AFL Victoria confirms introduction of statewide Community Championships pitting country and metropolitan leagues against each other
THE Eastern FL will do battle with the Geelong FL for the unofficial mantle of Victoria’s top competition next year following the introduction of the AFL Victoria Community Championships.
Local Footy
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THE Eastern Football League will do battle with the Geelong Football League for the unofficial mantle of Victoria’s top competition next year following the introduction of the AFL Victoria Community Championships.
As previously reported by Local Footy, the Metropolitan and Country championships will be merged to create a statewide competition from 2016.
The EFL has been listed as the top metropolitan competition, with the Victorian Amateur Football Association not participating.
Next year’s tournament will help AFL Victoria establish an official rankings system, which will be implemented from 2017.
AFL Victoria community football operations manager Gerard Ryan said the statewide competition would give one league the chance to stand above all others as Victoria’s best.
“It is exciting to be able to take this next step towards the establishment of a Victoria-wide senior community football championships involving a host of leagues from across the state,” Ryan said.
The Essendon District Football League, Southern Football League and Western Region Football League will play home matches next year, while the Northern Football League, Eastern Football League and South East Football Netball League face tough road trips.
The EFL will travel to Geelong to face country Victoria’s most formidable league, while the NFL has been drawn against the Peninsula league.
The EDFL is set to tackle the Goulburn Valley league, with the WRFL is up against Ballarat.
The SFL will meet the Ellinbank District FL — which incorporates clubs from Victoria’s south east — and the Riddell District Football League will battle the Alberton league.
The Yarra Valley Mountain District league will play host to the Nepean competition, while the South East league will travel to the state’s border to tackle the Murray league.
“The WorkSafe AFL Victoria Community Championships will provide a true championship model allowing a league to be recognised as the premier community football league in the state,” Ryan said.
“(It will also provide) the opportunity for metropolitan and country leagues to play against each other on a regular basis.”
The championships will be held on the weekend of May 21-22.
FIXTURES (home league listed first)
Geelong FL v Eastern FL
Pensinula FL v Northern FL
Essendon DFL v Goulburn Valley FL
Western Region FL v Ballarat FL
Gippsland League v Bendigo FL
Murray FNL v South East FNL
Yarra Valley MDFNL v Nepean FNL
Southern FL v Ellinbank District FL
Alberton FNL v Riddell DFNL
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