AFL Victoria is pleased to announce the Ballarat Football Netball League (BFNL) and Goulburn Valley League (GVL) have been selected to be part of the AFL Country Game on May 19.

The representative match between BFNL and GVL will be held as part of the 2018 WorkSafe AFL Victoria Community Championships which sees the best community metropolitan and country football leagues go head-to-head.

It is proposed the game will be played on the MCG as a curtain raiser to the Round 9 AFL match between Geelong and Essendon, following the success of the top-ranked 2017 Community Championships game between Geelong Football League and Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League held earlier this year.

Final confirmation of the venue and time of the BFNL and GVL representative match will be advised in the new year.

The third AFL Country Game will once again recognise the contribution of regional communities to Australian society and highlight the significant contribution of country people to Australian Football.

AFL Victoria Community Football Development Manager Stephen O’Donohue said it was pleasing to once again be part of the annual AFL Country Game Festival.

“The BFNL and GVL match is the highest ranked country versus country match in the 2018 WorkSafe AFL Victoria Community Championships and will showcase a high standard of football from regional Victoria,” he said.

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

“The 2018 WorkSafe AFL Victoria Community Championships promises to be another exciting event on the community football calendar and the opportunity to participate in representative programs continues to be a highlight for footballers in grassroots competitions across the state.”

The 2018 AFL Victoria Community Championships fixture will be announced later this month.