Today the AFL confirmed the season dates for the 2023 VFL season.
Round 1 of the 2023 VFL season will commence on the weekend of March 25-26, and the 2023 VFL Grand Final will take place on Sunday September 24.
The home and away season will consist of 22 rounds, with all teams to play 18 matches and have four byes.
In 2023, the VFL season will feature a wildcard round which will be played across the weekend of August 26-27, following the final round of the home and away season.
The Wildcard Round will feature two matches – seventh v tenth and eighth v ninth.
The two winners will advance to the 2023 Smithy’s VFL Finals Series, with the highest-ranked winner during the Wildcard Round to enter the finals as the seventh-placed team.
The top-six teams on the ladder will have a pre-finals bye during Wildcard Round, ahead of the commencement of the final series on the weekend of September 2-3.
All 21 of the teams who competed in the 2022 VFL season will compete in the 2023 season.
Southport is one of seven VFL standalone clubs and one of the three VFL clubs from Queensland.
The composition of clubs for the 2023 Smithy’s VFL season will be:
VFL standalone clubs: Coburg, Frankston, Northern Bullants, Port Melbourne, Southport Sharks, Werribee and Williamstown
AFL aligned clubs: Box Hill Hawks, Casey Demons and Sandringham
AFL standalone clubs: Brisbane Lions, Carlton, Collingwood, Essendon, Footscray Bulldogs, Geelong Cats, Gold Coast SUNS, GWS GIANTS, North Melbourne, Richmond and Sydney Swans
“Southport’s Football General Manager Jarrod Field said, “We are really looking forward to the 2023 VFL season and think that the Wildcard Round will be a great addition to the competition.”
With the season dates confirmed, the AFL is working on the 2023 VFL fixture and will publish it as soon as finalised.