By Marcus Uhe
First round byes in the 2025 Dockerty Cup are both blessings and curses for a pair of local football sides when the competition begins in the coming weeks.
Noble Park and Endeavour Hills Fire will both watch first round action on the sidelines before tackling tough assignments in the second round against State League 1 North West clubs, Western Suburbs and Yarraville, respectively.
It will provide a fierce test for both sides early in their respective seasons, with the potential benefits arising from an upset sure to outweigh the downsides of an early exit.
The case is the opposite for South Springvale, hosting State League 4 North side in the second round.
The draw was conducted on Wednesday 29 January by Football Federation Victoria officials.
The first 28 teams drawn received a bye, with the remaining 104 teams drawn into 52 fixtures.
The schedule of the fixtures is yet to be finalised as of this publication.
Named after the Cup’s founder, Harry Dockerty, the Cup is a knock-out tournament between teams from differing levels of competition throughout Victoria – the state’s answer to the FA Cup in England.
Dandenong Thunder claimed the Cup back in 2012.
DOCKERTY CUP LOCAL FIXTURES (2025 State League)
ROUND 1
White Star Dandenong (3 South East) v Dooren United (5 North)
Dandenong South (3 South East) v Monbulk Rangers (4 East)
Mount Eliza (5 South) v Casey Panthers (5 South)
Melbourne University (4 South) v Barton United (5 South)
Moreland United (4 North) v Springvale City (4 South)
Ballarat North United (Ballarat and District Soccer Association) v Lyndale United (4 South)
FC Noble Hurricanes (4 South) v Ocean Grove (5 West)
Greater Dandenong (3 South East) v East Kew (4 East)
Sunbury United (3 North West) v Hampton Park United Sparrows (3 South East)
Sandown Lions (4 South) v Brighton (5 South)
Endeavour United (4 South) v Fawkner (4 North)
Keysborough (5 South) v Heidelberg Stars (4 North)
Byes: Endeavour Hills Fire (5 South), Noble Park (5 East)
ROUND 2
South Springvale (1 South East) v Keon Park (4 North)
Bayside Argonauts (1 South East) v Noble Park United (2 South East)
Yarraville (1 North West) v Endeavour Hills Fire (5 South)
Noble Park (5 East) v Western Suburbs (1 North West)
Casey Comets (2 South East) v Corio (1 North West)
