Geelong and Eastern football leagues to play at Etihad Stadium as an AFL curtain raiser

THE Eastern Football League will have a new coach when it vies for the state’s top ranking against the Geelong Football League as an AFL curtain raiser at Etihad Stadium.

The Eastern Football League celebrates last year’s win. Picture: Stuart Milligan

THE Eastern Football League will have a new coach when it vies for the state’s top ranking against the Geelong Football League as an AFL curtain raiser at Etihad Stadium.

The top-of-the-table interleague clash will be held on Saturday, May 19, before the Round 9 Collingwood and St Kilda night game, exposing some of the state’s best community players in a showcase venue.

EFL chief executive Phil Murton said it was hoped the marquee community championships fixture would be enough of a lure for the competition to field its strongest team.

“Certainly experience in the past says where you are playing, who you are playing and what you are playing for all have an impact on the availability of the elite players of the competition,” Murton said.

“We’re hoping to put the best team on the park we can and have a second crack at Geelong, who beat us a couple of years ago, to aim for that No.1 ranking.

“Geelong haven’t been beaten in about five years I think so there’s a good opportunity there to try get a win up and the opportunity of playing on Etihad, I think all players would be excited by.”

Leigh Williams was Eastern’s best player in 2017. Picture: Stuart Milligan

The league will also have a new coach in 2018 after Brett Moyle stepped down from the position.

Moyle has served in the role for the past two years but Murton said his time requirements as North Ringwood coach meant he could not commit to the role this season.

“I think with the time required being a senior Division 1 coach these days, there is probably a need for someone who isn’t actively involved in a senior coaching capacity,” Murton said.

The 1v2 interleague clash was played at the MCG in 2017 but Murton said the venue would have two regional leagues play on it this year as part of the ‘Country Game’ between Essendon and Geelong.

“While that would have been terrific, and I know last year, the players were talking then about the possibility of playing on the MCG but when that wasn’t an option, we thought we would try for the next best thing and (Etihad is) a pretty unique venue given it is indoors,” Murton said.

The EFL defeated the Essendon District competition last year by two points in the AFL Victoria Community Championships to earn the right to play off for the state’s No. 1 ranking.