AN EIGHT-team VFL season will commence on August 1, with clubs to compete over seven rounds.
Clubs were informed on Tuesday that they will be able to participate in full-contact training from Monday, July 13 with their first set of matches beginning at the start of August.
BARRETT Keep your 'club-killing' ideas to yourself, Jeff
The clubs which will play in the rebooted season will be Box Hill, Casey Demons, Coburg, Frankston, Port Melbourne, Sandringham, Werribee and Williamstown.
Box Hill, Casey and Sandringham, which all have AFL-affiliated clubs, will not get access to players who are listed at AFL clubs due to the strict COVID-19 measures in place by the AFL.
The 2020 season will conclude with a top-four finals series played over three weeks, culminating on the weekend of October 10. A split round will also be fixtured to provide flexibility within the fixture.
"The VFL Competition will look different in 2020, but in consultation with all eight clubs, have developed a model which enables a fair and equitable season for our fans, clubs, players, coaches and officials," the AFL's head of talent pathways and state league competitions Tristan Salter said.
"The VFL community has been patient and committed during this time and all players and coaches are ready for training and matches to resume.
D-DAY FOR ACADEMIES NEAFL decision to be made
"While not all AFL-aligned VFL teams will participate in the competition, we look forward to seeing each of the five standalone VFL clubs involved in the season. Each of those traditional VFL clubs have played a significant role in ensuring the season goes ahead and we commend them for it.
"The revamped VFL season fixture will be announced in coming weeks."
VFLW players will also get to show their talents in a four-team 'super series' to be staged in September this year.
The round of matches will allow players in the competition to press their claims to be picked in the 2020 NAB AFLW Draft which will be held later this season.
The VFLW super series will see each team play three matches before an All-Star clash is held, which will see the best players from across the series selected.
With 10 of the 12 VFLW clubs tied to AFL clubs, the League had to find another way to get its season up and going following the coronavirus-enforced suspension earlier this year.
AFL Victoria will in coming weeks work through the selection process for its VFLW super series, which will see 120 of the competition's best players take the field.
"While we would prefer to provide a standard season of women’s and men’s state league football, this outcome ensures an opportunity for many players to continue their journey in the football pathway," Salter said.
