2026 Big V fixture confirmed

The VAFA is delighted to confirm the Big V schedule for 2026, with this season’s representative footy to be spread across dates in June and July.

The festivities will kick off with the annual Big V Luncheon at the RACV Club on Friday, June 5, when the VAFA community will come together to celebrate the elevation of past players to Big V Champion and Legend status, while also presenting the 2026 Big V Senior Men and Women with their guernseys.

The teams will then jump on a plane for a King’s Birthday Weekend double-header against the Adelaide Footy League on Saturday, June 6, at Norwood Oval, with the Big V Senior Women and Big V Senior Men to tackle the Croweaters for the first time since 2018.

The Adelaide Footy League (formerly known as the South Australian Amateur Football League) boasts a proud 115-year history, and, like the VAFA, is one of the game’s largest leagues with a long list of champion players.

The VAFA and SAAFL first met at the MCG in 1925 in what was the Big V’s debut outing, and 101 years later, the Victoria-South Australia rivalry will burn as fiercely as ever.

The Big V has won the last 8 of the last 9 meetings between the two teams since 1995, with the South Australians’ only win in that time coming at Trevor Barker Oval in 2016.

But after back-to-back losses to the Perth Football League, the Big V Senior Men will be desperate to avoid three consecutive defeats for the first time in 40 years.

The Big V Women will arrive in Adelaide with a perfect 6-0 record, including a 37-point victory over the Adelaide Footy League in their one and only meeting in 2018.

Then, in July, we have another Big V double-header to look forward to, as our Premier B-Division 3 and Under 19 rep teams host the Goulburn Valley League at Elsternwick Park on Saturday, July 11.

The Goulburn Valley has produced a cavalcade of VFL/AFL stars over its long and illustrious history, including Sir Doug Nicholls, David Mundy, Andrew Walker, Ollie Wines, Jamie Elliott, Clayton Oliver, Josh Rachele, Jarman Impey, Lachie Ash and Jy Simpkin, as well as current AFL coaches Adem Yze and Steven King.

Last season’s Big V Premier B-Division 3 clash with Bendigo Football League was an all-time classic, decided in extra time. Now the team returns home to VAFA HQ to face a new and impressive opponent for the first time.

The Big V Under 19 Men’s team made a powerful return to rep competition against Bendigo in 2025, recording a massive win and will now step up to a fresh challenge against some great young talent from the GVL.

“The VAFA’s long and proud tradition of representative football, showcasing the best talent in our competition, is always a highlight of any VAFA season, and we are thrilled to have secured two-year agreements with both the Adelaide Footy League and the Goulburn Valley League,” said VAFA Chief Executive Officer, Jason Reddick.

“We are excited to be heading to Adelaide in June, and we look forward to hosting the GVL at Elsternwick Park in July.

“We’re confident these high-class opponents will bring out the very best in our players as they honour the Big V jumper over the next two seasons.”

Daniel Harford will reprise his role as Big V Men’s coach after taking the job in 2025, and is looking forward to continuing his involvement with the rep team.

“I’m very excited to get the opportunity to go again,” said Harford, who represented Victoria as a player at both junior and senior levels during his glittering AFL career, before successfully coaching St Kevin’s to VAFA premiership glory and moving into AFLW coaching ranks.

“I really enjoyed being back in the VAFA fold last season. I felt the love of the whole community, which, as we know, is very special.

“Meeting and getting to know our 2025 playing group, then seeing how they bought into our program, made it an easy decision to continue. I couldn’t have been prouder of our team. They were a group of high-quality footballers who played a fabulous game against Perth.

“We showed enormous fight late in the game, when the easy thing to do would have been to throw in the towel. Our guys showed they were wearing that Big V jumper for the right reasons – they stood up and fought. They showed great resilience and almost pulled off a late comeback. Any VAFA person who saw that game would have walked away proud of their efforts.

“Now we face a new challenge – Adelaide. It’s a whole new world for all of us, and we’ll have some homework to do to get ready for South Australia. It’s going to be fantastic to have an away game – our players will be really keen to have a road trip together and give our all to walking away with the trophy.

“It’s exciting to have that new challenge of tackling new horizons, no doubt, with a few new faces in the group.

“The commitment to the cause and program that our 2025 players showed was nothing short of exceptional, and if they’re healthy, in form and keen to go around again, I’ll be chatting with them. They showed all the qualities we want in our Big V players.

“Rep footy is a really cool thing. It’s not often in life that you get to be a part of ‘the best of the best,’ so when it comes along, you need to grab it with both hands. Last year’s Big V Centenary reinforced the history and magic of it, and what it means to so many who have pulled on that magnificent jumper over the years.

“I’ve got a much better understanding of the intensity around our Big V program, and am looking forward to scouting, bringing our squad together and getting ready to face the Croweaters.”

2025 Big V Women’s coach Paul Groves has taken on the Williamstown VFLW senior coaching role, and will therefore be unable to continue with the Big V after leading the program superbly to a hat-trick of victories.

July’s Big V double-header against the GVL at Elsternwick Park will also see two other new Big V coaches receive the prestigious opportunity to lead the competition into battle, with successful Premier B-D3 coach Luke Mahoney having taken on the Director of Football role at St Kevin’s, while last year’s successful Under 19s coach Paul Carrigan has been appointed senior coach at Hampton Rovers.

BIG V 2026 FIXTURE:

SATURDAY JUNE 6 – Adelaide Football League (Norwood Oval, Adelaide)

• Big V Senior Men
• Big V Senior Women

SATURDAY JULY 11 – Goulburn Valley League (Elsternwick Park, Melbourne)

• Premier B-Division 3 Men
• Under 19 Men