The 18-round campaign will contain two split rounds, while the grand final is on September 22, and the final series will start on August 31. Fans of Echuca and Kyabram will have to wait until round 11 for the highly-anticipated grand final rematch.
But in some welcome news for fans of interleague football and netball, the GVL has announced the return of its traditional clash against rivals Ovens & Murray League, which is set to be held on May 25.
After suffering a heart-breaking seven-point loss to O&M in March, the GVL has turned to the men it thinks will end the senior football side’s more than 10-year wait for an Ash-Wilson Trophy triumph.
Echuca premiership co-coach Sam Reid, who is coming off back-to-back flags with the Murray Bombers, will join Shepparton great Mark Lambourn in efforts to see the league return to winning ways.
Stepping away from the coaching trio of himself, Andrew Walker and Simon Maddox for 2024, though taking up a new initiative at Echuca with brother Ben, Reid said the opportunity to continue the revival of the interleague format and don the purple and gold jumper were key elements in joining Lambourn as GVL mentor.
“I was really keen to play in it last year,” Reid said.
“I think rep footy, in general, has dropped away, and every time I talk to older guys, especially the old man, they talk about how much it meant to them back in the day.
“All these young guys should be trying to play at the highest level they can, and representing your league against another like O&M should be seen as something you cherish.
“It happened pretty quickly. I had a meeting with the board and presented my thoughts on what we could improve and stuff that worked.
“I’m super excited to get involved and pick the best team we have. We haven’t beaten them (O&M) for a few years, so we want to get out there and give it to them.”
Reid will take up the role in a playing capacity while also pouring his time into a new academy initiative at reigning premier Echuca.
“Ben and I, at the back end of last year, presented a one-on-one coaching method to teach our younger guys within the group,” he said.
“We don’t have to do a lot of recruiting. We think we have the team already, especially those guys who are 18 or 21.
“The Reid Academy has about 25 players who have been training once a week, and they’ve been awesome.
“We’ve won five under-18 flags in a row, so we want to fast-track those guys.”
The 2024 GVL season fixture will once again feature special themed rounds, including the Anzac round (round four), Say No To Violence round (round seven) and Indigenous rounds in weeks 12 and 13.
Three night games will be played in the first three rounds, with Rochester set to host Kyabram in one of those at Moon Oval in round two.
