Ballarat Football League cross town rivals Bacchus Marsh and Darley yesterday announced, within an hour of one another, the two high-profile former Carlton players would each make a one-off guest appearance in the Red Onion BFL this season. 

Anthony Koutoufides will suit up for Darley against Melton South at Darley Park on May 15.

Two weeks later, Brendan Fevola will play for the Cobras against Sunbury at Maddingley Park. 

Koutoufides’ deal with the Devils was brokered by Darley treasurer Dave Fenech through his association with the Carlton Football Club.

“We thought it would generate a lot of interest for Darley, the town of Bacchus Marsh and also for the league,” Fenech said.

“We asked Kouta if he was interested in playing a guest game for us.

He said he was and asked us to come up with some dates, and one of them suited him.

“I asked the coach (Rod MacPherson) if he was happy to do it, and he was. 

“I was up at that first game that Fev (Brendan Fevola) played at Yarrawonga and there was an enormous crowd, about 9000 spectators.

“We think it will be great for tourism in the area and that it can be a winner for everybody.”

Fenech said, given that the Bacchus Marsh-Darley derby will already pull a large crowd, the preference was for a match against either of the two Melton clubs.

He said there were still some details yet to be finalised, including training schedules before the match.

Koutoufides, 40, played 278 games with the Blues. 

He was a Carlton premiership player in 1995 and the AFL Players’ Association Most Valuable Player in 2000, and was an all Australian representative in 1995 and 2000.

Bacchus Marsh, meanwhile, announced it had reached an agreement with Fevola’s management for Fevola to play one match for the Cobras.

Cobras president Pat Mullen said Fevola had approval from Ovens and Murray league club Yarrawonga to play three games at other clubs under permit. 

“Doug Hawkins, our coach, and Brendan Fevola have done some sportsmens’ nights together,” Mullen said.

“He asked Brendan to consider it; it started from that.

“On that weekend neither Melton side plays so we think it can attract a very big crowd on the day.

“We’d love to see Fev kick a bag of goals and we think he can make a big impact based on how he played for Yarrawonga.

“Training is yet to be finalised but we’d like to get him here on the Thursday night before the game.”

gavin.mcgrath@fairfaxmedia.com.au