By Nick Creely
The AFL has announced that the 2021 VFL season will begin on Saturday 17 April, with the Casey Demons locked in for the state league men’s footy return to Victoria, Queensland and New South Wales.
After a Covid-19 affected 2020 season, it is a welcome relief for not only state-league clubs, but AFL aligned clubs.
The home-and-away season will consist of a 16-game season played across 19 rounds, and will feature 22 clubs from across the Eastern states of Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, which includes the Casey Demons who are continuing their relationship with the Melbourne Football Club.
It is the largest second-tier football competition now in Australia.
The AFL has also confirmed that there will be a top-eight finals structure, which will commence on Saturday 28 August with the VFL grand final to then be played on the weekend of 18 and 19 September. All clubs will have three allocated byes to provide an added level of flexibility to adjust where required.
The VFL Competition will integrate into a streamlined calendar for men’s football with the 2021 NAB League Boys, with both seasons running concurrently with the 2021 AFL Premiership Season.
The fixture’s release will drop at the end of February given the connection to the 2021 AFL season, with the involvement of AFL-listed players from 14 AFL clubs in the VFL central to the fixturing of the season.
All clubs have commenced preseason training and are following the return-to-train protocols and guidelines established by the AFL. Club practice matches will commence in March.
Clubs:
Standalone Clubs: Aspley, Coburg, Frankston, Northern Bullants, Port Melbourne, Southport, Werribee, Williamstown
Standalone AFL Clubs: Brisbane Lions, Carlton, Collingwood, Essendon, Footscray, Geelong Cats, Gold Coast SUNS, GWS GIANTS, North Melbourne, Richmond, Sydney Swans
Aligned Clubs: Sandringham, Box Hill Hawks, Casey Demons
All clubs will have connections to community clubs and pathway programs, including a varied alignment to Under-19 NAB League Clubs for Victorian-based teams and state league programs for New South Wales and Queensland-based teams.
The AFL will continue to work with all AFL Clubs on their non-selected AFL players ahead of their respective 2021 seasons and their involvement in state league football.
Late last season, the Casey Demons announced that the experienced Mark Corrigan would serve as VFL senior coach for 2021, replacing Sam Radford who has returned to teaching in a full-time capacity.
Most recently, Corrigan was the senior coach of Essendon’s VFL side before the Covid-19 pandemic interrupted the 2020 season.
