Winchelsea captain Trent McLure, president Daniel Greskie and senior coach Brett Pollard are gearing up for the Blues’ first night match.
COLAC District Football League boss Peter Lucas says the league would support clubs playing night matches at Winchelsea.
Winchelsea’s Eastern Reserve board chairman Barry Stevens hopes the ground’s $300,000 lighting upgrade could pave the way for CDFL night football.
Mr Lucas the league would support its clubs using the ground for night football.
But he said he was unsure whether it would suit the Colac league.
CDFL boss Peter Lucas
“If two clubs were keen to give it a trial and see how it goes I don’t believe the league would stand in their way,” he said.
“It creates issues in terms of the number of games you’re actually able to play, I guess we see the strength of the CDFL is you have all your grades at the one venue on the one day.
“If night football can cater for that then well and good, but I think clubs would be reluctant to separate their juniors from their seniors.”
Colac district will get its first taste of night football when Geelong District Football League club Winchelsea welcomes the Belmont Lions tonight.
The Blues, which were in the CDFL until 2001, will unveil their AFL-standard lights during their first match at Winchelsea’s Eastern Reserve – their first clash under lights for premiership points.
The clash is the Blues’ only night match for the season, but Mr Stevens said the facilities were available to Colac and district clubs.
“The actual facility is available for anyone including the Colac league, if any club wants to host night matches they’re able to do it,” he said.
Winchelsea will host its reserves and senior football tonight from 6pm, with the seniors at 8pm, while the junior teams will play Sunday.
Despite not suiting Colac football, Mr Lucas said he expected Winchelsea’s first night match to be successful.
“It will be a bit like the Good Friday game in Colac, it’s something new and innovative,” he said.
“It has that appeal to a market, there will be people going along just for curiosity value and there’ll be people that go along just because they love their footy and want to go whenever they can.”
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