see the Demons host the Saints at City Oval.
The other grand final rematch, between the Thunder and the Rats, will take place in Round Six.
The league has scheduled a general bye for the June long weekend.
Indigenous-designed uniforms will be worn by several clubs in Round 11 to celebrate NAIDOC Week.
Clubs with multiple home grounds will work with the league for venue allocations.
The finals series begins on August 29, culminating in the grand final on September 19.
Round one. Friday, April 3 (Good Friday)
Stawell versus Ararat
Saturday, April 11:
Horsham Saints versus Warrack Eagles
Minyip-Murtoa versus Horsham Demons
Nhill versus Southern Mallee Thunder
Dimboola (bye)
Round two. Saturday, April 18:
Ararat versus Dimboola
Warrack Eagles versus Stawell
Southern Mallee Thunder versus Minyip-Murtoa
Nhill (bye)
Saturday, April 25 (Anzac Day)
Horsham versus Horsham Saints
Round three Saturday, May 2:
Dimboola versus Warrack Eagles
Stawell versus Horsham
Horsham Saints versus Southern Mallee Thunder
Minyip-Murtoa versus Nhill
Ararat (bye)
Round four. Saturday, May 9
Horsham versus Dimboola
Southern Mallee Thunder versus Stawell
Nhill versus Horsham Saints
Warrack Eagles versus Ararat
Minyip-Murtoa (bye)
Round five. Saturday, May 16
Dimboola versus Southern Mallee Thunder
Stawell versus Nhill
Horsham Saints versus Minyip-Murtoa
Ararat versus Horsham
Warrack Eagles (bye)
Round six. Saturday, May 23
Nhill versus Dimboola
Minyip-Murtoa versus Stawell
Southern Mallee Thunder versus Ararat
Horsham versus Warrack Eagles
Horsham Saints (bye)
Round seven. Saturday, May 30
Dimboola versus Minyip-Murtoa
Stawell versus Horsham Saints
Ararat versus Nhill
Warrack Eagles versus Southern Mallee Thunder
Horsham (bye)
June 6: King’s Birthday bye
Round eight. Saturday, June 13
Horsham Saints versus Dimboola
Minyip-Murtoa versus Ararat
Nhill versus Warrack Eagles
Southern Mallee Thunder versus Horsham
Stawell (bye)
Round nine. Saturday, June 20
Dimboola versus Stawell
Ararat versus Horsham Saints
Warrack Eagles versus Minyip-Murtoa
Horsham versus Nhill
Southern Mallee Thunder (bye)
Round 10. Saturday, June 27
Ararat versus Stawell
Warrack Eagles versus Horsham Saints
Horsham versus Minyip-Murtoa
Southern Mallee Thunder versus Nhill
Dimboola (bye)
Round 11. Saturday, July 4
Dimboola versus Ararat
Stawell versus Warrack Eagles
Minyip-Murtoa versus Southern Mallee Thunder
Sunday, July 5:
Horsham Saints versus Horsham
Nhill (bye)
Round 12. Saturday, July 11
Warrack Eagles versus Dimboola
Horsham versus Stawell
Nhill versus Minyip-Murtoa
Southern Mallee Thunder versus Horsham Saints
Ararat (bye)
Round 13. Saturday, July 18
Dimboola versus Horsham
Stawell versus Southern Mallee Thunder
Horsham Saints versus Nhill
Ararat versus Warrack Eagles
Minyip-Murtoa (bye)
Round 14. Saturday, July 25
Southern Mallee Thunder versus Dimboola
Nhill versus Stawell
Minyip-Murtoa versus Horsham Saints
Horsham versus Ararat
Warrack Eagles (bye)
Round 15. Saturday, August 1
Dimboola versus Nhill
Stawell versus Minyip-Murtoa
Ararat versus Southern Mallee Thunder
Warrack Eagles versus Horsham
Horsham Saints (bye)
Round 16. Saturday, August 8
Minyip-Murtoa versus Dimboola
Horsham Saints versus Stawell
Nhill versus Ararat
Southern Mallee Thunder versus Warrack Eagles
Horsham (bye)
Round 17. Saturday, August 15
Dimboola versus Horsham Saints
Ararat versus Minyip-Murtoa
Warrack Eagles versus Nhill
Horsham versus Southern Mallee Thunder
Stawell (bye)
Round 18. Saturday, August 22
Stawell versus Dimboola
Horsham Saints versus Ararat
Minyip-Murtoa versus Warrack Eagles
Nhill versus Horsham
Southern Mallee Thunder (bye)
Qualifying final: Saturday, August 29
Elimination final: Sunday, August 30
Second semi-final: Saturday, September 5
First semi-final: Sunday, September 6
Preliminary final: Saturday, September 12
Grand final: Saturday, September 19