A blockbuster Men’s Division 3 2023 fixture has been handed down for the Animals Senior and Reserves squads as the quest for promotion begins with new coach Glenn Hopkins.
Three games against promotion rivals Elsternwick (including a Round 1 blockbuster at Bennettswood), freshly relegated foes Power House AFC, newly promoted La Trobe Uni, and long time local rivals Hawthorn AFC make for an exciting year.
The Animals’ first opponents see us get a chance for Senior revenge against Elsternwick after two incredibly close losses in 2022, whilst the Reserves will look to take advantage of the mental edge they have after eliminating the ‘Wickers in the Elimination Final last year in Coburg. The games will be a part of what is set to be a massive opening round at Bennettswood Reserve.
Two trips to Holmes/Todd Oval out the back of VAFA headquarters in Rounds 7 and 13 will be crucial clashes for the Animals’ push for promotion in the Seniors, and yet another finals run for the Reserves.
Hawthorn will make their Ladies Luncheon debuts when the Animals don their pink jerseys again in Round 5. Both the Seniors and Reserves are 4-1 when playing in the pink, which is done to support the annual fundraiser that has raised well in excess of $100,000 since its inception in 2017.
A trip to the recently renovated Rathmines Reserve awaits in Round 12, where the Animals ended their Senior season with a long-awaited victory, which also doubled as a farewell to stalwart Chris Beluszar. The two sides will then once again end their regular seasons together, this time at Bennettswood, the first time the Animals will finish the year at home since 2016.
After protesting their last trip to Bennettswood in 2019, Power House return to the eastern suburbs as a freshly relegated side looking to avenge their drop. The Albert Park outfit were unlucky to be the sole side dropped from above, but will help the Animals keep their now 5-year streak of playing sides at Lakeside in Senior Men’s football when they face off in Round 2, with two games at Bennettswood in Rounds 9 and 15.
La Trobe Uni are the final tri-opponent of the 2023 season with a Round 3 visit to Bennettswood, followed by two trips to Bundoora in Rounds 10 and 16, a trip the Men have not made since the undefeated regular season of 2015, where 5 goals from Beluszar and a superstar performance from Paul Baranello saw the Animals record a comfortable 62-point win.
The 2022 Division 4 winners are a different proposition however this year, and will look to emulate South Melbourne who last year completed the double promotion.
Canterbury, Richmond Central, and also freshly-promoted Swinburne Uni will only be met twice this season.
The season will have two league-wide byes built in to it, one for the King’s Birthday weekend on June 10, and a VAFA Representative bye on July 15.
Finals will begin the weekend of September 2, with the Grand Final either Saturday, September 16 or Sunday, September 17.
To see how the full fixture looks, head to our Fixtures and Results tab.