VFL ROUND 1 SPLIT ROUND APRIL 4-6, 2014 SSolidolid sstarttart fforor HHawksawks $3.00 Photos: Shane Goss CCollingwoodollingwood 111.19-851.19-85 d NNorthorth BBallaratallarat 111.7-731.7-73 BBoxox HHillill HHawksawks 113.17-953.17-95 d WWilliamstownilliamstown 111.16-821.16-82 AFL VICTORIA CORPORATE PARTNERS NAMING RIGHTS PREMIER PARTNERS OFFICIAL PARTNERS APPROVED LICENSEES EDITORIAL Welcome to season 2014 WELCOME to what shapes as the most fascinating, exciting and anticipated Peter Jackson VFL season we’ve witnessed in many years. Last weekend the season kicked off with three games, and Peter Jackson VFL Clubs. Nearly Round 1 is completed this weekend with another six matches 50% of the new players drafted or to start the year. rookie listed by AFL Clubs last year In many ways it is a back to the future journey with traditional originated from Victoria. In the early clubs Coburg, Footscray, Richmond and Williamstown all rounds we have already seen Luke McDonald (Werribee) and entering the 2014 season as stand-alone entities. Patrick Ambrose (Essendon VFL) debut for their respective AFL clubs North Melbourne and Essendon. And, it paves the way for some games to once again be played at spiritual grounds like the Whitten Oval and Punt Road. Certainly, AFL Victoria is delighted that Peter Jackson Further facility development work that the respective clubs are Melbourne is once again the naming rights partner of the VFL committed to will result in more games being played at these and the Toyota Victorian Dealers return as a premier partner, venues in future years. along with Dairy Australia, who not only support the VFL fi nals If possible the Peter Jackson VFL is even more unique than ever with their Legendairy campaign, but also AFL Victoria’s U18 before with a 16-team competition with fi ve stand-alone VFL Metro and Country Academies. clubs, fi ve stand-alone AFL teams and six VFL clubs with either ABC TV returned last weekend with new host Darren Boyd full or partial alignments with AFL clubs. taking over from Peter Donegan. We would like to take this Such an increase in clubs provides even more opportunities opportunity to thank Peter for his many years of service to for young Victorians to play at a level that is the best outside the VFL. ABC TV will again provide its excellent coverage of the AFL. the match-of-the round each Saturday afternoon in a telecast which continually reaches new heights and generates the much It can only be viewed as a massive positive for the game and needed exposure that the VFL needs. those players who aspire to not only test themselves at the highest level they possibly can, but also take their game to the Last Saturday at Visy Park a triple-header involving AFL competition’s elite level. Importantly, the VFL also serves representative teams from metropolitan senior leagues decided as the perfect competition for the listed players of AFL clubs the No. 1 competition, with the Victorian Amateur Football to develop. Association defeating the Eastern Football League in the 1 v 2 clash. In other games Northern Football League defeated There are currently more than 800 players on AFL club lists; Essendon District Football League to become the second ranked nearly 400 of these were recruited directly from the TAC Cup league, and Western Region Football League accounted for and VFL competitions. the Southern Football League, moving to fourth spot in the Breaking down those impressive numbers even further reveals rankings. that 345 were directly taken in various forms of the NAB AFL From these games a team representing the Victorian Draft from the TAC Cup with 47 from the VFL. metropolitan clubs, to be coached by Brian Royal, will play It is a resounding endorsement of these two competitions and a Victorian country representative team, coached by Peter also the contribution of the many community football leagues, Knights in July. clubs and volunteers that work so hard to maintain and carry Season 2014 offers so much on so many fronts across Victoria. the game. The Victorian football network is such a critical part of the supply chain for the AFL. Enjoy what promises to be a truly memorable season. Last year, 38 players were selected by AFL Clubs from the TAC Grant Williams Cup competition, a further eight players were chosen from AFL Victoria General Manager Editor: Anthony Stanguts anthony.stanguts@afl vic.com.au Contributors: Adrian Dunn, Dave O’Neill Design & Print: Cyan Press Photos: AFL Photo’s (unless otherwise credited) Visy Park, Gate 3, Royal Parade, Carlton Nth, VIC 3054 Advertising: Ryan Webb (03) 8341 6062 GPO Box 4337, Melbourne, VIC 3001 AFL Victoria General Manager: Grant Williams Phone: (03) 8341 6000 | Fax: (03) 9380 1076 State League & Talent Manager: John Hook www.afl vic.com.au High Performance Managers: Anton Grbac, Leon Harris Cover photo: Nick Meese (Left) and Luke Lowden in the ruck Talent Operations Coordinator: Rhy Gieschen in the Williamstown v Box Hill Hawks game Talent Operations Offi cer: Lauren Bunting www.vfl .com.au 1 MEDIA COVERAGE ABC TV Saturday April 5: Frankston vs Sandringham, 1pm Next Week: Essendon vs North Ballarat VFL Radio Sunday April 6: Northern Blues vs Williamstown From 1:30pm Live on Digital Radio via Aussie, Red Time Sport and SEN I-Phone Apps, online via vfl .com.au or sen.com.au and on Vision Australia Radio on 1179AM Next game: Coburg vs Richmond 3WBC Saturday April 5: Box Hill Hawks vs Werribee Tigers – 1pm Listen to 94.1FM, online at www.3wbc.org.au or the Tune In Radio app Next game: Box Hill Hawks vs Sandringham Casey Radio Sunday April 6: Essendon vs Casey Scorpions – 12pm Tune to 97.7fm in Melbourne, via the web at www.caseyradio.com.au, or on the Tune In Radio app on your smart phone. Next game: Casey Scorpions vs Geelong SEN Thursday April 10 The Peter Jackson VFL Show 8:30pm – 9pm VFL Online Keep up to date with the Peter Jackson VFL via the following methods: Website: www.vfl .com.au @VFLnews #PJVFL www.facebook.com/vfl footy 2 www.afl vic.com.au FIXTURE PREVIEW VFL Fixture preview The Peter Jackson VFL 2014 fi xture returns to 16 teams for the fi rst time in over a decade. The competition expands with alignments between AFL Victoria State League and Talent Manager John Hook Williamstown/Western Bulldogs and Coburg/Richmond said the increase in clubs and more feature matches will having come to a close at the end of last season, and all help increase coverage of the competition next year. four clubs fi elding standalone sides this year. “It is pleasing that clubs are looking to build relationships Coburg has returned to their traditional nickname of the with regional areas to help promote the game, and Lions, while the Western Bulldogs will play under their showcase our state league competition to a wider traditional name of Footscray (Bulldogs). audience. Current club training venues for Richmond and Western “Night games have proved successful for clubs to provide Bulldogs will to host VFL matches, with games for an alternative time for supporters and general VFL fans to competition points to be held at Victoria University attend games, and it is encouraging that there has been Whitten Oval and ME Bank Centre (Punt Road Oval) for an increase in these games in the fi xture,” Hook said. the fi rst in over a decade. The Peter Jackson VFL last year produced another eight Highlights of the 2014 fi xture include: draftees to the AFL, with Hook highlighting the variety of • A Good Friday game between former aligned players the competition is now attracting. partners Bendigo Gold and Essendon “The VFL continues to develop talent and give players a • Two games on ANZAC Day with Frankston to host second chance, with the likes of Ben Ross and Cameron Richmond, and Bendigo to play Footscray Wood prime examples of how delisted players can prove themselves in the VFL competition and receive another • Four regional matches to be played in Torquay, opportunity. Echuca, Morwell & Swan Hill “Another example is former Northern Knight Jacob • An increase to nine night games in 2014, with Ballard who was overlooked at the end of his time in Bendigo Gold (four games), Geelong (three) and the TAC Cup competition in 2012, but was able to take Werribee (two) to host night matches next season. advantage of AFL Victoria’s VFL Academy and develop his www.vfl .com.au 3 FIXTURE PREVIEW game at the Northern Blues this season,” Hook said. • Round 5 will see Sandringham return home to an The 2014 season started with a split fi rst round, with the extended and resurfaced Trevor Barker Beach Oval, Peter Jackson VFL Legendairy Finals Series to begin on facing Essendon August 30. • Bendigo will head to regional Victoria, with ‘home’ Each VFL club will have two byes, with the byes this year games scheduled for Round 8 in Swan Hill and aligned where applicable to the bye of their AFL club. Round 11 in Echuca against North Ballarat and Northern Blues respectively. There will also be a break for the majority of clubs on Saturday May 31 for representative football, with the VFL • Collingwood and Richmond will take their Round 12 hosting the SANFL. game to Morwell Richmond and Essendon will be the only clubs not to • Torquay will host the battle of the Tigers in Round 8 have the bye that weekend, instead featured at ME Bank between Werribee and Richmond Centre prior to the Dreamtime at the G game.