CLUBS will hold the selection power for next month's State of Origin bushfire relief match after each receiving a shortlist of names from the AFL on Wednesday.
Eight players – four for Victoria and four the All Stars – were put forward by the AFL that clubs will be required to confirm as fit to play for the Victoria v All Stars match at Marvel Stadium on Friday, February 28.
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Victorian coach Damien Hardwick and All Stars counterpart John Longmire will then select their squads of 27 on Tuesday, February 18. A maximum of three players per AFL club will be eligible to feature across the two playing lists.
The final teams will be announced on AFL.com.au on Wednesday, February 26.
Each team will have a starting 18, six interchange players and three emergencies.
A player's best and fairest finish and the 2019 Virgin Australia AFL All-Australian squad were heavily favoured in the process of selecting eight names from each club on Wednesday.
Players including Geelong superstar Patrick Dangerfield, Melbourne's three-time All-Australian ruckman Max Gawn, Collingwood's five-time club champion Scott Pendlebury, GWS Coleman medallist Jeremy Cameron and West Coast's talismanic big man Nic Naitanui have all put their hands up to play.
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Currently injured players – including Sydney superstar Lance Franklin and Gold Coast co-captain Jarrod Witts – were not considered in the eight names in liaison with clubs.
International-born players will also be eligible for selection for the All Stars.
The match will start at 7.50pm AEDT with an NAB AFL Women's match for premiership points between Collingwood and Melbourne to be played as a curtain raiser at 5.40pm.
All funds raised from the match will support the Community Relief Fund that has been set up by the AFL to help rebuild local football facilities torn apart by the national bushfire crisis.
The AFL, clubs and AFLPA have donated $1.5 million to the fund, with a further $1 million going to immediate relief.
Both teams will train at Marvel Stadium on Thursday, February 27.
Details on ticket sales for the match are expected to be announced in coming days.
The match will be broadcast on Channel Seven, Fox Footy, the AFL Live Official App, Kayo and various radio partners.
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