The 2010 NAB Cup will commence this weekend at Subiaco Oval, with Australia’s number one sporting competition resuming on-field hostilities on Friday February 12, some 139 days since the Geelong Cats claimed the 2009 premiership with victory over St Kilda.

West Coast will host Essendon in the opening game of the pre-season competition, while the Cats will defend the NAB Cup in 2010, having beaten Collingwood in last year’s final in front of nearly 40,000 fans at Etihad Stadium.

AFL Football Operations Manager Adrian Anderson launched the 2010 competition, which will see matches in all states and territories as part of the NAB Cup and NAB Challenge, and an emphasis on three trial rules for examination.

The AFL wishes to advise that the start time for the Round One NAB Cup match between West Coast and Essendon to be played at Subiaco on Friday February 12, has been amended.

The match will now commence five minutes later at 5.45pm.

The AFL also wishes to advise the Round Two Match 12 game, between the winners of the Geelong Cats / North Melbourne and Fremantle / Melbourne games, has been pushed back 30 minutes to a 5.10pm start on Sunday February 28.

This game remains at Etihad Stadium

Subiaco Oval will play host to two first-round NAB Cup fixtures in 2010 after West Coast and Fremantle were both drawn to begin their pre-season campaigns at home.

The Eagles open the knockout challenge with a game against Essendon on Friday, February 12, while Fremantle host Melbourne in a twilight fixture nine days later.

First up victories for the WA sides would see West Coast meet the winner of Adelaide and Port Adelaide at Subiaco Oval and Fremantle head east to take on Geelong or North Melbourne.

ENGLAND Rugby coach Martin Johnson visited Subiaco Oval this week after arriving in Australia for a reconnaissance visit to Sydney and Perth ahead of next year’s Tests against the Qantas Wallabies.

The first Test will be played at Subiaco Oval on Saturday, June 12, and the second in Sydney on Saturday, June 19.

MORE than $120,000 has been added to Telethon's 2009 fundraising tally following last Saturday's (October 10) Chris Mainwaring Tribute Match at Subiaco Oval.

AFL legends from all over Australia pulled on the boots in honour of the Eagles favourite, with 26,258 spectators attending to see them in action.

An entertaining game saw the OWLS (Older, Wiser, Slower, Larger) defeat Connolly's Commandos by a solitary point in the second annual Mainy Tribute Match for Telethon.