Interleague football has been given a shake-up, with AFL Victoria announcing a Victorian Community Championship for next season.
The new competition will encompass all metropolitan and country leagues in the same interleague competition.
Previously, metropolitan leagues and country leagues played separately.
AFL Victoria community football operations manager Gerard Ryan said the combined competition promised to be one of the most exciting initiatives in community football.
“It’s exciting to be able to take this next step towards establishing a Victoria-wide senior community football championship, involving a host of leagues from across the state, providing hundreds of players the opportunity to represent their league,” he said.
“The WorkSafe AFL Victoria Community Championship will provide a true championship model, allowing a league to be recognised as the premier community football league in the state, as well as giving the opportunity for metropolitan and country leagues to play against each other on a regular basis.”
In the initial year, leagues will be fixtured against each other with the goal of providing a ranking for the 2017 season, and beyond.
In next year’s matches, Goulburn Valley will take on the Essendon District Football League, the Ballarat Football League and Western Region Football League will square off, and Riddell is matched with Alberton.
