Around 600 of the best Under 15 footballers from across regional Victoria will come together for the V/Line Cup in September, with Shepparton to again host the three-day carnival.
The 74th edition of the V/Line Cup will take place in AFL Grand Final week, from Monday 25 until Wednesday 27 September.
The V/Line Cup comprises three divisions – two boys divisions and a girls division – and features representative teams from seven regions, playing in a total of 21 matches. Each team will contest two matches over the three days.
V/Line has been a proud supporter of community football for almost two decades and this tournament is an important part of the talent pathway system, presenting participants with an opportunity to showcase their skills as they aspire to make it onto Coates Talent League lists in years to come.
Greater Shepparton City Council has again thrown its support behind the event after successfully hosting two V/Line Cups in 2022 – the first was held in April having been postponed from 2021 because of the pandemic and the second event took place in the traditional AFL Grand Final week slot last year.
Players and their families will travel from across the state to be involved, with matches to be played at four venues – Deakin Reserve, Princess Park Reserve, Mooroopna Recreation Reserve and Rumbalara Football Netball Club.
Shortly after the 2022 event, the Greater Shepparton region endured devastating floods, which the local community continues to recover from. The fact that the town is ready to once again host the event at its magnificent local venues, is testament to the resilience shown by locals.
All matches will be live streamed free via AFL Victoria’s streaming platform, aflvic.tv.
The event has a rich history dating back to 1949 when it was first won by Goulburn Valley. The 2023 edition will again feature boys’ and girls’ teams from:
- Barwon
- Bendigo
- Gippsland
- Goulburn Murray
- Greater Western Victoria
- North East Border
- South East
A girls’ division has been part of the program since 2010.
Greater Shepparton City Council Mayor, Councillor Shane Sali, said the region was excited to be hosting the elite junior AFL this year.
“Greater Shepparton had the pleasure of hosting the AFL Victoria V/Line Cup not once, but twice during the 2022 season. To host the event once more in 2023 is a massive coup, as it allows the region to continue with the tradition of hosting high profile AFL events with our partners AFL Victoria and AFL Goulburn Murray,” he said.
“Our local clubs are excited for the great opportunity to be involved with some of the key event operations, using this experience to invest back into their facilities and sporting groups.”
“Local businesses in our visitor economy have done it tough over the past few years, and are very much looking forward to welcoming visitors again, helping support local jobs and keeping the economy strong,” Cr Sali said.
“We welcome all the junior athletes, their families, friends and supporters to our region, and wish them all the best throughout the competition. We encourage attendees to visit the region’s new destination website, Shepp and GV, to discover everything they need to immerse themselves in the very best the region has to offer.”
Head of AFL Victoria, Ben Kavenagh, said the V/Line Cup is one of the most exciting events on the AFL Victoria calendar with more than 600 players as well as hundreds of officials and family members coming together for what is a true celebration of junior country footy.
“We’re thrilled to be heading back to beautiful Shepparton and it will be very special to see hundreds of kids and their families from all over regional Victoria descend on ‘Shepp’, which has been through an incredibly difficult time,” he said.
“We thank V/Line for their ongoing support of country footy in Victoria and the V/Line Cup, which has a long, rich history that we are determined to preserve and build on. Many AFL and AFLW players have come through the V/Line Cup, which has a track record of producing champions of not just the elite game but country footy as well.
“I also want to thank the City of Greater Shepparton and the wonderful people of the region for welcoming the V/Line Cup back. It promises to be a wonderful carnival and I wish all those involved the very best.”
V/Line CEO Matt Carrick said V/Line was committed to supporting regional communities and the carnival was a great platform for many of Victoria’s top young footballers.
“The team at V/Line is proud of our ongoing support of the V/Line Cup and it is wonderful to be back in the heart of the Goulburn Valley for the 2023 event,” he said.
“The V/Line Cup has developed a strong tradition of putting country Victoria’s best Under-15 talent on the right track towards a potential AFL career. Since we began supporting the carnival almost two decades ago, more than 100 players have been drafted into the AFL and AFLW.
“We look forward to seeing some fantastic football played over the carnival, as our state’s rising stars showcase their skills to a wider audience, and wish everyone involved the best of luck for a fun week.”
