Five season-shaping matches in Division 3 Men’s

Following the announcement of the 2023 Division 3 Men’s Fixture. VAFA Media has compiled the five games across the opening month of the season that you can’t afford to miss:

Round 2: La Trobe University vs. Swinburne University

The battle of the Universities reignites in 2023. La Trobe University walked off Garvey Oval as Division 4 Premiers in 2022 after trailing Swinburne by 17 points at 3 quarter time of the Grand Final. 

The final quarter fadeout will be hot in the mind of Swinburne who’ve had the summer to think about what might have been and will be out for redemption when the sides meet. They’ll be heading to TS Sheehan Oval at La Trobe University to be part of the flag unfurling before the first bounce. 

How will they curb the influence of Riley Alexander this time around? 17 games in his debut senior year in 2022 saw him slot home 77 majors. Will he continue that trajectory in Division 3? 

Round 1: Wattle Park AFC vs. Elsternwick

It’s an opening round blockbuster between two sides who played two epics last year. 

The team formerly known as Emmaus St Leo’s will play under the guise of Wattle Park AFC in 2023. The Animals found themselves on the wrong side of the ledger against Elsternwick on both occasions in 2022. 

In Round 9 they fell short by six points at Bennettswood Reserve. Round 17, it was a two point loss at Holmes/Todd Oval. They’re prone to playing close encounters and the first meeting between the two this season will be no exception. 

The Wickers were looking like they were on the verge of the double climb until falling out of the finals series in straight sets. They’ll be one of the favourites for Division 3 Men’s throughout the year. 

Round 1: Richmond Central vs. Canterbury Cobras

The Cobras against the Snakes. The cross-suburb rivals have been part of Division 3 together since 2017. 

The Cobras hold a 7-2 record in the head-to-head battle against Richmond. 

The Cobras will have their eye on a top-two finish in 2023 after falling short in the 2022 finals series. 

The Snakes will be keen on making life difficult for Canterbury when they open the season against one another at Kevin Bartlett Reserve. It will be the best possible start for new coach Zac Jardine if they’re able to get the points and start to even the ledger in the head-to-head battle.  

Round 3: Hawthorn vs. Power House

Hawthorn AFC celebrate 25 years from the reformed Hawthorn Citizens in 2023. That same year the club became the Hawthorn Amateurs is the same year the club won its first and only senior Premiership. 

Power House AFC last tasted Premiership success in 2006, playing in Division 4 they beat Hawthorn AFC on Grand Final day. 17 years on, the two sides will meet again, playing in the same section. 

Power House comes down to Division 3 after finding the going tough in Division 2. 

2022 celebrated 70 years of the club. In 2023, they celebrate a Premiership they never played for. In Premier C, in 1973. The C Section Grand Final of 1973 was never actually played, despite this Power House were named premiers. Power House’s opponents for the day were to be Fairfield, but as Fairfield were found to have played an ineligible player they were withdrawn from competition for the year. It is one of the more obscure reunions as the team gets to celebrate their ‘premiership win’. 

The reunion might happen later in the year, but the vibe around Power House is one of great excitement. 

Hawthorn AFC will go into the early part of the season with three of its first four games at home. A scheduling dream to begin 2023. This game is an opportunity to put their best foot forward and climb back up the ladder this season.