AFL VICTORIA wishes to advise after a review of the current program and feedback from clubs and leagues across the state, AFL Victoria will not facilitate the Community Championships in 2020 while it undergoes various changes. 

Of the clubs and leagues that responded to the review, 70 per cent requested that the format be reviewed and not continue in its current form at a senior level.

The junior representative programs, including the Metropolitan Junior Championships and V/Line Cup representative programs for juniors, will continue in its current form.

In lieu of the Community Championships in 2020, interleague football in Victoria will go ahead at the choice of the leagues as to where, when and who they play, providing an opportunity for leagues to participate in local interleague rivalries, all of which AFL Victoria will continue to financially support.

The same amount of funding that was dedicated to the Community Championships in 2019 will be available in 2020 for any relevant interleague matches, with any funding not utilised to go back to the support of volunteers at a community level.

The financial support for the 2020 Interleague matches is in addition to the recently announced $18 million funding for country football, which marked the largest investment in Victorian country football in more than two decades.

The decision not to facilitate the 2020 Community Championships was based on the feedback from clubs and leagues across the state, and AFL Victoria will continue to consult with stakeholders around the future of the Community Championships and representative football to ensure the best structure is provided.

The bi-annual Vic Metro v Vic Country representative game will continue, providing an opportunity for community players to showcase their talent on the representative stage.