AFLX announce vice-captains and draft date

The AFLX have announced the four vice-captains and key details for their 2019 event.

We certainly can’t wait for AFLX on Friday 22 February, marking the return of the AFL (in the men’s competition) for 2019.

It may not even be February yet, but we are well and truly feeling those footy withdrawals.

The AFL have announced the four vice-captains of AFLX over the weekend, after having previously revealed the captains and team names. The four teams are based on superhero characteristics – with Rampage, Bolts, Flyers and the Deadly side taking the field. All four teams will head to a draft to select their team before the big one-off event at Marvel Stadium on Friday 22 February.

Vice-Captains announced

Jack Riewoldt’s Rampage side will be joined by Carlton’s star midfielder Patrick Cripps, while Patrick Dangerfield’s Bolts will be assisted by Hawthorn legend and current Brisbane defender Luke Hodge. Nat Fyfe captains the Flyers, with the Bulldogs Marcus Bontempelli taking on vice-captain duties, whereas Eddie Betts’ all-Indigenous Deadly side sees the ever-youthful Shaun Burgoyne joining their ranks.

Nat Fyfe and Marcus Bontempelli will take control of the Flyers

The Draft

The draft date has been announced as next Wednesday 6 February, with each team to draft 12 players on top of their Captain and Vice-Captain, making 14 in total (with eight on field at once). This leaves a total of 48 selections to be made on draft night.

The draft order will be decided on the night, with for pink AFLX Sherrins numbered one to four, picked up at random. Each captain will only be given 30 seconds to make a player selection, otherwise, they’ll be forced to wait until the conclusion to make that selection.

Only four players per AFL club are permitted to be selected.

Eddie Betts and Shaun Burgoyne take charge of the all-Indigenous Deadly side

The Rules

AFLX will see the four teams go head to head in a round-robin style format. Games will consist of two ten-minute halves. The top two teams at the conclusion will then face off in a Grand Final on the night. Each side will have 14 players, with eight on field at once, leaving six on the bench. Sides will not have coaches, leaving it up to the players to run the show.

Patrick Dangerfield and Luke Hodge will lead out the Bolts

The Details

The event will take place in a one-night spectacular, with all matches to be played at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne on Friday 22 February. The action will start at 7pm.

AFLX will feature pink footballs for 2019