LOCAL FOOTY FREE KICK

NO AFL, BUT DON’T FEAR... WE KNOW WHERE TO GET YOUR FOOTY FIX THIS WEEKEND

AFL Barwon is set to cash in on the absence of an AFL presence this weekend, with huge crowd numbers predicted for local league finals.

And the big crowds are expected to continue beyond this week, with the AFL scheduling the second qualifying final between Geelong and Hawthorn — the only game in Victoria — for next Friday night.

It means there will potentially be no Saturday or Sunday AFL game in Victoria until the grand final, with the loser of Geelong and Hawthorn likely to host a Friday night game on September 16.

“It’s a great opportunity for local footy right across the state with no AFL, so hopefully people get out and support community footy,” AFL Barwon boss Hartman said yesterday, with the first of its grand finals in the Bellarine league on Saturday.

“We know that the Bellarine grand final always brings a good crowd anyway, but if we can actually capitalise on the AFL (not playing) then it’s going to be a bonus,” Hartman said.

“It hasn’t happened before so we’ll see how it goes.

“We’re pretty excited about that opportunity.”

Last Saturday, the GDFL second-semi final, BFL preliminary final and GFL qualifying final had to compete with the Geelong versus Melbourne match at Simonds Stadium, which Hartman said was always an issue for the local competitions.

But the GFL will now have access to the region’s premier venue for the remainder of the finals series.

“Whenever the Cats play head-to-head (with us) it affects our crowd big time, so Saturday was down on the previous year but the crowd was pretty good on Sunday,” Hartman said.

“This week we’re back at Simonds so it’s a good opportunity with no AFL, and then the following week the Cats are on a Friday night so we have a free run that weekend as well, so it should be good.”

Geelong Amateur will play Modewarre in the BFL grand final on Saturday in what will be the Warriors’ first appearance in the big dance since joining the league in 1996.

Hartman said that with Werribee Centrals playing in the colts clash and Drysdale and Torquay playing in the reserves, there would be five clubs from across the region playing grand finals at Drysdale Recreation Reserve.

“I think we’ve got five different clubs playing on the day, so we should get good support all around,” he said.

The Colac District league preliminary final will also be held on Saturday between South Colac and Simpson.