Coburg to host Frankston in men’s and women’s double-header on Sunday
Piranha Park will host a historic double-header on Sunday with old rivals Coburg and Frankston going head-to-head in men’s and women’s games.
Victorian Football
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A new chapter will be written when an old rivalry renews on Sunday as Coburg hosts Frankston.
For the first time, the Lions and Dolphins will clash in a double-header at Piranha Park as the two clubs’ men’s and women’s teams battle for the Ritchie’s Cup.
In the VFL, Coburg will be looking to avenge last year’s loss to Frankston and erase last week’s devastating last-second loss to Essendon.
The Dolphins meanwhile are hoping to cement their place in the top eight after a strong start to the season.
Frankston coach Danny Ryan said ladder position was never a consideration when standalone clubs clashed.
“Standalones when they play, it’s a nil-all draw at the start, it’s a war to the finish and then we have a beer at the end,” he said.
“That’s what’s great about it, the ladder means nothing.
“We enjoy coming up here and playing in the Merri Creek mud, it’s good value.”
Coburg co-captain Peter McEvoy agreed, hoping his team could spring a surprise.
“The difference between teams is so small, any team at their best can beat anyone,” he said.
“Yes, we’re on the bottom – which isn’t where we want to be – but we believe our best footy can beat any team if we put it together for four quarters.”
In the women’s, Coburg sits undefeated on top of the South-East Women’s ladder, while Frankston is in third and aiming to cause the upset.
Lions captain Maddie Edwards is confident her team can replicate the 48-point win it earned in Round 2.
“We’re looking forward to the double-header, it should be a pretty good tussle.
“We haven’t lost a game, so can’t complain, and it’s been really satisfying seeing the improvement from the start of the year, let alone from last year. I’m pretty proud of the girls.”
As the VFL continues to evolve, the traditional standalone contests become rarer but ever more important.
Coburg will only face three standalone clubs this season, denied historic clashes against old enemies Northern Bullants and Williamstown.
Frankston on the other hand will play all five standalone clubs.
McEvoy hopes to see a good crowd despite a cold forecast.
“We would have loved a couple more (standalone games) but that’s beyond our control,” he said.
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“The whole time I’ve been at Coburg we’ve always had really enjoyable contests against Frankston, a few have gone both ways over the journey but we’ll put our best foot forward.
“It was obviously heart-breaking in the way we lost (last week) but we have to move on quickly, Frankston’s travelling a lot better than us so we’ve got a big task ahead.
“It’s looking pretty icy, cold and windy, but hopefully the faithful show up and Frankston always have a strong showing.”
The men’s game kicks off at 12.35pm with the women’s game to follow at 3.45pm.
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