Sport

What to expect from the GVL’s interleague opposition

By Callum Farquhar

Jul 9, 2026

The GVL play a VAFA side consisting of Premier B to Division 3 Men’s players. Photo by Megan Fisher

The Goulburn Valley League’s best players are set to embark to suburbia to play the Victorian Amateur Football Association on Saturday - so what can we expect from the opposing mob?

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The VAFA is one of the biggest football associations in the nation, featuring a total of six senior and reserve competitions, seven ‘thirds’ division (and no, that isn’t colloquially referring to under-18s, rather referring to a third senior-aged side that play against different opposition at different venues at varying times than where the seniors and reserves play) and six under-19s divisions.

When it comes to Saturday’s fixture against the GVL however just the senior divisions and under-19s are important to note.

The VAFA’s premier division already played its ‘Big V’ match against the Adelaide Football League in June, meaning its team this weekend won’t comprise of the top ten clubs in the association.

However, players in the VAFA’s Premier B, Premier C and divisions one, two and three are all eligible to feature in the representative game.

There are a total of 46 teams across the five grades, but in the initial VAFA squad of 47 players, 20 respective teams made a feature.

27 different clubs featured in the VAFA under-19s’ initial squad of 48 players.

When it comes to this weekend’s opposition, GVL coach Nick Pearson expects the bigger country frames will be the key to controlling the contest.

“The insight we’ve had is we’re going to have to win it at the source, use our bigger, more physical bodies and try beat them at the contest because we know they’re going to run,” Pearson said.

“So for us it’s about stopping it at the source and defending the ground as best as we can... but also just having fun, we want the boys to enjoy the occasion and run out with a smile on our faces.”

Under-19s coach Ramadan Yze echoed it will be a similar battle for the teenage talents, expecting speed on the ball and rebound run and carry to feature in the VAFA’s style of play.

Senior captain Jack Murphy stated the VAFA’s quality will make it a challenge, but believes the purple and gold are up for the fight.

“I have a few mates that play down in the VAFA, they’re obviously a really quality competition down there, so we know it’s going to be a tough ask on their home deck in Melbourne,” Murphy said.

“They have some really quality players rolling around, but it’s something we’re up for.

“We want to showcase what the country’s got, so hopefully we can go down and give it a good crack.”