DROUGHT-RESI STANT measures taken by councils have ensured the 2008 season will kick off on time.

The league has released its fixture schedule, with the first round starting on Saturday, April 19.

It was based on advice from a meeting last week with representatives of Greater Dandenong, Monash, Bayside, Kingston, Port Phillip and Stonnington councils.

General manager Wayne Holdsworth said the councils' measures had ensured an uninterrupted football season.

"The councils have done all the research and have good drought-resistant measures in place; they

are much better prepared than they were 18 months ago.

"While they are monitoring the state of their grounds daily, the councils have indicated they would support a start to the season as per our fixture."

Holdsworth said the ongoing drought had all but ended pre-season training as clubs knew it.

"The councils have said they needed as much time as they could get between the end of the cricket season and the first round in football to get the grounds right so they provide clubs with good facilities for the whole season.

"Clubs must now realise that pre-season training as they have known it [on their home grounds] has gone, and must think about other alternatives like sessions down at the beach or at a swimming pool."