Goulburn Valley Suns’ new fixture slate announced for 2024 along with revamped league structure

Football Victoria announced the fixture list on December 20, with the Orangemen to contest the season, which finishes in August, over 22 games in the state’s third tier.

Craig Carley’s side ended the 2023 season in fourth, four points adrift of a promotion spot.

Following their round one tie against Essendon, the Suns will suit up for home games against new VPL2 entrants Brunswick Juventus (relegated) and Altona City (promoted) in rounds two and three before suiting up for Australia Cup duties.

Continuing on from a stellar round of 32 berth in 2023 where McEwen Reserve hosted a match against APIA Leichhardt, the Suns’ first hit-out in the cup next year arrives on March 31.

The draw will be live-streamed in the early months of 2024.

A remarkable run of seven consecutive away games lands in the middle of the season for the Suns, while the campaign comes to a close with a trio of matches back at McEwen Reserve.

Meanwhile, a revamped model replaces the under-21 format, with an under-23 competition allowing for an older youth bracket with each team awarded a certain number of overage players to feature in the match day squad.

Similar to the under-21 format, the new under-23 competition will also culminate in a finals series in late August-early September.