EDFL premiers Strathmore will take part in the Betstar Pre-season Cup on 18 March. 67507 Picture: SARAH MATRAY
SCORESBY will replace Noble Park in the Betstar Champions Cup on 18 March, after the Bulls notified tournament organiser Sports Support last week that they were pulling out.
Scoresby, which finished runner-up to Noble Park in last season’s Eastern Football League grand final, will now be the only team in the tournament that did not win the premiership in its respective league last year.
WRFL premier Spotswood and EDFL champion Strathmore are among the teams taking part in the pre-season tournament at Bulleen Park.
A $10,000 prize pool including $5000 in cash and $5000 in prizes, has been confirmed.
The E.J. Whitten Foundation Forum Room will feature talks and demonstrations from leading football identities in fields such as health and fitness, medical, financial, merchandise and coaching.
AFL great Terry Wallace will be a key-note speaker during the player development and welfare session with other high profile AFL coaches, administrators, support staff and players attending throughout.
Tournament operations manager Ben Charles said the event was an ideal launch to the football season.
“The day certainly has a competitive edge but it’s really the only chance for all local footy fans to rub shoulders and really get an understanding of the other competitions on the one day,” he said.
“Many of the sides last year became unofficial supporters of the competing teams for the remainder of season 2011 and I would suspect this year’s competing teams will share that same sort of connection.”
Punters have been encourages to visit league forums on the Big Footy website and vote for which team they think will win the tournament. The voting will help rank the teams and determine the composition of the three groups.
Sports radio station SEN is the event’s official media partner and will broadcast live from Bulleen Park with former Hawthorn and North Melbourne forward Nathan Thompson and a host of current and former AFL stars wandering the grounds.
Corporate and club packages, E.J. Whitten Foundation Forum Room tickets and general admission passes are available at early bird prices online at www.sportssupport.com.au, as well as at the gate on the day.
Games begin at 11am, with Forum Room presentations beginning at 11.15am.
