AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL
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WAGGA is set to host a representative football double header next year with both Riverina and Farrer Leagues to play Victorian opposition at Robertson Oval on May 23.
Southern NSW AFL community football manager Paul Habel released the schedule for representative football on Wednesday that will see Riverina League take on Tallangatta League for the region's number one ranking.
Farrer League's loss to Ovens and King this year has them ranked at number six and it will look to climb from the bottom position when it takes on Picola League.
Hume League will take on Ovens and King at a venue to be determined in the third game.
In a show of strength for the representative format that was tried for the first time this year, Tallangatta League has joined the inter-league group fresh from a 111-point mauling of Kyabram & District League in its first year back in the Victorian Country Football Championships.
Picola League will combine its north and south competitions to form one representative unit to give the inter-league competition six teams.
Habel believes the representative football concept will only continue to get better.
"Obviously it was the first year of the concept and we've had to work through what we needed to continue," Habel said.
"I've liaised with AFL Victoria from an AFL NSW-ACT perspective and we've now got a format that we think will work again."
Riverina has been given the number one ranking after it disposed of Picola South this year by 108 points at Tocumwal.
Newcomers, Tallangatta, has been given the number two ranking and will have first crack at Riverina.
Hume League is ranked third and will take on Ovens and King, who defeated Farrer League by 30 points this year,
Picola will join its north and south competitions and take on Farrer League.
Habel believes the double header in Wagga will create plenty of interest.
"All in all, the double header should be really exciting," he said.
"It will be a full day of good football and netball at a good venue.
"The concept is working extremely well."
The Wagga double header will see an action-packed day of football and netball on Saturday May 23.
Riverina and Farrer will both field under 17 and senior football and netball teams.
It is still to be determined whether Farrer's junior team will be under 17 or under 18.
The netball teams will play a round robin format where each league will get three games.
Riverina president Rob Ash said his league is right behind it.
"I definitely think we've got a better opposition in the Tallangatta League this year," Ash said.
"Although our league is stronger than theirs, team by team, they have a couple of really good players at each club so scraping the cream together means it should be really good.
"It's also the first time in 10 years that we'll have under 17s play."
Riverina clubs will each get raffle tickets to raise funds for next year's representative program.