The quarter final and semi final fixtures for the inaugural Cecil Earley Plate competition have been drawn, offering up some tantalising matchups from across the VETO Sports Men's State League (SLM).
The 2025 Cecil Earley Plate will comprise of the final eight (8) SLM clubs that were in the 2025 Dockerty / Hahn Australia Cup.
First up we have FC Clifton Hill, fresh off their run to the Round of 16 stage of the Dockerty Cup, vs a Balmoral FC side who sit atop of the State League 4 West table. State League Men's 2 North-West side Whittlesea Ranges FC will welcome State League Men's 2 South-East side Chisholm United FC. Hampton East Brighton, who are sitting third on the ladder in the State League Men's 1 South-East competition, will play host to fellow State League Men's 1 side Banyule City SC, who currently sit fourth in the North-West. Finally we have a battle of State League Men's North-West sides, with Mill Park SC hosting FC Strathmore.
The quarter final playing window runs from June 13 to June 26, with kick-off times to be confirmed as soon as possible.
The competition then moves into the Semi Final stage, where we will see the winner of Whittlesea and Chisholm United hosting the winner of Hampton East Brighton and Banyule City as well as the winner of Clifton Hill and Balmoral welcoming Mill Park or Strathmore.
The semi final playing window runs from July 8 to July 17, with kick-off times to be confirmed as soon as possible.
The Grand Final of the Cecil Earley Plate will be played as a curtain raiser to the Dockerty Cup Final at The Home of The Matildas on the weekend of August 10th.
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 Plate draws direct parallels to that Cup tournament first run 63 years ago and ensures the best performed State League clubs have a chance of claiming another piece of silverware in a packed football calendar.