Press Release | AFL Victoria has announced the top-ranked 2017 WorkSafe AFL Victoria Community Championships match will be played at the MCG on May 13.

Childhood dreams of playing on Australian football’s most hallowed turf will become a reality for a number of community footballers, with AFL Victoria announcing the top-ranked WorkSafe AFL Victoria Community Championships match will be played at the MCG.

Following the inaugural WorkSafe AFL Victoria Community Championships last year, representative players in the number-one-ranked Geelong Football Netball League will face second-placed Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League on Saturday May 13.

The match will be played as a curtain-raiser to the Round 8 dedicated AFL Country Game between Essendon and Geelong.

In addition, the 11 v 12 match between Hampden Football Netball League and South East Football Netball League will be also be played in Melbourne’s sporting precinct at the Holden Centre.

AFL Victoria Community Football Operations Manager Gerard Ryan said this was a fantastic opportunity for local players to experience playing football at elite AFL facilities.

“We are delighted to provide some of community football’s best senior players with the chance to run out and showcase their skills in front of big crowds in the heart of Melbourne’s sporting precinct,” Ryan said.

“The AFL Country Game is a great platform to highlight the importance of regional Victoria and for city and country football fans to come together and celebrate country football.

“The 2017 WorkSafe AFL Victoria Community Championships promises to be another exciting initiative within community football and the opportunity to participate in senior representative programs continues to be a highlight for footballers in grassroots community competitions across the state.”

In its second year, the WorkSafe AFL Victoria Community Championship will see 32 country and metropolitan leagues don their representative colours and battle it out in venues right across Victoria.