VFL boost: Foxtel to broadcast Thursday night VFL games

Foxtel will broadcast Thursday night VFL matches this season as the league receives a welcome boost in coverage.

Midfield star Adam Marcon will lead Williamstown into 2021.

The VFL will be kicking goals on the broadcast front this year.

The state league, which has expanded to 22 clubs after taking in six teams from the NEAFL, will be covered by Foxtel, Kayo and Channel 7 in 2021, the AFL has confirmed.

Seven will broadcast the VFL’s match of the day live on Sundays and fans will also be able to livestream it via Seven’s BVOD platform, 7plus.

Kayo will cover at least two additional matches live every round on Kayo Freebies (no paywall). It will carry three matches in each of the first two rounds to kick off the season.

And the VFL will hit the airwaves of Fox Footy with a Thursday night match live on Fox Footy in the weeks when there is no AFL Thursday night game – simulcast on Kayo, Foxtel Go, Foxtel Now.

“We are incredibly fortunate to have broadcast partners who share our commitment to expanding the game and the new broadcast offering to state league competitions is a real boost for the VFL across Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland,’’ AFL head of talent pathways and state league competitions Tristan Salter said.

“We know the legion of supporters are looking forward to the return of the VFL season and there is much for fans to look forward to, whether that be attending matches or watching the broadcast.

“We are so excited that VFL footy is back. All 22 clubs play a vital role in keeping their suburban and regional networks engaged. They are pillars of their local communities and so important to growing and nurturing our national code.”

“We begin a new era for the VFL in 2021 with a renewed level of optimism and excitement, focusing on delivering fans the highest standard of state league football in Australia at more venues and across multiple channels.’’

Seven, Foxtel and Kayo.will all broadcast the VFL finals.

Coverage will begin on Kayo Freebies at noon on Saturday with the Sydney Swans and GWS GIANTS match at Lakeside Oval in Sydney and Brisbane and Essendon at Moreton Bay Sports Complex in Brisbane.

Sunday’s game between Box Hill Hawks and Casey Demons will be shown from 12pm on Channel 7 and 7plus.

“We are thrilled to be able to bring VFL footy to a whole new audience in 2021 via Foxtel and Kayo, with more coverage than ever before,’’ Fox Sports executive director Steve Crawley said.

“The expert Fox Footy team will be covering every Thursday night match as well as the finals, with fans able to watch live on Foxtel or stream on Kayo. In a major boost, Kayo will also produce a minimum of two additional matches per round which will be streamed live and free on Kayo Freebies.

“VFL plays a major role not only as a feeder league to the AFL, but also in keeping community footy clubs engaged, so we’re excited to make more matches accessible to dedicated footy fans across the country.”

Seven Melbourne managing director Lewis Martin said: “The VFL was sorely missed in 2020, so we’re rapt it will back bigger and better than ever this season, live and free on Seven.’’

VFL LISTS FOR 2021

Meanwhile, clubs last week submitted their lists for the 2021 — and there are some notable names in the squads for the season that kicks off on Friday.

Former St Kilda forward Paddy McCartin has landed with the Sydney Swans, one of six teams from the NEAFL that has joined the Victorian league to expand it to 22.

Ex-Giant and Kangaroo Paul Ahern will be a pivotal player for the Northern Bullants as they return to standalone status.

The Ants have also recruited delisted Blue Ben Silvagni, who had linked with the Swans.

Former Tiger and Gold Coast Sun Corey Ellis has joined Coburg, and ex-Essendon forward Josh Begley is at Frankston.

Southport put three former Bulldogs on its books: Lukas Webb, Billy Gowers and Brad Lynch.

Here are all of the squads:

Former Kangaroo and Lion Ryan Bastinac is with Aspley.

ASPLEY

Senior list

Jordan Hayden

James Ives

Ryan Bastinac

Benjamin Warren

Erin Wasley-Black

Corey Lyons

Matthew Payne

Jacob Allison

Connor Stackelberg

Matthew Hammelmann

Reece Toye

Jack Rolls

Jonathan Giles

Jonathan Freeman

Jordan Arnold

Matt Eagles

Jai Fitzpatrick

Thomas Templeton

Michael Hutchinson

Liam Dawson

Jack Lipscombe

Brad Dale

Mitch Crawley

William Wolbers

Isaac Corvo

Jasper Craven

Luke O’Sullivan

Jesse Malthouse

Development list

William Gowers

Thomas Baulch

William O’Dwyer

Dylan Smith

Ryan Banks-Smith

Tom Jeffrey

Kobe Tozer

Jake Warren

James Ivers

Perry Lewis-Smith

William Peppin

William McKenzie

Ed Phillips is part of a strong Box Hill Hawks list.

BOX HILL HAWKS

Primary list

Damian Mascitti

Vincent Adduci

Hugh Beasley

Josh Deluca

Fergus Greene

Ed Phillps

Brayden Kilpatrick

Stuart Horner

Lachlan Walker

Jordan Cunico

Mason De Wit

Elliott Le Grice

Development list

Callum Porter

Mackenzie Doreian

Jesse Cucinotta

Trent Mynott

Riley Bowman

James Blanck

Mihael Zalac

Josh Le Grice

Chayce Black

Jai Newcombe

Jamieson Rossiter

Cayden Maki

Adrian Kalcovski

Charlie Beasley

Trent Warren

BRISBANE

Jack Briskey

Tahj Abberley

Bruce Cereville

Saxon Crozier

Jacob Langborne

Toby Triffett

Will O'Dwyer

Wilson Barry

Shatna Cashen-Harris

Will Tasker

Connor Bulley

Charlie Bowes

Thomas Wischnat

Harrison Arnold

Lochlan Harrop

Former Pie Ben Crocker has joined Carlton’s VFL squad.

CARLTON

Primary list

Matt Shannon

Ryley Stoddart

Tom North

James Parsons

Alex Cincotta

Toby Wooller

Daniel Guccione

Cody Hirst

Ben Crocker

Harry Reynolds

Dale Marshall

Development list

Fraser Phillips

Lachlan Gawel

Lachlan Bond

Ed Delany

Zane Barzen

Cooper Stephens

Will Golds

Aaron Gundry

Lachlan Potter

Stefan Radavanovic

Benjamin Nikolovski

Ben Caluzzi

Owen King

Lachlan Swaney

Zavier Maher

CASEY DEMONS

Primary list

James Munro

Cory Stockdale

Mitch White

Zac Foot

Jaxon Briggs

Lachie Modica

Jack Hutchins

Tom McCaffrey

Mitch Lewis

Cory Machaya

Tom Freeman

Jack Bell

Development list

Kyle Stainthorpe

Riley Baldi

Aiden Quigley

Nathan Heath

Hunter Howden

Andrew Courtney

Josh Smith

George Grey

Matt Johnson

Jason Stuart

Jarryd Barker

Nick Lowden

Harvey Neocleous

Ryan Sparkes

Miles Sheppard

Luca Goonan

Corey Ellison

New Coburg Lion Corey Ellis.

COBURG

Primary list

Luke Nelson

Jesse Corigliano

Jacob Ballard

Sam Lowson

Ryan Exon

Harry Nolan

Lochie Dickson

Tom Silvestro

Mitch Podhajski

Luke Bunker

Peter McEvoy

Corey Ellis

Jack Mainau

Athan Tsialtas

Nathan Boucher

Dinny Cleary

Jhye Baddeley-Kelly

Adam Swierzbiolek

Jackson McDonald

Charlie Thompson

Nelson Lane

Tyson Old

Sam Binion

Nathan Mullenger-McHugh

Liam Whelan

Josh Guthrie

Kyle Galloway

Marcus Lentini

Development list

Ryan Sturgess

Braedyn Gillard

Tom McKenzie

Tyen Browning

Josh D’Intinosante

Ben Overman

Aaron Clarke

Jackson Davies

Ben Reddick

Bailey Thompson

Ben Jepson

Nathan Howard

Lachlan Tardrew has returned to Collingwood.

COLLINGWOOD

Primary list

Campbell Hustwaite

Callan Wellings

Campbell Lane

Sam Fowler

Sam Glover

Lachlan Tardrew

Kaden Schreiber

Jacob Booth

Cody Stackelberg

William Geurts

Isaac Wallace

Scott Selwood

Development list

Lachlan McDonnell

LochlanJ enkins

Samuel Collins

Youseph Dib

Will Hart

Ryan Valentine

Dylan Thomas

Ned Moyle

Former Collingwood tall Sam McLarty has hooked up with Essendon.

ESSENDON

Primary list

Kyle Dunkley

Danny Younan

Joe Atley

Bruno Laguda

Sam McLarty

James Harrold

Josh Tynan

Daniel Thompson

Jake Hobbs

Angus Baker

Development list

Brady Rowles

Joshua Kemp

Sam Graham

Josh Smithson

Billy Cootee

Max Simpson

Matt Day

Pat Bannister

Fraser Robertson

Wade Derksen

Kobe Brown

Charlie Byrne

FOOTSCRAY

Primary list

Nathan Drummond

Lachlan Sullivan

Tate Short

Robbie McComb

Reuban William

Bailey Vanderhuevel

Jordan Boyd

Nayef Amad

Jesse Glass-McCasker

Corey Preston

Liam Nash

Nick Baltas

Development list

Daniel Orgill

Cody Raak

Ewan Macpherson

Josh Kellet

Darcy Cassar

Lachlan Dawson

Cooper Craig Peters

Charlie Cormack

Austin Hodge

Lachlan Stephens

Charlie Langford

Jarrod Gilbee

Ned Nichols

Chance Doultree

Spencer Anderson

Former Essendon forward Josh Begley is a good signing for Frankston.

FRANKSTON

Primary list

Josh Begley

Jack Berry

Anthony Brolic

Mitchell Cox

Sam Fletcher

William Fordham

Nathan Freeman

Jeremy Goddard

Liam Hiscock

Alfred Jarnestrom

Ash Krakouer

Ben Jacobs

Cal Jones

Brodie McLaughlin

Jack Mentha

Joshua Newman

Riley D’Arcy

Kai Owens

James Rendell

Connor Riley

Nathan Scagliarini

Al Richards

Angus Styles

Liam Reidy

Max Williams

Tylar Young

Joel Crocker

Brett O’Hanlon

Development list

Taine Barlow

William Arthurson

Joe Lloyd

William Mackay

Josiah Duncan

Jackson Voss

Harry Loughnan

Blake O’Leary

Bailey Lambert

Tom Small

Bill McCormack

Lachlan Williams

Ryan Abbott (left) is back with the VFL Cats.

GEELONG

Primary list

Aaron Black

Ryan Abbott

Daniel Capiron

Trent McMullan

Jackson McLachlan

Oliver Tate

Luke Smith

Darcy Lang

Ned Harris

Jackson Thurlow

James Gow

Callum Mitchell

Development list

Charlie Sprague

Will Christie

Jye Chalcraft

Nick Burke

Charlie Ham

Marcus Herbert

Benjamin Worme

Charlie Wilson

Zach Walter

Jed Hill

Liam Herbet

Jordan Johnston

Adam Garner

Mitch Burgess

Charlie Brauer

Isaac Wareham

Lachlan Smith

Liam Fiore

GOLD COAST SUNS

William Bella

Finn Brown

Jed Foggo

Jackson Griffiths

Jackson Hamann

Austin Harris

Thomas Hofert

Jack Johnston

Max Pescud

Ryan Pickering

Bailey Reeves

James Smith

Ned Stevens

Bodhi Uwland

GWS GIANTS

Primary list

Alex Smout

Kel Evans

Matthew McGrory

Cameon Edwards

Xavier Barry-Murphy

William Clark

Ryhs Pollock

Joshua Boag

Mathew Ackland

James Peatling

Timothy Garvey

Development list

Nathan Smith

Leyton Chisholm

Zachary Youlten

Liam Ross

Lucas Lam

Joshua Lee

Kyle Veerhuis

Fraser Kelly

Sam Frost

Harry Grintell

Mackinley Miller

Maximus Monaghan

Josh Fahey

Josh Green

Jack Driscoll

Ben Speight is back on North Melbourne’s books.

NORTH MELBOURNE

Primary list

Kade Answerth

Alex Polidoros

Connor Byrne

Flynn Appleby

Harry Jones

Jacob Heron

Josh Clayton

Louis Cunningham

Mathew Walker

Ryley Monkhorst

Tyler Roos

Ben Speight

Development list

Bailey Boag

Curtis Brown

Mark Baker

Elijah Reardon

Hamish Dick

Harrison Gunther

Jack Watkins

Jake Steele

Miller Hodge

Thomas Donnelly

Callum Kilptarick

Hamish Murphy

Northern Bullants favourite Tom Wilson.

NORTHERN BULLANTS

Tom Wilson

Jean-Luc Velissaris

Liam Mackie

William Murphy

Glenn Strachan

Dylan Stone

William Mitchell

Matthew King

Tim Jones

Finbar O’Dwyer

Jack Murphy

Hisham Kerbatieh

Paul Ahern

Tynan Smith

Kieran Collins

Jackson Barling

Doug Lawrence

Ben Hurley

Ben Silvagni

Baxter Knight

Harrison Kennedy

Arion Richter-Salter

Matthew Gundry

Tom Mills

Lachlan Wilson

Ayce Taylor

Daniel Hughes

Development list

Zac Hart

Sunny Brazier

Ryan Gardner

Jeremy Goddard

Mutaz El Nour

Oskar Manton

Nathan Honey

Jack Boyd

John Roumeliotis

Cameron Wild

Kye Quirk

PORT MELBOURNE

Mackenzie Rivett

Mitch McCarthy

Eli Templeton

Thomas O’Sullivan

Isaac Conway

Fletcher Roberts

Matthew Arnot

Chris Jansen

Dirk Koenen

Corey Wagner

Nash Holmes

Patrick Kerr

Cal Searle

Matthew Signorello

Mitch Wooffindin

Anthony Anastasio

Declan Watson

Ben Jolley

Liam McKenna

Harry Hunt

Tom Cameron

Jake Gasper

Campbell Walker

Ethan Phillips

Jackson Starcevich

Harvey Hooper

Tom O’Sullivan

Jayden Eales

Development list

Jeromy Lucas

Matthew McGannon

Cameron Hodges

Angus Hanrahan

Liam Delahunty

Joshua May

Nick Stathopoulos

Harry Minton-Connell

Kyle Reid

Zak Pretty

Joshua Hotchkin

JeremyO’Sullivan

RICHMOND

Primary list

Steven Morris

Garrett McDonagh

Brad Melville

Lachlan Street

Riley Loton

Cam Olden

Development list

Angus Hicks

Nathan Oakes

Sam Tucker

Karl Worner

Flynn Maguire

Nick Guiney

Dylan Cook

Sam Durham

Joel Nathan

Bailey Henderson

Fraser Elliot

East Malvern ruckman Chris Carey has signed with Sandringham.

SANDRINGHAM

Primary list

Chris Carey

Goy Lok

Daniel Coffield

Hedley Smith

Jackson Ross

Luke Dalmau

Sam Dunell

Macgregor Cameron

Beau Bailey

Trent Thomas

Jesse Castan

Development list

Anthony Seaton

Cody Henness

Daniel Frampton

Finlay Bayne

Jack McHale

Jackson Hille

Josh Gasparini

Kya Austin

Maxwell Sinclair

Mitch Riordan

Nick Bufalo

Oscar Lewis

Riley Thompson

Riley Virtue

Tyson Milne

Vincent Zagari

Former Bulldog Billy Gowers has joined Southport.

SOUTHPORT

Primary list

Brad Scheer

Leigh Osborne

Jacob Dawson

Michael Manteit

Andrew Boston

Dylan Fyfe

Ryan Davis

Seb Tape

Mackenzie Willis

Rhys Clarke

Ethan Reeves

Brodie Murdoch

Fraser Thurlow

Connor Nutting

Mitch Johnson

Charlie Ford

Tom Fields

Tom Miller

Jamison Shea

Brayden Crossley

Jesse Joyce

Lukas Webb

Jesse Travaglini

Josh Williams

Matt Doran

Billy Gowers

Brad Lynch

Development list

Daniel Charlesworth

Kwaby Boakye

Riley Greene

Nathan Colenso

Matt Gahan

Rhys King

Ryan Gilmore

Ashton Crossley

Oliver Burrows-Cheng

Charlie Lang

Corey Joyce

Michael Selsby

SYDNEY SWANS

Primary list

Darcy Cordell

Ryan Hebron

Harry Morrison

Jake Bartholomaeus

Adam Gulden

Patrick McCartin

William Collis

Development list

Nicholas Brewer

Max Geddes

Lachlan McAndrew

Sam Thorne

Reedvan Huisstede

Aidan Watling

Harry Maguire

Wylie Buzza is now a Bee.

WERRIBEE

Primary list

Wylie Buzza

Max Spencer

Michael Sodomaco

Thomas “JJ’’ Gribble

Nick Coughlan

Shaun Mannagh

Nicholas Hayes

Jack Henderson

Ryan Pendlebury

Joe Maishman

Matthew Hanson

Ariek Lual

Ryan Kemp

Kye Declase

Matthew Lobbe

Max Augerinos

Nathan Cooper

Edyn Sibbald

Harry Stubbings

Louis Pinnuck

Bior Malual

Daniel Nielson

Matthew Brett

Dominic Brew

Logan Wagener

Darcy Bennett

Tex Korewha

Development list

Keegan Gray

Darcy Chirgwin

Jay Dahlhaus

Jesse Clark

Lucas Rocci

Aiden Domic

Tylar Watts

Archi Manton

Tom Boyd

Hudson Garoni

Emmanuel Ajang

Connor Thar

After a stint at Essendon, Mitch Hibberd has returned to Willy.

WILLIAMSTOWN

Primary list

Luke Meadows

Mitch Hibberd

Corey Rich

Billy Myers

Brayden Monk

Liam Hunt

Nick Sing

Nick Mellington

Adam Marcon

Jaylon Thorpe

Tom Downie

Jack Leslie

Sam Murray

Jordan Gallucci

James Peters

Nicholas Rodda

Nicholas Buykxn

Jake Greiser

Hayden Bertoli-Simmonds

Joel Ottavi

Josh Pickess

Cameron Polson

Teia Miles

Nick Ebinger

Bailey Morrish

Harrison Macreadie

Max Philpot

Kallan Dawson

Development list

Tom Mundy

Noah Gown

Daly Andrews

Lachie Stapleton

Mitch Mellis

Charlie Dean

Darby Henderson

Daniel Mott

Jack Toner

Lucas Failli

Sam Conway