AFL Gippsland's newly formed West Gippsland Football Netball competition will kick off a new season of Community Football in Victoria, with the opening round at 7pm on Saturday March 25.
Cora Lynn and Inverloch-Kongwak will jostle for a place in history when they go head-to-head in the opening game of AFL Victoria Country’s newest football competition on Saturday night.
The three-time reigning Ellinbank and District Football League premier will host the runner up from last year’s Alberton Football Netball League grand final in a bumper standalone match-up to launch the newly-formed Alex Scott & Staff West Gippsland Football Netball Competition.
It is also the first fixture on the AFL Victoria calendar for season 2017.
The competition was formed following the conclusion of AFL Gippsland’s Senior Football Leagues Review last year and features five clubs drawn from each of the Alberton and Ellinbank leagues.
Sea Eagles president Bruce Clark said his club would make the journey to Cora Lynn with an approach that was equal parts excitement and uncertainty.
“People are talking to me and saying ‘where do you think you’re going to be’ and I’ve got no idea to be quite honest,” Clark said.
“We know (Cora Lynn) have won the last three flags in the Ellinbank league and we’re sure we are going to get a very good game of football.
“I don’t think the standard is going to be a great deal different but it’s whether we’ve done enough work to be up to where they are or whether the league is stronger and I’m a little bit unsure of that.”
The Sea Eagles have lost four players from the team that contested last year’s Alberton decider, but have been boosted by the arrival of TRFM Gippsland League interleague representatives Shem Hawking (Leongatha) and Tom Hams (Bairnsdale).
They also boast one advantage over fellow South Gippsland clubs in coach Ben Soumilas’ familiarity with clubs from the West, courtesy of his time in the Ellinbank league.
Clark hoped to see his team hit the ground running and impose itself in the new competition.
“After not winning the flag last year I was thinking the boys would come out firing but they have been a bit slower this year,” he said.
“The last three weeks our seniors have been very good, our training has been solid with good senior numbers and quality.
“We’ll be very hard at the footy in the clinches, we’re going to model ourselves on a very good tackling side and then spread and run. Our strength is probably our midfield so hopefully our midfield will set the tone for this Saturday and the season.”
Cobras president Andrew Bergmeier echoed his counterpart’s feelings about the season opener.
“Part of our trepidation is around what we know the other western Ellinbank clubs are like. They are all very good clubs, very strong, and we’re looking forward to seeing how we match up against the Alberton clubs,” Bergmeier said.
“We know those towns are great football towns and we know there’s a lot of passion behind it and I think the crowds will reflect that throughout the year.”
Not only does the clash represent the start of a new era for Cora Lynn, but the beginning of life without club champions Ricky Clark and Jack Allen, who called it a day at the end of last season.
“They will be hard to replace but we’re expecting it will mean we have a younger and quicker outfit and we also know it will also take us a while to jell because you’ve got six to eight new players playing seniors and they come from other clubs with different cultures,” Bergmeier said.
“Our aim is to get them into our culture and hopefully be competitive.”
The Cobras retain plenty of quality, though, and with coach David Main the only player the wrong side of 30, they are expected to be strong again.
Bergmeier said the match promised to be a great occasion and a fitting launch for the new season.
“We’re very pleased to have the game used as the league launch. The Cora Lynn community always gears itself up pretty well around these types of events,” he said.
“We’re looking forward to hosting the day and night and I’m sure it will be a success.”