WA and VIC’s Best Colts Sides to Clash: Fremantle CBC vs Old Brighton

The reigning premiers from Western Australia and Victoria’s top Colts competitions, Fremantle CBC and Old Brighton, are set to face off in an interstate preseason showdown.

The two sides will meet this afternoon, March 13 at 4:05pm AWST at Belvedere Reserve in Victoria. The match will be live-streamed on the Victorian Amateur Football Association’s VAFA TV, giving friends, family and supporters a front-row seat to the interstate clash.

The matchup originated in October last year, when Fremantle CBC coach David Larsen reached out to Old Brighton coach Travis O’Donohue about bringing his Fremantle CBC side over to Melbourne for a preseason game.

“Both our teams had won premierships last year, so there was an instant connection and mutual understanding about what we wanted to achieve with these young players,” O’Donohue said.

The two coaches started planning the logistics soon after, organising a venue, umpires, squad lists and coaches, ensuring the game would be a professional yet fun experience for the players.

The back-to-back Holmesglen U19 premiers, Old Brighton, will provide a strong test for Fremantle CBC, who claimed the 2025 EGT Phil Scott Colts premiership with a 42-point grand final win over University.

Larsen says the high level of competition is exactly what he wants for his Fremantle CBC side as they prepare to defend their premiership.

“We want to get the boys a bit more exposure to a new challenge in football, to galvanise the group and give them an opportunity to do something a bit different with their footy.”

Larsen added, “We have a decent team we’re bringing over and a bunch of really good blokes. They'll develop a connection through this, but they'll also see what the Victorian football level is like. Hopefully, we can show the Vics what WA’s footy is like at the same time.”

Although the matchup has players excited about the chance to claim state bragging rights, both coaches have emphasised the importance of the off-field experience.

O’Donohue explained, “I spoke to the boys over the weekend. I said it’s non-negotiable: every player has to go in the opposition changing room after the game. I think it would be nice for them to connect with someone who’s travelled from the other side of the country and who they obviously have plenty in common with.”

The match has positioned itself as more than just a preseason warm-up, offering both competition and opportunity for the clubs and players. Larsen also highlighted the potential for the fixture to grow in future.

“We’ll see how it pans out,” Larsen said. “It’s a big effort to get it organised, but we’re very pleased we’ve been able to. We do hope to repeat it in the future. But for now, we’re focused on making today a success and bringing home a win against the Vics.”

Both teams will bring their premiership-winning form to Belvedere Reserve, eager to test themselves against interstate opposition and gain valuable experience ahead of the season.

VAFA Website for the Old Brighton v Fremantle CBC Stream

Written by Oliver Mcfarland