Coburg will open its season 2017 campaign at Piranha Park once again, this time to Collingwood, to be played on Saturday the 16th of April-and will be televised on Channel Seven as the game of the round.
“It’s a fantastic opportunity for us to kick off the 2017 season at Piranha Park to a live audience, and to really give our players and staff a chance to showcase the hard work done over the summer. To play 2016 preliminary finalists Collingwood to open the season in front of potentially 2000 people and with a potential audience reach of 100,000 is a great way to market our club, and hopefully begin a positive year,” said GM Craig Lees.
With the recent changeover of the seven networks Saturday Afternoon AFL coverage, VFL games on Seven for the first few weeks will be held in time slots within 2-3PM either on a Saturday or Sunday.
Coburg will then venture to the City Oval of Box Hill to face the Hawks in round two- in its traditional ANZAC Day clash, which will then be followed by a home game against the Northern Blues in the traditional ‘Battle of Bell.’ The round three clash with the Blues will be the White Ribbon game to raise awareness of violence against women.
Round four will see the Lions venture to Burbank Oval for a Mother’s Day clash with the Seagulls, however it will be followed by three games in a row at home between 2016 finalists Sandringham and Essendon, and a clash with Grand Finalists Casey following the state game bye. Round eight will potentially see the Lions feature in a curtain raiser at Etihad against the Northern Blues, waiting on AFL approval. Away clashes against Sandringham & Geelong follow a home clash with Port Melbourne. Following the Geelong game, the club will have it’s 125th year celebrations that night.
We will continue to celebrate the NAIDOC week game with the home clash against Werribee in round twelve, and after the round thirteen bye the Lions will face tough clashes against 2016 Grand Finalists Footscray and Casey away, and then return to host Williamstown in round sixteen. To round out the season, Coburg face North Ballarat in the last home game of the season, sandwiched in between an away game to Port Melbourne and facing Richmond in the last round of the season.
Coburg will play Williamstown, Port Melbourne, Sandringham, the Casey Scorpions and the Northern Blues twice.
The Development League side will begin the opening round with a bye, just like 2016, however will play Sandringham four times, Casey and Williamstown three times, while every other opponent will be played twice except for Werribee. Only on at least two occasions (round 14 and 19, and potentially round 8) will both seniors and development (barring Development bye rounds), will be split.
GM Craig Lees was delighted with the outcome of the clubs 2017 fixture following its release.
“To have the opportunity to host round one against Collingwood on Channel Seven is an important opportunity for our football club, as well as the minimal disruptions between both senior and development sides throughout the season are also beneficial for our players, staff and members. 2017 looks to be an optimistic year, and we encourage all our supporters to join up as members and support Coburg in 2017.”
To view the fixtures in full, click here.
