Editorial – William Buck Premier Grand Final shifts to Ikon

By Michael Sholly – Chief Executive Officer

Since 1968, the VAFA has been proud to host the Premier Section grand final at Sportscover Arena. However, the Board has agreed to shift this year’s match to IKON Park, Carlton. The Premier grand final will be played on Sunday September 20, with the Premier B and C on Saturday September 19 at Sportscover Arena and Trevor Barker Oval.

It is with mixed emotions we have agreed to the shift as I believe Sportscover Arena is the home of VAFA football and has the potential to provide a great environment for all of our stakeholders. Unfortunately, the ground has not kept up with community standards and renovations are required to both the on and off-field amenities to help bring them up to the required standard. We are currently in discussions with the state government and we believe with adequate financial assistance, the ground will still provide the ideal setting for our feature matches.

The upside of the change is the Premier grand final will be played in a stadium at IKON Park; a completely different environment that Sportscover has provided. The open feel of Sportscover Arena with its green embankments and cars parked around the boundary will be replaced with grandstands which will shield the wind and provide a completely different experience for players and spectators. It will be an interesting contrast and one I am sure the players will look forward to.

In the past few years we have experimented with a stand-alone Premier grand final, but this year we will be playing all three Premier grand finals on the same weekend. Amateur football followers will get the chance to watch the Premier B or C match on the Saturday and back up on the Sunday at IKON Park for the Premier grand final; a feast of VAFA football. Be sure to purchase your 2015 season’s finals pass.

Two key VAFA events are being held in the week leading up to these grand finals. At Crown Casino on Monday night we host the Woodrow Medal. This is a gala event held in the River Room overlooking Melbourne’s skyline and the Yarra. Recent winners who are still playing include Brendan Iezzi, Cam Howat and Jack Watts. With Watts and Iezzi having interrupted seasons due to work and injury, there will be a strong contingent applying pressure to Cam Howat. Players who spring to mind include Adam Bentick, Tom Sullivan, Harry Tinney, Ben Smithwick, Simon Hogan and Jack Bull.

On Friday at the Grand Hyatt, the second VAFA Grand Final lunch will take place.  Last year we had three hundred people attend, each of whom had the pleasure of listening to Mark ‘Bomber’ Thompson speak as the result of the Essendon tribunal hearing was handed down. Unfortunately, this year we won’t be able to organise the same drama. However, the player voted the greatest of the 20th Century, Leigh Matthews, will be interviewed by the country’s leading political commentator, Barrie Cassidy, who also doubles up as our Master of Ceremonies.

We are now right at the business end of the season as teams are striving for these cherished finals positions. One more round of Club XVIII, two in the thirds and four or five in the seniors depending on your section. It has been another terrific season and we look forward to a huge September with VAFA football leading the way.