AFL clash at Mars Stadium forces interleague match to move to another venue

An AFL game, which is set to be held a week later, has forced a major country footy competition to change locations for this year’s game. Here’s why.

Mars Stadium won’t host interleague like it did in 2023. Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

The Western Bulldogs AFL game against Adelaide at Mars Stadium in July has forced the Ballarat league to move its interleague match against Hampden to another venue.

This masthead can reveal the July 5 match, between the under-23 teams, and other interleague contests, will almost certainly be held at Eastern Oval.

Mars Stadium was the preferred venue for the Ballarat league for the third clash between the two competitions.

This year Ballarat is hosting the event after Hampden held the last contest in 2024 and Ballarat started the initiative in 2023.

Both games have been won by Ballarat.

But when the AFL draw came out and the Bulldogs and Crows match was announced for the weekend of July 10-12 the venue became unavailable.

No date has officially been set for the AFL match.

For any AFL game at Mars Stadium, no training or matches can be held at the venue it in the two weeks before.

Eastern Oval could be hosting interleague after Mars Stadium became unavailable due to the AFL. Picture: Alex Coppel.

As a result the Ballarat league were left with no other choice.

“We booked it in with Hampden last year before the AFL,” Ballarat league chairperson Rob Simmonds said.

“This is the weekend we want to run it. Then the AFL one came in (and it changed).”

Without confirming it, Eastern Oval looks to be the venue the Ballarat league uses.

The Ballarat league’s other choice, City Oval, will be unavailable.

“It potentially looks likely to be at the Eastern Oval,” Simmonds said.

“It’s got a good atmosphere and they have got the change rooms, which are quite good.

“We’ve got to work with East Point to use their facilities and function room for the presentations.”

Simmonds added there will be no Ballarat league matches at East Point’s home ground the week before the interleague.

He said the concept is also here to stay and there would also be the addition of another game to the fixture list with another female girls age group to be added.

“It’s definitely here to stay,” Simmonds said.

“There’s great feedback from all involved and Hampden have been brilliant to deal with.”

The match will be held on July 5.