AFL announces 2019 JLT Series pre-season fixture
Herald Sun
16 minutes ago
THERE is no pre-season grand final any more but clubs will travel far and wide for next year’s JLT Series.
Matches will be staged in Morwell, Shepparton and Ballarat in country Victoria, plus Launceston, Canberra, Joondalup in Western Australia and Port Pirie in South Australia.
Brisbane will host Hawthorn at the Moreton Bay Sports Complex and Gold Coast will play the Western Bulldogs at the Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay.
The AFL has announced there will be no new rules trialed in next year’s competition and games will be full-length. The matches will be the first chance to see next year’s nine rule changes in action including six-six-six starting positions and allowing defenders to play on immediately from kick-ins without touching the ball on their boot.
Rivals Carlton and Essendon kick-off the pre-season comp on Thursday, February 28 at Ikon Park.
The fixture features local derbies between the Crows and Power, Dockers and Eagles, and Swans and Giants.
Former joint Gold Coast captains Tom Lynch and Steven May could line up on each other when Richmond and Melbourne meet in Shepparton and North Melbourne recruits Jared Polec and Jasper Pittard will face their old side at Alberton Oval, while West Coast and Geelong will play a mini Tim Kelly grudge match at Leederville Oval in Perth.
“The JLT Community Series is all about connecting the elite men’s game to regional and suburban footy grounds, allowing fans the opportunity to see their heroes and new recruits up close before the premiership season begins,” AFL manager of clubs and broadcasting Travis Auld said.
“The regions hosting 2019 JLT Community Series matches highlight and align to the work JLT undertakes within the football community and experience shows us that football fans from all parts of the country embrace the pre-season matches, while players are able to return to communities that have played a big part in their careers.
“For example, Port Adelaide’s new recruit Sam Mayes will be due to play his first game for his new club in the town of his birth Port Pirie.”
All 18 JLT Community Series matches will be broadcast exclusively on Fox Footy.
2019 JLT COMMUNITY SERIES
WEEK 1
Thursday, February 28
Carlton v Essendon, Ikon Park 6.40pm
Friday, March 1
West Coast v Geelong, Leederville Oval 7.10pm
Saturday, March 2
North Melbourne v St Kilda, Avalon Airport Oval (Werribee) 1.10pm
Adelaide v Port Adelaide, The Memorial Oval (Port Pirie), 4.10pm
GWS Giants v Sydney, Blacktown 7.10pm
Sunday, March 3
Brisbane Lions v Hawthorn, Moreton Bay Central Sports Complex 1.10pm
Richmond v Melbourne, Deakin Reserve (Shepparton) 4.40pm
Gold Coast v Western Bulldogs, Great Barrier Reef Arena (Mackay) 7.10pm
Monday, March 4
Fremantle v Melbourne, HBF Arena (Joondalup) 6.40pm
WEEK 2
Thursday, March 6
Geelong v Essendon, GMHBA Stadium 7.10pm
Friday, March 8
GWS v Adelaide, UNSW Canberra Oval 7.10pm
Saturday, March 9
Port Adelaide v North Melbourne, Alberton Oval 1.10pm
Melbourne v Brisbane Lions, Casey Fields 4.10pm
Hawthorn v Richmond, UTAS Stadium (Launceston) 7.10pm
Sunday, March 10
Sydney v Gold Coast, Oakes Oval (Lismore), 1.10pm
Western Bulldogs v St Kilda, Mars Stadium (Ballarat) 4.10pm
Fremantle v West Coast, Rushton Park (Mandurah) 7.10pm
Monday, March 11
Collingwood v Carlton, Morwell Recreation Reserve 2.10pm
All times EST