Fixture 2014 VFL fixture

[Zach Package]

Morning Richie, Morning all...

The Peter Jackson VFL 2014 fixture has been released today, with the competition returning to 16 teams for the first time in over a decade.

The competition will expand with alignments between Williamstown/Western Bulldogs and Coburg/Richmond having come to a close at the end of last season, and all four clubs fielding standalone sides next year.
Coburg will return to their traditional nickname of the Lions, while the Western Bulldogs will play under their traditional name of Footscray (Bulldogs).
Current club training venues for Richmond and Western Bulldogs will to host VFL matches, with games for competition points to be held at Victoria University Whitten Oval for the first time since 1997and ME Bank Centre (Punt Road Oval) since 1964.
Highlights of the 2014 fixture include:

• A Good Friday game between former aligned partners Bendigo Gold and Essendon
• Two games on ANZAC Day with Frankston to host Richmond, and Bendigo to play Footscray
• Four regional matches to be played in Colac, Echuca, Morwell & Swan Hill
• An increase to 10 night games in 2014, with Bendigo Gold (five games), Geelong (three) and Werribee (two) to host night matches next season.

AFL Victoria State League and Talent Manager John Hook said the increase in clubs and more feature matches will help increase coverage of the competition next year.
“It is pleasing that clubs are looking to build relationships with regional areas to help promote the game, and showcase our state league competition to a wider audience.
“Night games have proved successful for clubs to provide an alternative time for supporters and general VFL fans to attend games, and it is encouraging that there has been an increase in these games in the fixture,” Hook said.
The Peter Jackson VFL this year produced another eight draftees to the AFL, with Hook highlighting the variety of players the competition is now attracting.
“The VFL continues to develop talent and give players a second chance, with the likes of Ben Ross and Cameron Wood prime examples of how delisted players can prove themselves in the VFL competition and receive another opportunity.
“Another example is former Northern Knight Jacob Ballard who was overlooked at the end of his time in the TAC Cup competition in 2012, but was able to take advantage of AFL Victoria’s VFL Academy and develop his game at the Northern Blues this season,” Hook said.
The 2014 season will start with a split first round on March 29, with the Peter Jackson VFL Legendairy Finals Series to begin on August 30.
Each VFL club will have two byes, with the byes this year aligned where applicable to the bye of their AFL club.
There will also be a break for the majority of clubs on Saturday May 31 for representative football, with the VFL hosting the SANFL.
Richmond and Essendon will be the only clubs not to have the bye that weekend, instead featured at 2pm at ME Bank Centre prior to the Dreamtime at the G game. This game will be one of seven Richmond has fixtured prior to their AFL side playing at the MCG on the same day.
Other points to note in the fixture are:

• The Grand Final replay will be played in round three, with Geelong hosting the premiers Box Hill in a night game at Simonds Stadium.
• With Box Hill Hawks and Williamstown both in the FOXTEL Cup next year, their round 15 clash (the FOXTEL Cup Grand Final week) has been brought forward to the first round
• Coburg will go standalone and return to being the Lions as they host fellow standalone side Port Melbourne in round one.
• Former aligned sides Williamstown and Footscray, as well as Coburg and Richmond will go head to head in round two, with many former teammates set to line-up against each other
• Box Hill Hawks will unfurl its premiership flag in round three versus fellow 2013 finalist Werribee.
• Round 5 will see Sandringham return home to an extended and resurfaced Trevor Barker Beach Oval, facing Essendon
• Bendigo will head to regional Victoria, with ‘home’ games scheduled for round 8 in Swan Hill and round 11 in Echuca against North Ballarat and Northern Blues respectively.
• Collingwood and Richmond will take their round 12 game to Morwell
• Colac’s Central Reserve will host the battle of the Tigers in round 8 between Werribee and Richmond
• Highgate Recreation Reserve will once again host VFL games in 2014, with home games for Essendon (three) and Footscray (one). Footscray will also play home games (two) at Simonds Stadium.
• Round 13 will see Geelong and Footscray play a curtain raiser game at Simonds Stadium before their AFL aligned sides play a twilight game
• New Coburg coach Peter German will face his former side Williamstown in round 14.

The AFL Victoria Development League fixture has also been released. The competition features nine teams with a 20 round fixture. One of the highlights of the fixture is a double header at Mantello Holden Oval on Good Friday.

The fixture for the Peter Jackson VFL and AFL Victoria Development League can be downloaded below.

http://www.sportingpulse.com/assoc_...ID=60264&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=27075930

Our Games:

Round 1, Week 2 (split round)
Essendon v Casey @ Windy Hill, Sunday, April 6, 1pm.
Essendon 11.14 (80) defeated by Casey 12.14 (86)

Round 2
Essendon v North Ballarat @ Windy Hill, Saturday, April 12, 1pm.
Essendon 11.12 (78) defeated North Ballarat 9.10 (64)

Round 3
Bendigo Gold v Essendon @ Queen Elizabeth Oval, Bendigo, Friday, April 18 (Good Friday), 6.30pm.
Essendon 11.25 (91) defeated Bendigo 9.9 (63)

Round 4
Essendon v Collingwood @ Windy Hill, Saturday, April 26, 1pm.
Essendon 13.9 (87) defeated by Collingwood 17.10 (112)

Round 5
Sandringham v Essendon @ Trevor Barker Oval, Sunday, May 4, 2pm.
Essendon 16.14 (110) defeated by Sandringham 17.17 (119)

Round 6
BYE

Round 7
Essendon v Port Melbourne @ Windy Hill, Saturday, May 17, 1pm.
Essendon 10.7 (67) defeated by Port Melbourne 10.25 (85)

Round 8
Essendon v Northern Blues @ Windy Hill, Saturday, May 24, 1pm.
Essendon 16.11 (107) defeated Northern Blues 8.15 (63)

Round 9, Week 1 (State league rep weekend)
Richmond v Essendon @ Punt Road, Saturday, May 31, 2pm (Dreamtime curtain raiser, only VFL game on that weekend).
Essendon 10.15 (75) defeated by Richmond 16.15 (111)

Round 10
Werribee v Essendon @ Avalon Airport Oval, Sunday, June 15, 2pm.
Essenndon 14.14 (98) defeated Werribee 15.7 (97)

Round 11
Coburg v Essendon @ Mantello Holden Oval, Sunday, June 22, 2pm.
Essendon 18.10 (118) defeated Coburg 10.13 (73)

Round 12
Frankston v Essendon @ Frankston City Oval, Saturday, June 28, 1:10pm.
Essendon 8.12 (60) drew with Frankston 8.12 (60)

Round 13
Essendon v Box Hill @ Highgate Reserve, Saturday, July 5, 1pm.
Essendon 14.7 (91) defeated Box Hill 13.10 (88)

Round 14
Port Melbourne v Essendon @ North Port Oval, Saturday, July 12, 2pm.
Essendon 12.10 (82) defeated by Port Melbourne 12.14 (86)

Round 15
Footscray v Essendon @ Whitten Oval, Sunday, June 20, 12pm.
Essendon 9.9 (63) defeated by Footscray 17.14 (116)

Round 16
BYE

Round 17
Essendon v Williamstown @ Highgate Reserve, Saturday, August 2, 1pm.
Essendon 8.13 (61) defeated by Williamstown 20.12 (132)

Round 18
Collingwood v Essendon @ Victoria Park, Saturday, August 9, 1pm.
Essendon 9.11 (65) defeated by Collingwood 11.16 (82)

Round 19
Essendon v Richmond @ Highgate Reserve, Saturday, August 16, 1pm.
Essendon 13.15 (93) defeated Richmond 11.13 (79)

Round 20
Geelong v Essendon @ Simmonds Stadium, Friday, August 22, 7.30pm.
Essendon 9.11 (65) defeated by Geelong 18.11 (119)

 

[yaco55]

So in effect if you consider Highgate Reserve to be home games, we have 3 home games after round 8. They'll need to get early wins on the board.

Pleasing that there are only 2 partial clashes with AFL games.

 

[Doss]

Big fan of the lead in clash for Dreamtime with Richmond at Punt Road.

Perfect.

Not a big fan of the Crazyburn games.

 

[Doss]

http://m.essendonfc.com.au/news/2013-12-10/essendon-finds-alternate-vfl-home

This explains the Craigieburn games.

 

[eth-dog]

Couldn't we play at Tulla?

 

[Yoda_]

As a bit of a comparison here is a look at each weekend between the AFL/VFL



Friday March 21
AFL Round 1 - North Melbourne v Essendon (Etihad Stadium, 7:50pm)

Friday March 28
AFL Round 2 - Essendon v Hawthorn (Etihad Stadium, 7:50pm)

Sunday April 6
VFL Round 1 - Essendon v Casey Scorpions (Windy Hill, 1:00pm)
AFL Round 4 - Essendon v Carlton (MCG, 7:10pm)

Saturday April 12
VFL Round 2 - Essendon v North Ballarat (Windy Hill, 1:00pm)
Sunday April 13
AFL Round 4 - Fremantle v Essendon (Patterson Stadium, 2:40pm/4:40pm EST)

Friday April 18
VFL Round 3 - Bendigo v Essendon (Queen Elizabeth Oval, 6:30pm)
Saturday April 19
AFL Round 5 - Essendon v St.Kilda (Etihad Stadium, 7:40pm)

Friday April 25 - Anzac Day
AFL round 6 - Collingwood v Essendon (MCG, 2:40pm)
Saturday April 26
VFL Round 4 - Essendon v Collingwood (Windy Hill, 1:00pm)

Saturday May 3
AFL Round 7 - Essendon v Western Bulldogs (Etihad Stadium, 7:40pm)
Sunday April 4
VFL Round 5 - Sandringham v Essendon (Trevor Barker Oval, 2:00pm)

Saturday May 10
AFL Round 8 - Brisbane v Essendon (Gabba, 4:40pm)

Friday May 16
AFL Round 9 - Essendon v Sydney (Etihad Stadium, 7:50pm)
Saturday May 17
VFL Round 7 - Essendon v Port Melbourne (Windy Hill, 1:00pm)

Saturday May 24
VFL Round 8 - Essendon v Northern Blues (Windy Hill, 1:00pm)

Saturday May 31 - DreamTime Round
VFL Round 9 - Richmond v Essendon (ME Bank Centre 'Punt Rd', 2:00pm)
AFL Round 11 - Essendon v Richmond (MCG, 7:40pm)

Saturday June 7
AFL Round 12 - GWS v Essendon (Giants Stadium, 7:40pm)

Sunday June 15
VFL Round 10 - Werribee v Essendon (Avalon Airport Oval, 1:00pm)
AFL Round 13 - Essendon v Melbourne (MCG, 4:40pm)

Saturday June 21
AFL Round 14 - Essendon v Adelaide (Etihad Stadium, 7:40pm)
Sunday June 22
Coburg v Essendon (Mantello Holden Oval, 2:00pm)

Friday June 27
AFL Round 15 - Geelong v Essendon (Etihad Stadium, 7:50pm)
Sunday June 29
VFL Round 12 - Frankston v Essendon (Frankston Park, 2:00pm)

Saturday July 5
VFL Round 13 - Essendon v Box Hill Hawks (Highgate Recreation Reserve, 1:00pm)
Port Adelaide v Essendon (Adelaide Oval, 7:10pm)

Saturday July 12
VFL Round 14 - Port Melbourne v Essendon (North Port Oval, 2:00pm)
Sunday July 13
AFL Round 17 - Essendon v Collingwood (MCG, 3:20pm)

Sunday July 20
VFL Round 15 - Footscray Bulldogs v Essendon (Victoria University Whitten Oval, 12:00pm)
AFL Round 18 - Western Bulldogs v Essendon (Etihad Stadium, 4:40pm)

Friday August 1
AFL Round 19 - Sydney v Essendon (SCG, 7:50pm)
Saturday August 2
VFL Round 17 - Essendon v Williamstown (Highgate Recreation Reserve, 1:00pm)

Friday August 8
AFL Round 20 - Richmond v Essendon (MCG, 7:50pm)
Saturday August 9
VFL Round 18 - Collingwood v Essendon (Victoria Park, 1:00pm)

Saturday August 16
VFL Round 19 - Essendon v Richmond (Highgate Recreation Reserve, 1:00pm)
AFL Round 21 - Essendon v West Coast Eagles (Etihad Stadium, 4:40pm)

Friday August 22
VFL Round 20 - Geelong v Essendon (Simmonds Stadium, 7:30pm)
Saturday August 23
AFL Round 22 - Essendon v Gold Coast (Etihad Stadium, 2:10pm)

AFL Round 23 - Essendon v Carlton (TBA)


Summary:
* NO GAMES OVERLAP IN 2014!!!
* 6 days of same day football (including one interstate AFL game)
* 2 VFL night games (round 3 at Bendigo; 6:30pm & round 20 at Geelong; 7:30pm)
* personally spewing there is only two 'local' bayside games for me next season (@ Frankston, @ Sandringham)

 

[Zach Package]

Couldn't we play at Tulla?

Highgate has a grandstand, without having been to either, I'd say Highgate is better for footy

 

[Yoda_]

Highgate has a grandstand, without having been to either, I'd say Highgate is better for footy

You been to Casey Fields, Jack Package?

it is very similar, minus the miniscule hill at either end (there is a shallow at the Bvd end though I guess at Highgate) and minus the canvass grandstand on the opposite side of Casey Fields either.

 

[Doss]

It's the bye this weekend for us.