Essendon Football Club are excited to announce their round eight VFL clash against Geelong has been shifted to Etihad Stadium and will now be played as a curtain raiser for the AFL match that evening.

The VFL match will commence at 3:25pm and will conclude by approximately 6:10pm, with the AFL clash between the Bombers and Cats set to kick off at 7.20pm.

Essendon members will be able to sit in their normal seat at Etihad Stadium for home games to watch the match, while those who do not have a reserved seat will be able to purchase a general admission ticket. The ticket will allow them to watch both the VFL and AFL match.

VFL Operations Manager Matthew Little was thrilled with the outcome, expecting a fantastic spectacle for fans to enjoy.

“It’s fantastic for the competition, and particularly the VFL for that game to flow into the AFL.”

“To have this opportunity to play on Etihad Stadium before such a big game will be great. Obviously being Essendon and Geelong, they’ve been reasonably tight in the AFL, while in the VFL Geelong have been one of the better sides in the competition.”

Little admitted that the experience would be invaluable for the younger members of the VFL group and their development. 

“’For the likes of Jayden Laverde and Kyle Langford that haven’t had exposure at AFL level or that opportunity to play on Etihad Stadium, it will be fantastic for them.”