The GWS Giants will head to their Riverina heartland to face the Sydney Swans in a practice match in Albury later this month.

Lavington Sports Ground will host the unofficial Sydney Derby on Friday 25 February 6pm AEDT with both teams to have an open training session for fans on the Thursday evening.

GWS coach Leon Cameron said the club is excited to be able to take the game to Albury.

“35 per cent of our list is made up of players from NSW and the ACT and with seven players hailing directly from the Riverina area, this is a true home game for us,” he said.

“Our players can’t wait to get home and play in front of their families and friends. More importantly, we can’t wait to take a game back to regional NSW after the hardships of the last few years.

“We played AFL and AFLW games in Wagga Wagga in early 2020 and it was a wonderful experience and we expect it will be exactly the same down the road in Albury.

“This is one of only two chances we get to play a full-scale practice match ahead of the season opener so the Albury community will see the best of the best battle it out for round one spots in their own backyard.

“We can’t wait to get down there and encourage everyone to grab a ticket and turn the city orange.”

Sydney coach John Longmire, a product of the Corowa-Rutherglen region, is also behind the initiative to play the game in regional NSW.

“I was down there at the end of 2020 and there were a lot of businesses and people struggling with closures,” Longmire said.

“Obviously being on the border they were impacted greatly by decisions to open and close the NSW-Victorian border at different times.

“It was a really tough period for everyone all over the country, but in particular for border residents who are impacted by the decisions of different states.”

“The AFL has been fantastic in helping get this organised at short notice.

“They understood the importance of getting us back out there into the communities to reconnect with people at the local level, as well as gaining support for our game at the local level.”

Both teams will then be part of back-to-back matches at Giants Stadium in the AAMI Community Series with GWS to play Collingwood before Sydney face North Melbourne on Sunday 6 March.

It will then be time for a Sydney Derby proper in round one of the AFL season when GWS host the Swans at Accor Stadium Australia on Saturday 19 March.

AFL confirms 2022 practice match schedule

West Coast and Fremantle will stay grounded in Perth as Adelaide and Port Adelaide travel to Queensland for AFL practice matches this month.

Still waiting for a state government decision on travel protocols for the season proper – with Western Australia’s border slammed shut – the Eagles and Dockers will do battle behind closed doors at Optus Stadium on 25 February.

The WA derby comes after Essendon and the Western Bulldogs meet at The Hangar on 23 February to open the four-day practice match schedule, which serves as preparation for the official pre-season series.

On 24 February, Carlton host St Kilda at Ikon Park and premiers Melbourne take on North Melbourne at Casey Fields.

Adelaide and Port Adelaide will fly the following day for matches against Brisbane and Gold Coast respectively in a double-header at Metricon Stadium.

The Crows and Power are the only teams scheduled to travel interstate for practice matches.

Collingwood and Hawthorn will do battle in Morwell, with Sydney and GWS locking horns in Albury.

A Geelong-Richmond clash at GMHBA Stadium rounds out the practice matches on 26 February.

“Our two objectives for pre-season practice matches are to give clubs the best opportunity to prepare ahead of the AAMI Community Series and to take matches to supporters in local and regional communities where possible,” AFL scheduling boss Marcus King said.

“The practice matches will see football played around the country, including at regional and suburban venues such as Lavington Oval in Albury and Morwell Recreation Reserve, where fans will be able to watch their teams in action in their own backyard.”

The official pre-season series will run from 3-7 March before premiers Melbourne host the Western Bulldogs in the regular-season opener at the MCG on 16 March.

AFL PRE-SEASON PRACTICE MATCHES

Wednesday 23 February

Essendon v Western Bulldogs, The Hangar  (3pm AEDT)

Thursday 24 February

Carlton v St Kilda, Ikon Park (10am AEDT)

Melbourne v North Melbourne, Casey Fields (11am AEDT)

Friday 25 February

Brisbane v Adelaide, Metricon Stadium (10am AEST)

Gold Coast v Port Adelaide, Metricon Stadium (2pm AEST)

Collingood v Hawthorn, Morwell Recreation Reserve (4pm AEDT)

Sydney v GWS, Lavington Sports Ground (6pm AEDT)

West Coast v Fremantle, Optus Stadium (4.40pm AWST)

Saturday 26 February

Geelong v Richmond, GMHBA Stadium (1pm AEDT)

With AAP

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