FOXTEL CUP - THE VFA-VFL PERSPECTIVE
- INTRODUCTION
- SUMMARY OF RESULTS
INTRODUCTION
|
In 2010 the Australian Football League (AFL) proposed a League Championship Cup be held the following season, featuring the top clubs from the major State Leagues across Australia.
The top three teams of 2010 from each of the VFL, SANFL, and WAFL were invited to join along with the QAFL's Grand Finalists and the premier team from the Tasmanian State League and the Sydney AFL. The GWS Giants (who were playing in the NEAFL ahead of a move to the AFL in 2012) and the Northern Territory Thunder were also invited to participate. |
|
The competition was quickly branded the Foxtel Cup with matches played as curtain-raisers for Saturday night AFL games or as stand-alone matches. This provided Foxtel with a game to broadcast between their Saturday afternoon and Saturday night AFL match coverage; in the process providing additional promotion for the State Leagues.
A streamlining of the competition in 2013 saw the number of VFA-VFL teams reduced from three to two, namely the Grand Finalists of the previous season. If either of those teams was a stand-alone AFL reserves side, the next-highest ranked VFA-VFL team took their place in the competition.
In December 2014, the AFL announced the competition would no longer be played, bringing an end to a tournament that briefly gave a national audience a glimpse of the best teams and players across Australia's various State Leagues.
SUMMARY OF RESULTS
2011
2012
2013
2014
2011
2011 FOXTEL CUP
|
Participating VFA-VFL teams:
North Ballarat (2010 Premiers) Northern Bullants (2010 runners-up) Williamstown (2010 3rd place) Reigning premiers North Ballarat were the only VFA-VFL team not to survive the opening round, losing to East Perth (WAFL 3rd) by just two points.
However, third-placed Williamstown turned the tables with a 37 point defeat of Swan Districts, the WAFL's reigning premiers. |
The Seagulls celebrate their title (photo: Jason Benson-Cooper)
|
The Northern Bullants had little trouble advancing, thrashing the fledgling GWS Giants line-up by 89 points.
The Bullants were eliminated in the second round by Claremont (WAFL 2nd) courtesy of a 46 point loss at Carrara Stadium. Williamstown fared better though, travelling to Football Park to face West Adelaide (SANFL 5th) and posting a 19 point win.
Williamstown capitalised on their home-field advantage in the semi finals, claiming a comfortable 71 point victory against East Perth (WAFL 3rd). The Grand Final was a far greater challenge with Williamstown having to travel to Subiaco to play Claremont (WAFL 2nd). A tough match ended in a 21 point win to Williamstown and Ben Jolley won the Coles Medal awarded to the best player in the Grand Final.
The Bullants were eliminated in the second round by Claremont (WAFL 2nd) courtesy of a 46 point loss at Carrara Stadium. Williamstown fared better though, travelling to Football Park to face West Adelaide (SANFL 5th) and posting a 19 point win.
Williamstown capitalised on their home-field advantage in the semi finals, claiming a comfortable 71 point victory against East Perth (WAFL 3rd). The Grand Final was a far greater challenge with Williamstown having to travel to Subiaco to play Claremont (WAFL 2nd). A tough match ended in a 21 point win to Williamstown and Ben Jolley won the Coles Medal awarded to the best player in the Grand Final.
|
DATE |
ROUND |
VENUE |
VFA-VFL TEAM |
SCORE |
OPPONENT |
SCORE |
W/L |
|
2-4-2011 |
1 |
Subiaco
Oval |
North Ballarat |
9.7 (61) |
East Perth |
9.9 (63) |
L |
|
9-4-2011 |
1 |
Subiaco
Oval |
Williamstown |
8.7 (55) |
Swan Districts |
2.6 (18) |
W |
|
30-4-2011 |
1 |
MCG |
Northern Bullants |
19.9 (123) |
GWS Giants |
5.4 (34) |
W |
|
4-6-2011 |
QF |
Football Park, Adelaide |
Williamstown |
15.6 (96) |
West Adelaide |
12.5 (77) |
W |
|
11-6-2011 |
QF |
Gold Coast Stadium |
Northern Bullants |
7.2 (44) |
Claremont |
13.12 (90) |
L |
|
9-7-2011 |
SF |
Docklands Stadium |
Williamstown |
16.7 (103) |
East Perth |
4.8 (32) |
W |
|
6-8-2011 |
GF |
Subiaco
Oval |
Williamstown |
9.5 (59) |
Claremont |
5.8 (38) |
W |
2012
2012 FOXTEL CUP
Participating VFA-VFL teams: Port Melbourne (2011 Premiers), Williamstown (2011 runners-up), Werribee (2011 3rd place)
Williamstown, the reigning Foxtel Cup champions, faced South Adelaide (SANFL 4th) at the MCG and were expected to advance to the next round. Instead they found themselves out of the tournament after a 5 point upset. Port Melbourne opened their tournament with a trip to Darwin to face NT Thunder, the reigning NEAFL North Premiers. The match should have been challenging due to the tropical conditions and skilled opposition yet Port Melbourne were untroubled, cruising to an 88 point win. Werribee had the easiest path to the next round, crushing Burnie (TSL 2nd) by 133 points at Docklands Stadium.
South Adelaide returned to the MCG in the quarter finals, but there were no more upsets with Port Melbourne notching a comfortable 22 point victory. They were joined in the next stage of the tournament by Werribee who defeated West Perth (WAFL 3rd) by 21 points, also at the MCG.
With two teams in the semi finals, and on opposite sides of the draw, everything was set-up for an all-VFA-VFL final. Werribee travelled to Brisbane for their clash with Morningside (NEAFL North 2nd) and cruised into the final with a 71 point defeat of the local side. Port Melbourne flew to Perth to take on Claremont (WAFL Premiers), and what should have been a hard fought match turned out to be a disappointing 50 point loss for the Borough.
Werribee headed to Perth for the final, hoping to put up a stronger performance than Port had achieved at the same venue a fortnight earlier. However, it was Claremont who again proved to be the superior side, claiming the title by 44 points.
Williamstown, the reigning Foxtel Cup champions, faced South Adelaide (SANFL 4th) at the MCG and were expected to advance to the next round. Instead they found themselves out of the tournament after a 5 point upset. Port Melbourne opened their tournament with a trip to Darwin to face NT Thunder, the reigning NEAFL North Premiers. The match should have been challenging due to the tropical conditions and skilled opposition yet Port Melbourne were untroubled, cruising to an 88 point win. Werribee had the easiest path to the next round, crushing Burnie (TSL 2nd) by 133 points at Docklands Stadium.
South Adelaide returned to the MCG in the quarter finals, but there were no more upsets with Port Melbourne notching a comfortable 22 point victory. They were joined in the next stage of the tournament by Werribee who defeated West Perth (WAFL 3rd) by 21 points, also at the MCG.
With two teams in the semi finals, and on opposite sides of the draw, everything was set-up for an all-VFA-VFL final. Werribee travelled to Brisbane for their clash with Morningside (NEAFL North 2nd) and cruised into the final with a 71 point defeat of the local side. Port Melbourne flew to Perth to take on Claremont (WAFL Premiers), and what should have been a hard fought match turned out to be a disappointing 50 point loss for the Borough.
Werribee headed to Perth for the final, hoping to put up a stronger performance than Port had achieved at the same venue a fortnight earlier. However, it was Claremont who again proved to be the superior side, claiming the title by 44 points.
|
DATE |
ROUND |
VENUE |
VFA-VFL TEAM |
SCORE |
OPPONENT |
SCORE |
W/L |
|
14-4-2012 |
1 |
Docklands Stadium |
Werribee |
26.9 (165) |
Burnie |
5.2 (32) |
W |
|
12-5-2012 |
1 |
MCG |
Williamstown |
6.7 (43) |
South Adelaide |
6.12 (48) |
L |
|
19-5-2012 |
1 |
Marrara
Stadium, Darwin |
Port Melbourne |
21.11 (137) |
NT Thunder |
7.7 (49) |
W |
|
9-6-2012 |
QF |
MCG |
Werribee |
10.7 (67) |
West Perth |
6.10 (46) |
W |
|
23-6-2012 |
QF |
MCG |
Port Melbourne |
12.6 (78) |
South Adelaide |
8.8 (56) |
W |
|
7-7-2012 |
SF |
Gabba,
Brisbane |
Werribee |
16.15 (111) |
Morningside |
6.4 (40) |
W |
|
14-7-2012 |
SF |
Subiaco
Oval |
Port Melbourne |
6.2 (38) |
Claremont |
13.10 (88) |
L |
|
2-8-2012 |
GF |
Subiaco
Oval |
Werribee |
8.7 (55) |
Claremont |
15.9 (99) |
L |
2013
2013 FOXTEL CUP
Participating VFA-VFL teams: Port Melbourne (2012 runners-up), Werribee (2012 3rd place)
A streamlining of the competition saw the number of VFA-VFL teams reduced from three to two. Geelong Reserves won the title in 2012 but did not play in the Foxtel Cup as they were a stand-alone AFL reserves team; this allowed third-placed Werribee to participate in the competition instead.
Werribee opened their campaign with an 85 point win over Queanbeyan (NEAFL East Premiers) at Docklands Stadium. Two weeks later Port Melbourne hosted West Adelaide (SANFL 2nd) at the MCG but suffered an upset 53 point defeat - Wests would later win the title.
The semi-final stage required a trip to Perth and Werribee were outgunned by East Fremantle (WAFL 2nd). The Tigers were held to just 16 points as a disappointing tournament for VFA-VFL teams came to an end.
A streamlining of the competition saw the number of VFA-VFL teams reduced from three to two. Geelong Reserves won the title in 2012 but did not play in the Foxtel Cup as they were a stand-alone AFL reserves team; this allowed third-placed Werribee to participate in the competition instead.
Werribee opened their campaign with an 85 point win over Queanbeyan (NEAFL East Premiers) at Docklands Stadium. Two weeks later Port Melbourne hosted West Adelaide (SANFL 2nd) at the MCG but suffered an upset 53 point defeat - Wests would later win the title.
The semi-final stage required a trip to Perth and Werribee were outgunned by East Fremantle (WAFL 2nd). The Tigers were held to just 16 points as a disappointing tournament for VFA-VFL teams came to an end.
|
DATE |
ROUND |
VENUE |
VFA-VFL TEAM |
SCORE |
OPPONENT |
SCORE |
W/L |
|
28-5-2013 |
1 |
Docklands Stadium |
Werribee |
16.17 (113) |
Queanbeyan |
4.4 (28) |
W |
|
11-6-2013 |
1 |
MCG |
Port Melbourne |
9.4 (58) |
West Adelaide |
17.9 (111) |
L |
|
9-7-2013 |
SF |
Subiaco
Oval |
Werribee |
2.4 (16) |
East Fremantle |
6.4 (40) |
L |
2014
2014 FOXTEL CUP
|
Participating VFA-VFL teams:
Box Hill (2013 Premiers) Williamstown (2013 3rd place) As in 2013, the Geelong Reserves (2013 runners-up) did not play in the Foxtel Cup, allowing the third-placed team to participate instead. In the opening round, VFA-VFL premiers Box Hill hosted the WAFL premiers West Perth at the MCG and the result was a heartbreaking 2 point win for the visitors. In contrast, Williamstown had little difficulty defeating Aspley (NEAFL North 2nd) by 45 points at the MCG. |
Action from the 2014 final (photo: Joe Mastroianni)
|
Williamstown's semi final assignment was far more challenging. The Seagulls travelled to Perth where they struggled to overcome a tenacious East Perth (WAFL 2nd), eventually escaping with a 24 point victory. The win at Subiaco earned Williamstown a home final, the first for a VFA-VFL club in the competition's history.
Their opponents, West Perth had scraped past Box Hill at the MCG then cruised past Tasmania's Western Storm with a 74 point win at home. The final was expected to be a torrid affair but Williamstown had other ideas, keeping the Western Australians goal-less for the first three quarters and restricting them to a score of just 1.2 (8).
The Seagulls claimed their second title by a margin of 63 points and Ben Davies became the second Williamstown player to win the Coles Medal, awarded to the best player in the Foxtel Cup Grand Final.
Their opponents, West Perth had scraped past Box Hill at the MCG then cruised past Tasmania's Western Storm with a 74 point win at home. The final was expected to be a torrid affair but Williamstown had other ideas, keeping the Western Australians goal-less for the first three quarters and restricting them to a score of just 1.2 (8).
The Seagulls claimed their second title by a margin of 63 points and Ben Davies became the second Williamstown player to win the Coles Medal, awarded to the best player in the Foxtel Cup Grand Final.
|
DATE |
ROUND |
VENUE |
VFA-VFL TEAM |
SCORE |
OPPONENT |
SCORE |
W/L |
|
6-5-2014 |
1 |
Docklands Stadium |
Box Hill |
7.9 (51) |
West Perth |
7.11 (53) |
L |
|
20-5-2014 |
1 |
MCG |
Williamstown |
14.9 (93) |
Aspley |
7.6 (48) |
W |
|
1-7-2014 |
SF |
Subiaco
Oval |
Williamstown |
10.11 (71) |
East Perth |
7.5 (47) |
W |
|
22-7-2014 |
GF |
Kardinia
Park, Geelong |
Williamstown |
10.11 (71) |
West Perth |
1.2 (8) |
W |
|
Written and researched by David Eastman
|
First published 19/9/2014
Last updated 7/7/2019 |
