College football games, including traditional intercols, may not get underway in 2020
SA’s college footy season could be cancelled for what’s believed to be the first time, leaving coaches and players frustrated. But some are hopeful schools can play at least one game in 2020.
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The college football campaign is a tradition many thrive on and look forward to at the start of winter.
But for what is believed to be the first time since it started in 1925 the season, which helps showcase many of the state’s AFL draft prospects, could be called off because of the COVID-19 outbreak.
According to Sports Association for Adelaide Schools, not even World War Two appeared to have stopped games with an MVP award still handed out from 1939-1945.
New Rostrevor first XVIII coach and three-time Magarey Medallist James Allan said players were disappointed but were bracing for no season.
Allan remained hopeful the intercol against Sacred Heart could still go ahead this year — even if no other games could be played.
“We would love to play any game, especially (the) intercol,” Allan said.
“For many of the boys that’s the highlight of their time at school, at least from a football (and) sport point of view, so that would be something that we would be really keen to go ahead.”
The college footy season was set to kick off on May 2, after the Easter school holidays.
But that looks increasingly unlikely with all sport being postponed because of the pandemic.
“It’s about not giving up,” Allan said.
“You’ve got to build resilience during this time and you’re going to need that down the track.”
Eight-time Central District premiership player Matthew Slade was set to coach Prince Alfred — the state’s most dominant football school — this year.
Slade, who spent the past three years at the helm of North Adelaide’s SANFLW side, said not knowing if the season would go ahead was a “real kick in the guts”, especially for those aiming to be drafted.
He hoped the intercol match against St Peter’s could be scheduled for later in the year but also feared there could be a potential for soft tissues injuries if players returned out of shape.
“The boys were in tremendous condition and I know they’re devastated,” Slade said.
“Draft prospects are pretty concerned … even the understanding of where the AFL sits at the moment, who knows? They could drop their lists, taking 10 players off and what does the draft look like then?
“At this stage, I’ll take 15 minutes of game play but I hope we can extend the season in order to grab as much exposure this year as we can.”
Immanuel mentor Troy Clements also expected the season to be called off.
“To have a football season taken away is sad,” Clements said.
“But we look at the year as being with no football and if we get some games in, that’s a bonus.”
A SAAS spokesman said it was aiming to have college football kick off towards the end of term two, if not the start of term three, with an extended season.
The spokesman said “the hope would be to get a program of some kind up for the schools and students to participate in”.