World Footy News

The AFL tthis week announced the fixture for the 2012 FOXTEL Cup -- the knockout competition introduced this year to showcase the quality of state league football across the country. 

 

AFL General Manager National and International Development Andrew Dillon said the AFL had been delighted with the success of this year's inaugural competition, won by Williamstown, and said the 16 teams had now been confirmed for next year's tournament.

 

Williamstown will defend its title with the senior state leagues in the VFL, WAFL and the SANFL to again supply three teams each, joined by two teams from the TSL, two teams from Queensland, the NT Thunder, one team from NSW and one team from the ACT. As the GWS Giants have now moved into the AFL competition, their 2011 spot in the competition was taken by a second team from Tasmania.  There was some speculation that a Pacific team might be invited this year but this has not come to pass.  Perhaps in 2013?

 

The 16 competing teams are Ainslie (ACT) , Burnie (Tas), Claremont (WA), Launceston (Tas), Morningside (Qld), Mt Gravatt (Qld), NT Thunder (NT), Port Adelaide (SA), Port Melbourne (Vic), South Adelaide (SA), Subiaco (WA), Sydney Hills Eagles (NSW), Werribee (Vic), West Adelaide (SA), West Perth (WA), and Williamstown (Vic) with the fixture attached below.

 

Mr Dillon said he wanted to again thank FOX SPORTS and naming rights sponsor FOXTEL for their support of the FOXTEL Cup, which will be broadcast on the new FOX FOOTY channel, along with key support partners Coles and Burley Sekem.

 

"The FOXTEL Cup has provided opportunities for state league teams to increase their professionalism, dealing with travel and meeting new opponents, while allowing further chances for state league players to push for opportunities with AFL clubs.

 

"At the recent NAB AFL Draft, 13 mature-age state league players were listed by AFL clubs and the inclusion of the Gold Coast Suns and the GWS Giants in the AFL competition has provided more opportunities for players to build a career in the game," he said.

 

Mr Dillon said total prizemoney for the 2012 FOXTEL Cup had increased by just under 20 per cent, with the winning team now able to collect a $60,000 prize for the four wins required to claim the title.

 

The 15 matches will again consist of four quarters each of eighteen (18) minutes set time, plus time-on from the last 3 minutes only (20 minutes approximately total per quarter), to ensure they did not overly impact on club commitments to their on-going state league season, as well as to enable games to fit into a two-hour broadcast window.

 

All matches will again be broadcast on FOX SPORTS on the FOX FOOTY channel and now played in the Saturday late-morning slot.

 

“Last season's successful introduction of the FOXTEL Cup re-affirmed the AFL’s commitment to supporting State League competitions and providing further opportunities for emerging stars or state-league player greats.”

 

A final fixture is attached and the competition has again been fixtured so that club commitments are spread during the course of their stage league seasons:

Round One:

Eight round one knockout matches to be played in the period between March 31-May 19. Each match to be played on a Saturday.

 

Round Two:

Four round two knockout matches to be played in the period between June 2-June 23. One game played per week on a Saturday.

 

Round Three:

Two knockout semi-final matches to be played over the weekends of July 7 and July 14.

 

Grand Final:

Grand Final to be played on Saturday August 4. Venue to be determined dependent on the competing teams.