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The Grand Final replay between Footscray and Box Hill Hawks headlines the opening round of the 2015 Peter Jackson VFL season, with the fixture released today.

The VFL season will kick off on Friday April 17 under lights at Avalon Airport Oval between Werribee and Geelong, with Footscray to unveil its 2014 premiership flag on the Saturday at VU Whitten Oval under new coach Ash Hansen.

The VFL fixture features 15 clubs, with each side to play 18 games and have two byes across a 20 round season.

Grand Final day will not be the only time VFL action heads to Etihad Stadium in 2015, with the Northern Blues to face North Ballarat (Round 5) and Frankston (Round 11) in AFL curtain raiser games.

Night football will again be a feature of the VFL season with four games fixtured to be played under lights – two of these at Bendigo’s Queen Elizabeth Oval.

Frankston, Werribee and Port Melbourne will all host ANZAC Day matches in Round 2, while the Round 8 Coburg versus Northern Blues clash will be the first Queens Birthday VFL game since 2009.

There will be no break for state football in 2015, with the VFL having a bye in the interstate fixture.

AFL Victoria General Manager Steven Reaper said the VFL competition enjoyed renewed interest in 2014, which the league will look to build on next year.

“We are looking forward to an exciting year of Peter Jackson VFL action in 2015, coming off the back of the biggest VFA/VFL Grand Final crowd since 1978 and our new broadcast partnership with Channel 7.

“With a commercial network broadcasting matches next season the competition and its clubs will receive added exposure, with the high standard of football at this level to be showcased on a weekly basis,” Reaper said.

“A number of clubs have again been willing to entertain alternative fixtures, and it is pleasing to see Northern Blues work with AFL aligned partner Carlton to reintroduce AFL curtain raiser games which will provide further exposure for the VFL competition.

“The continued fixturing of night games provides clubs with an opportunity to capture a different audience to the usual afternoon matches, and the return of a VFL presence on the Queen’s Birthday Monday is sure to attract a large crowd on the public holiday.”

CLICK HERE for a club by club look at the fixture
The two games at Bendigo’s Queen Elizabeth Oval will ensure the VFL will continue to have a presence in the region despite the loss of Bendigo Gold, as Geelong and Collingwood head to Bendigo in Round 4, and Essendon and Footscray are set to clash in Round 19.

“We believed it was important to continue to have VFL games played in Bendigo so exposure to the competition is not lost to the region,” Reaper said.

“We must thank AFL Central Commission and the AFL standalone clubs for working with AFL Victoria to achieve having the two games played under lights at Queen Elizabeth Oval, providing fans of the game a taste of state league action during the year.”

The recent NAB AFL Rookie Draft provide four VFL players – Adam Saad (Coburg), Nic Newman (Frankston), Tyrone Downie (Bendigo) and Kane Lambert (Williamstown) - with a chance at playing football at the highest level, as the VFL again highlighted the opportunities it provides in Victoria’s talent pathway.

“The VFL continues to provide a genuine pathway for players to develop their skills, and keep alive the dream of playing AFL.

“The four players rookie listed by AFL clubs in early December each have a unique story of perseverance and commitment to play football at the highest level,” Reaper said.

“We look forward to seeing the next crop of potential draftees and developing AFL listed players take to the field in 2015.”

Joining them will be an unprecedented number of delisted AFL players who will be part of the competition next year, with the early club signings including Mitch Brown, Clint Jones, Trent Denis Lane (Sandringham), Orren Stephenson (North Ballarat), Jordan Schroder, James Polkinghorne, Kyle Hardingham (Essendon), Jordan Lisle, Dylan Van Unen, Leigh Osborne, Patrick Wearden (Port Melbourne), Jaryd Cachia (Richmond), Jackson Sheringham (Geelong), Shannon Byrnes (Casey Scorpions), Cadeyn Williams (Box Hill Hawks), Sam Dunnell and Taylor Hine (Williamstown), along with a host of graduating players from AFL Victoria’s TAC Cup competition.

“The large number of delisted AFL players that are remaining in the competition next year proves VFL clubs are providing professional environments and opportunities both on and off the field that these players want to be a part of,” Reaper said.

“These players want to play at the highest level possible, and are also taking up opportunities provided in coaching at these clubs to further develop their skills if an AFL chance does not arise again.”

The VFL will remain an affordable option for football fans and families in 2015, with entry prices remaining the same with adults $10, concession $5 and kids under 15 free.

“The VFL remains a great day out where you listen to the likes of Gary Ayres, Gerard FitzGerald, Paul Hudson and Andy Collins at the quarter time huddles instruct their teams, take the kids for a kick of the football on the ground during the breaks, and see great a mix of AFL and developing VFL talent play a high standard of football,” Reaper said.

The VFL Legendairy Finals Series will kick off on Saturday September 5, with the Grand Final on Sunday September 27.

The first month of broadcast games on Channel 7 will be announced in the New Year, with dates and starting times subject to change to accommodate the telecast matches.

The AFL Victoria Development League fixture has also been released, featuring nine teams with a 20 round fixture.

The fixture for the Peter Jackson VFL and AFL Victoria Development League can be downloaded below.

Now the 2015 Peter Jackson VFL fixture has been released, it is time to analyse some of the highlight matches and look at how tough the fixture is for each team.

See below for a club by club look at the 2015 Peter Jackson VFL fixture:

BOX HILL HAWKS

Box Hill Hawks will open the season and try and extract revenge against 2014 Grand Final opponent Footscray in Round 1.

The Hawks will meet former assistant coach Patrick Hill and a number of former players like Kalem Post and Brandon Wood in Round 12 as they host Frankston.

The Hawks have nine games against 2014 finalists

Box Hill Hawks will have its byes in Round 3 & 9

CASEY SCORPIONS

Casey Scorpions will start the season at home against Frankston in Round 1

Round 6 will see the Scorpions host a night game against Richmond at Casey Fields.

New coach Justin Plapp will not have to coach against his old club Williamstown till Round 18.

They will play 11 games against 2014 finalists

Casey Scorpions will have its byes in Round 7 & 11

COBURG

Coburg will open the season against former aligned partner Richmond

The Lions will play three of its first four games at home for the season and only play one 2014 finalist during that period (Box Hill Hawks away).

One of the fixture highlights will be the first VFL Queen’s Birthday matches since 2008, up against the Northern Blues.

They will play nine games against 2014 finalists, including a tough midseason run from Rounds 12-16 facing five of those sides in a row

Coburg will have its byes in Round 5 & 11

COLLINGWOOD

Collingwood heads to North Ballarat to open its 2015 season.

The Magpies will play only one home game in the first eight rounds – Round 3 – but will finish the season with five of the last six at home, including the last four games of the home and away season.

Collingwood will head to Bendigo in Round 4 for a night game versus Geelong

Collingwood will have its byes in Round 6 & 10

ESSENDON

Essendon will play its first game for the season away to Sandringham

The Bombers will return to Bendigo in Round 19 and face Footscray in a Friday night game.

Essendon will play eight home games at Windy Hill in 2015, five of those in the first half of the season.

Essendon will again face Richmond at Punt Road as part of Indigenous Round at VFL level.

They will play only three 2014 finalists in the first half of the season, and nine in total.

Essendon will have its byes in Round 10 & 13

FRANKSTON

Frankston will open the season away to Casey Scorpions.

New coach Patrick Hill will need to wait till Round 12 to face his old side Box Hill Hawks.

Frankston will head to Etihad Stadium in Round 11 as part of an AFL curtain raiser match

Frankston will either finish the season a week early or have a week to refresh before the finals with the bye in Round 20.

They do not face a 2014 finalist in the opening four rounds, and play eight games in total against top eight teams from last year.

Frankston will have its byes in Round 8 & 20

FOOTSCRAY

Footscray will unfurl its premiership flag in Round one at home against Box Hill Hawks in the Grand Final replay.

The Bulldogs will play all nine home games at VU Whitten Oval in 2015 – with four of its first five games on home turf.

Footscray will play one night game in Round 19 against Essendon in Bendigo.

They have nine games against 2014 finalists

Footscray will have its byes in Round 4 & 9

GEELONG

Geelong will open the VFL season against Werribee under lights at Avalon Airport Oval for one of two encounters next year for the K-Rock Cup

Geelong will play two night games in Round 1 and 4.

The Round 4 match will be played against Collingwood in Bendigo.

The Cats have 11 games against 2014 finalists

Geelong will have its byes in Round 2 & 11

NORTH BALLARAT

North Ballarat will host Collingwood in the season opener at Eureka Stadium in Round 1

The Roosters will play three finalists to open the 2015 season in Collingwood, Werribee and Williamstown.

North Ballarat will return to Etihad Stadium to face 2010 Grand Final opponent Northern Blues in an AFL curtain raiser game in Round 5.

North Ballarat will have eight games against top eight teams from 2014.

North Ballarat will have its byes in Round 11 & 19

NORTHERN BLUES

Northern Blues will host Williamstown in Round 1 at Visy Park.

The Blues will play four games at Visy Park, three at Preston City Oval and two at Etihad Stadium.

The two games at Etihad Stadium in Round 5 (vs North Ballarat) and Round 11 (vs Frankston) will be curtain raiser games to AFL aligned partner Carlton’s matches against GWS Giants and Gold Coast Suns.

Northern Blues will start the season against three 2014 finalists, playing 11 games against finalists in total.

Northern Blues will have its byes in Round 9 & 15

PORT MELBOURNE

Borough fans will have an extra week of preseason with Port Melbourne having the bye in Round 1. They will open season 2015 in Round 2 at home to Northern Blues.

Port will play two games against traditional rival Williamstown during the season in Round 4 and 15

Round 10 will be a homecoming for a number of former Dolphin players in Khan Haretuku, Dylan Van Unen and Leigh Osborne as Port Melbourne heads to Frankston.

Port Melbourne will have its byes in Round 1 & 12

RICHMOND

Richmond will player former aligned partner Coburg in Round 1 away.

The Tigers will play an ANZAC Day game against Frankston away.

Five of their home games will be played as a ‘curtain raiser’ at ME Banks Centre to their MCG AFL games.

Richmond does not face a 2014 finalist till Round 4, and plays 10 games against top eight teams from last year.

Richmond will have its byes in Round 9 & 17

SANDRINGHAM

Sandringham will host Essendon in Round 1 to open the season with new coach Paul Hudson at the helm.

The Zebras only play one 2014 finalist in the first five rounds, but then play six in a row from Round 6-12 and play nine in total.

New recruit Mitch Brown will not have to play his former club till Round 19.

Sandringham will have its byes in Round 10 & 16

WERRIBEE

The Tigers will kick off the 2015 VFL season under lights against Geelong for the K-Rock Cup, one of two clashes between the sides for the season.

Werribee will face four of the 2014 VFL finalists in the opening five rounds and 10 games in total against finals’ teams.

For the first time in number of years, Werribee and Williamstown will play two western derbies, in Round 5 and 19

Werribee will have its byes in Round 11 & 18

WILLIAMSTOWN

Williamstown will start its season against Northern Blues away.

The Seagulls will play four of its first five games against top eight teams from 2014.

They will play 11 games against 2014 top eight teams.

It will be a year for rivalries playing Werribee, Port Melbourne and Footscray all twice during the year.

Williamstown will have its byes in Round 9 & 14

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