AVL Round 1 Preview – QLD, WA and Tasmania host an action-packed opening weekend
With 42 games set to be played across 13 venues and seven states, the 2022 AVL season commencing tomorrow promises to be an action-packed roller coaster towards the final series, to be held on the Gold Coast on 3-4 December, 2022.
The first full AVL season in three years will pick up right where we left off, with archrivals Queensland Pirates and Canberra Heat facing each other in an exciting double-header in Brisbane.
Heat and Pirates have played against each other in the men’s finals six times in the last seven AVL editions and the Heat will ask veteran captain Andre Borgeaud to lead them to a title that’s missing since 2015. The Pirates are unlikely to make things easy for the ACT representatives – a powerhouse in recent years, the Queensland franchise have been reigning champions since 2016 and are looking for a historical five-peat in the men’s league. Meanwhile, their Women’s side went down in a thrilling five setter in the 2019 gold medal match against the Melbourne Vipers and will try to go one better in 2022 to extend the franchise dominance to the women’s league.
Rd 1 – Queensland Pirates v Canberra Heat
– Saturday 8 October Men 5pm & Women 7pm AEST, Iona College, Lindum QLD
– Sunday 9 October Men 11am & Women 1pm AEST, Iona College, Lindum QLD
– Live streaming available here
Reigning women’s AVL champions Melbourne Vipers will also be looking to continue their good form from the 2019 season, with the men’s side aiming to ensure both teams take a spot on the AVL podium again. It won’t be an easy start of the season for either as they kick-off their campaign in Western Australia. Host WA Steel are eager to bounce back after a tough 2019 season and abundance of talent across both squads means there’s room to grow for the Western Australian franchise.
Rd 1 – WA Steel v Melbourne Vipers
– Saturday 8 October Women 5pm & Men 7pm AWST, Warwick Stadium, Warwick WA
– Sunday 9 October Women 11am & Men 1pm AWST, HBF Arena, Joondalup WA
– Live streaming available here on Cluch TV
With NSW Phoenix having a bye-week in the first round, the third match-up of the weekend will feature the Tasmania Echidnas against the Adelaide Storm in Tasmania. After playing in AVL Division 2 in 2019, the home team are now ready to challenge the best Australian teams. With a strong representation in the Australian Junior Volleyball Championships, the Echidnas have plenty of talent to develop in their ranks. The Storm will be the first test on their way, with the South Australian women’s side looking to get back to the AVL Finals after claiming bronze in 2019 and the men’s team chasing a spot on the podium that has been proving elusive since 2015.
Rd 1 – Tasmania Echidnas v Adelaide Storm
– Saturday 8 October Women 2pm & Men 4pm AEDT, Kingborough Sports Centre, Kingston TAS
– Sunday 9 October Men 10am & Women 12pm AEDT, Kingborough Sports Centre, Kingston TAS
– Live streaming available here
