Sportscover Arena this week hosts the VAFA’s match of the round with the return of the Big V to the field. Representative football is enormously important to amateur football and this week it is the turn of our Under 19s to pull on the famous Big V jumper. The Victorian Country Football League (VCFL) sends their best 22 from all their leagues to Sportscover Arena to take on the best Under 19 players from the VAFA at 1pm on Sunday.
In the past five years these matches have become an annual clash with the ledger squared at 2-2. Last year the country boys defeated the VAFA at Shepparton by four goals. However the VAFA are yet to be defeated at Sportscover Arena and they will be looking to maintain that record on Sunday.
These matches have been a happy hunting ground for AFL recruiters in the past as well. Dan Nicholson (Melbourne) captained the VAFA U19s in 2010 in one of these matches and hails from Ballarat so has a strong affinity with this clash. He presented the VAFA team with their jumpers on Thursday night and said “The chance to wear the Big V is one of the highlights in my career.” In the same game in 2010 Ariel Steinberg (Essendon) played for the VCFL and was taken with pick 31 in the draft later that year.
The country side has players from 13 different leagues and 18 clubs around the state including Ryan Pendlebury the brother of champion Collingwood player Scott. The VAFA side has been selected from 18 different teams within the association.
With only one AFL game on in Melbourne this Sunday all are welcome to come down to Sportscover Arena for the 1pm start. Entry is free and you are guaranteed to see a high quality clash between two young sides both honouring the Big V.
For a full match review tune in to 98.9 North-West FM from 6pm on Sunday night. (Streaming live: http://www.northwestfm.org/streaming)
