Simonds Stadium will host the first Victorian-based Grand Final of the FOXTEL Cup competition on Tuesday July 22, which pits the best teams from each state league against each other in a knockout format.
Williamstown, which won the first title in 2011, will host West Perth live on the Fox Footy Channel from 8.30pm (EST), with the winning team to claim a prize of $100,000.
Williamstown coach Andy Collins led West Adelaide to victory in the 2013 FOXTEL Cup before returning to Victoria this season and said his club was again delighted to be chasing its second title in four years.
“We had so many goals going into this year and winning the Foxtel Cup is one of those,” Collins said.
“To have a chance at a Grand Final is an outstanding effort by the boys. Williamstown is the original winner of the Foxtel Cup and it would be great to get another,” he said.
Williamstown won its way to the final with victories over Aspley and East Perth while West Perth, which qualified for the competition as the reigning WAFL premier, defeated the Box Hill Hawks and the Western Storm in its two matches.
West Perth coach Bill Monaghan said his team faced a big challenge to win on the road but was buoyed by its victory in Melbourne over the Box Hill Hawks earlier in the competition.
“We are excited by the opportunity to participate in the Foxtel Cup Grand Final,” Monaghan said.
“It provides another opportunity for us to showcase the emerging talent at the West Perth Football Club on a national stage against a quality VFL side. We will be doing our very best to take home the title and we expect that Williamstown will provide a great challenge with the quality of their list and the fact that Andy Collins led West Adelaide to the 2013 title.”
AFL General Manager Broadcasting, Scheduling and Major Projects Simon Lethlean said the AFL was delighted with the 2014 Foxtel Cup, which has seen all matches broadcast on the FOX FOOTY Channel in primetime on Tuesday nights.
"The Foxtel Cup over four seasons has provided opportunities for the best state league teams to put their talent on show, and these games continue to provide opportunities for state league teams to increase their professionalism, while allowing further chances for state league players to push for opportunities with AFL clubs,” he said.
The Grand Final will consist of four quarters each of eighteen (18) minutes set time, plus time-on from the last 3 minutes only (20 minutes approximately total per quarter), to lessen the load on players.
