The inaugural Cecil Earley Shield Competition has been launched as part of the Dockerty and Australia Cup competitions.
For the first time in 2025, the best performed state league men’s club in those two competitions will be awarded the Cecil Earley Shield
A Football Victoria life member and Geelong region footballing legend, Cecil Earley played a pivotal role in the inaugural Federation Cup in 1962, scoring a hat-trick for Coburg United in the Cup final replay against Sunshine City.
The Federation Cup was introduced as a tournament for clubs not involved in Victoria’s top-flight competition, as the Dockerty Cup was essentially only open to the premier clubs during that period.
The inauguration of the Cecil Earley Shield draws direct parallels to that cup tournament first run 63 years ago, and ensures the best performing state league clubs have a chance of claiming another piece of silverware in a packed football calendar.
The 2025 Cecil Earley Shield will comprise of the final eight state league clubs left in the Australia Cup competition.
Clifton Hill was the only state league side to make the sixth round of the competition, knocked out by Heidelberg United. The other seven finalists were knocked out in the fifth round.
State league 4 west club Balmoral is the lowest ranked club of the the eight clubs left.
There are four state league 2 clubs, including Mill Park and Whittlesea Ranges, while there’s three state league 1 sides.
The first round of the shield will be played on June 14.
Balmoral has been drawn to play Clifton Hill, Whittlesea Ranges are at home against Chisholm United, Hampton East Brighton will face Banyule City and Mill Park will take on Strathmore.
The grand final will be played as a curtain raiser to the Dockerty Cup on the weekend of August 10.
