There are 8 enticing clashes as the ORFFF begins it’s 2nd decade during 2026 AFL Round 1 Jan Juc Ducks vs Useless Loop Virgins – the Ducks are on a competition record 30 game losing streak and will have their work cut out to upset the Virgins in their season opener, however they will be adding Cooper Duff-Tytler as another #1 draft pick in the 2026 PSD and hopefully they will be making an ORFFF debut in Round 1. - last time --> 2026 round 8 - Jan Juc Ducks 769 def by Useless Loop Virgins 1264 Sherwood Magpies vs Black Swamp 29ers – 2025 finals defeat aside the 29ers have been a bogey side for the Magpies who broke through for a grand final berth after 8 seasons in the ORFFF finals wilderness. Both sides will be keen to post a round 1 win and get their 2026 season off to a flying start. - last time --> 2026 finals week 2 - Sherwood Magpies 1334 def Black Swamp 29ers 1303 - time before --> 2026 round 8 - Black Swamp 29ers 1300 def Sherwood Magpies 1170 Mt Thirsty Boozers vs Macquarie Island Whales – the Boozers are hard to beat on their own turf and this one could get ugly for the visiting Whales. - last time --> 2026 round 11 - Mt Thirsty Boozers 1353 def Macquarie Island Whales 1130 Drouin Dropbears vs Maralinga Atoms – both teams have played 164 ORFFF games and will be hopeful of marking their 165th games with a victory. The Dropbears have an emerging young list, but heat will be upon them after disappointing 2025 campaign. The Atoms will look to put their opposition under early scoreboard pressure and spring a smash and grab round 1 win. - last time --> 2026 round 13 - Maralinga Atoms 1242 def Drouin Dropbears 1094 The Stony Ponys vs Wedge Island White Pointers - the Ponys have been in the headlines for all the wrong reasons after an ICE raid or two in the offseason. The White Pointers have been smashing their gym work and will look to bully their way to the 4 points in a tight clash, - last time --> 2026 round 13 - The Stony Ponys 1312 def Wedge Island White Pointers 1286 Walpole Woylies vs Rutherglen Fugitives - the Woylies are looking to rediscover the magic of their premiership years to launch an assault of the 2026 flag. The rebuilding Fugs will have young talent galore after raiding the 2026 PSD and are also putting time into scouting local bottom age Riverina Academy prospects as they dream of the big time. - last time --> 2026 Round 13 - Walpole Woylies 1371 def Rutherglen Fugitives 863 Neptune Island Noahs vs Nangkita Bucks – the reigning back to back to backers look too good for the ever promising but eternally enigmatic Bucks outfit. Outgoing club great Sam Docherty has been giving the coaching staff a spray in the clubrooms after recent practice matches and has been barred for a few weeks after his comments made their way into social media. - last time --> 2026 round 17 - Nangkita Bucks 1152 def by Neptune Island Noahs 1377 Port Lincoln Power vs Heard Island Shags – building on their first finals appearance in 2025 the Power will look to notch a round 1 win against the 2025 wooden spoon runners up. A small travelling contingent of Shags fans have done so simply because they will be able to say that they witnessed the Club debut of future club great Jagga Smith. - last time --> 2026 round 17 - Heard Island Shags 848 def by Port Lincoln Power 1071 ---------------------------------------------- As always it would be wise to lodge round 1 ORFFF teams as soon as the site is rolled over into the new year, in order to ensure teams can be tweaked in the week or so leading up to round 1 proper. As per 2025 we have a rolling lockout through to the first Saturday fixture in most home and away rounds, and a Friday night lockout during finals. A new tweak will be a rolling lockout to the first Sunday game during rounds 4 and 13, due to only having 8 AFL matches on those weekends. Round 1 lockout will be the Dogs vs Giants A reminder that post round 1 "preseason" trading continues until 10pm on the 30th March ahead of the slate of games set for ORFFF Round 2/AFL Round 4. Good luck all.
are we able to have an emergency at each line now or is that still a site issue from preventing that?
It is not a site issue. The site allows it. It is essentially a competition issue as our rules have been in place for a decade and until last season the number of emergencies hadn't been queried. I genuinely was considering discussing 2027 rule changes over the weekend just gone but real life got in the way, I don't feel comfortable putting it to a vote 2 days out from round 1 but if it gets bookmarked by someone we can include it in a discussion of rules for 2027 to be had this season. To be fair to all teams the proposal would be (a) reduce to 3 emergencies, (b) remain at 4 emergencies and (c) increase to 5 emergencies. Option C hugely favours sides with 20 plus players playing each week which is not the norm across the competition and even as one of those teams now (touch wood) I expect there to be some opposition when we do vote on it.
Throwing the team up now so I don't forget D - NAS, Perryman, Mac Andrew, Rozee (Balta) M - Rowston, Andy Brayshaw, Naicos, Bruhn (Hopper) R - Luke Jackson F - Sheezel, Ginnivan, Shai Bolton, Jack Graham (Seth Campbell) I - Blakiston, Darcy Wilson (Florent)
Noahs round 1 Def - Clark, Amon, Maynard, Powell (Fonti) Mid - Kennedy, Warner, Powell, Dawson (Davies) Ruck - Gawn Fwd - Moore, Keays, Neale, Wright (McKay) IC - ZJohnson, Dempsey (Chesser)
The 29ers match committee have named their lineup for the Semi Final rematch with the mighty Magpies @Vicwood. There are 3 changes from that side as we look to avenge a devastating defeat to the Magpies and commence the 2026 season in a positive fashion. JHF replaces Luke Parker (now at the White Pointers), Hayden Young replaces Ollie Hollands and ex Shags star Nick Blakey replaces Lachie Cowan. Preseason draftee James Jordon slots in as Mid Emergency along with Harvey Thomas, Cowan and Hollands as emergencies for the other lines. Blakey J Daicos Jeffery Noble - Cowan Bont Anderson LDU JHF - Jordon JDG Schultz M Hall Lipinski - H Thomas Xerri - no emg Young Banks - O Hollands Heath Chapman, Elijah Hollands and newcomers Brodie Kemp and Jack Carroll are commencing in the ressies despite being named for AFL duties while seven Black Swamp players are either injured or beginning the season playing State League football.
Maralinga Atoms Round 1 team Def - C Idun, T Stewart, Z Reid, J Fletcher (W Milera) Mid - M Holmes, J Dunkley, T Kelly, A Sheldrick (M Cox) Ruck - L McAndrew Fwd - L Mcdonald, C Trembath , J Lukosious, M Georgiades(J Amiss) Int - J Coniglio, J Berry ( J Weddle)
Round 1 - Useless Loop Virgins Def: Tylar Young, Josh Battle, Mark O’Connor, James Sicily (Griffin Logue) Mid: Lachie Neale, Zak Butters, Steele Sidebottom, Errol Gulden (Ryan Angwin) Ruck: Jarrod Witts Fwd: Cooper Sharman, Aaron Naughton, Jack Gunston, Sam Switkowski (Daniel McStay) Int: Ed Langdon, Isaac Quaynor (Cameron Zurhaar)
Woylies squad to face the Fugs. DEF: Lachie Whitfield, Caleb Daniel, Andrew McGrath, Liam Duggan (Jacob Weitering) MID: Ed Richards, Zach Merrett, Tim Taranto, Clayton Oliver (James Rowbottom) RUC: Tim English FWD: Jeremy Cameron, Mason Wood, Lachie Fogarty, Ben King (Oscar Allen) IC: Darcy Cameron, Elliot Yeo (Kane McAuliffe)
Round 1 - Macquarie Island Whales Def: Harry Himmelberg, Matt Roberts, Archie Roberts, Trent Rivers (Jack Scrimshaw) Mid: Marcus Windhager, Bailey Williams, Clay Hall, Harley Reid (Jack Ross) Ruck: Josh Lindsay *OOP Fwd: Connor Budarick, Sam Flanders, Justin McInerney, George Wardlaw (Connor MacDonald) Int: Xavier Lindsay, Charlie Edwards (Zac Williams)
Heard Island Shags New: Jagga Smith, Zeke Uwland, Ryan Maric, Jake Soligo, Zane Duursma, Massimo D'Ambrosio, Lachie Jaques, Zane Zakostelsky. DEF: Ryan Maric, Riley Bice, Judd McVee, Lachie Jaques MID: Jake Soligo, Massimo D'Ambrosio, Sam Clohesy, Jagga Smith (Elijah Tsatas) RUCK: Zane Zakostelsky FWD: Josh Treacy, Patrick Voss, Sam Lalor, Zane Duursma (Jamarra Ugle-Hagan) INT: Sam Davidson, Zeke Uwland (Harry Schoenberg)
More than half of our starting 15 are playing their first game for the club. An opportunity to shape the Shags culture as we build from here
With one game to go the visiting 29ers 12/1172 are leading the Magpies @Vicwood 12/977 by 195 points. Sherwood has Lombard, Flynn and Robertson still to play while Noble, Jeffery and Anderson are yet to take the field for Black Swamp.