Regional pride will be on the line as part of the JLT Community Series, with the announcement that the AFLQ Central Queensland Cup will curtain raise the February 26 Gold Coast SUNS vs. Essendon clash at Harrup Park.
Reigning AFL Capricornia premiers, the Yeppoon Swans, will take on reigning AFL Mackay premiers the Mackay City Hawks at 1:00pm, adding some local flavour before the main game kicks off at 3:40pm.
AFL Queensland State Football Operations Manager, Barry Gibson, said the match was a first of its type for the central Queensland region.
“It’s a great initiative between AFL Mackay and AFL Capricornia and hopefully the start of an annual pre-season matchup between the two reigning premiers,” said Gibson.
“From a grass roots football perspective, we are rapt to have community football content as part of the day.
“To play an AFL curtain raiser will certainly provide the players and umpires involved with an experience they will remember for a long time.”
The 2017 JLT Community Series will see all 18 teams play three matches across a four-week stretch between Thursday February 16 and Sunday March 12 to lead into the 2017 Toyota AFL Premiership Season.
Six matches will be played across each of the first three weekends of the competition, giving all clubs one bye with every club playing on the final weekend.
The Mackay match is proudly supported by the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland’s It’s Live! in Queensland events calendar and Mackay Regional Council’s Invest Mackay Events Attraction Program.
An added attraction to the weekend’s activities will be a free coaching Master Class on Saturday afternoon featuring AFL coaching staff and umpires.
The format of recent seasons has again been followed by bringing the game to the backyard of communities across Australia. The majority of matches will be played at regional or suburban venues that don’t normally host AFL Football during the regular Toyota AFL Premiership season.
Ticketing
Tickets for the 2017 JLT Community Series Mackay are available through
Ticketek – www.ticketek.com.au or 132 849
Please see www.afl.com.au/tickets/jlt-community-series for further venue and ticketing information.
