This evening’s Round 7 and Playoff fixture draws for the 2026 New Balance Dockerty Cup confirmed a massive slate of men’s cup football is on its way, with places in the Hahn Australia Cup on the line.
Our last remaining regional club, the Goulburn Valley Suns, were drawn first and will host VPLM 1 side FC Bulleen Lions, who are fresh of a comprehensive 6-0 victory over Port Melbourne.
Next up is an all-Senol NPL Men’s showdown between Preston Lions and Caroline Springs George Cross, two sides who will be desperate to secure a place in the Hahn Australia Cup and prove themselves on the national stage.
Brunswick Juventus booked their place in Round 7 of the tournament thanks to a 119th minute winner over Box Hill. But they will face a stern test in Senol NPL Men’s ladder leaders Oakleigh Cannons, who dispatched St Albans 2-0 in Round 6.
Heidelberg United will be eyeing off another deep Hahn Australia Cup run in 2026 but will need to get past fellow NPL side Bentleigh Greens, who found some form in their 3-0 Round 6 win over Northcote City.
North Sunshine Eagles played out possibly the game of the round in Round 6, overcoming their VPLM 1 rivals Eltham in a high-scoring 4-2 affair. They’ll need to bring that same heat in the next round when they face off against a star-studded Avondale FC side for a place in the next stage.
The fixtures for Round 7 of the New Balance Dockerty / Hahn Australia Cup can be played on the following dates:
- Tuesday 26 May 2026 (7:30pm-8:30pm kick-off)
- Wednesday 27 May 2026 (7:30pm-8:30pm kick-off)
- Thursday 28 May 2026 (7:30pm-kick-off)
Also confirmed in this evening’s draw was the match-up for the playoff fixture required to confirm our final four sides who will move through to the Semi Final and be joining South Melbourne as one of the five Victorian clubs included in the Hahn Australia Cup Round of 32.
All five upcoming Round 7 matchups were placed in a pot, and two of those matchups were randomly drawn to confirm the playoff fixture. We can confirm that the winner of the Brunswick Juventus vs Oakleigh Cannons fixture will host the winner of the Goulburn Valley Suns and FC Bulleen Lions.
And finally, with all the Men’s State League clubs now eliminated from the competition, the Cecil Earley Plate Semi Final matchup and first plate finalist were also drawn.
With three sides finishing at the same stage, all three team names were placed in a pot and randomly drawn. The first two sides drawn would face-off in the Semi Final with the final club drawn advancing straight to the Final.
Altona East Phoenix will host Uni Hill Eagles in the Semi Final with Williamstown SC awaiting the winner in the final.
All matches, including the Cecil Earley Plate Semi and Plate Final, will be streamed on the Football Victoria YouTube.