The state of play for each South Australian community football league in 2020
Local footy is finally back with eight competitions kicking off this weekend. Check out what leagues are starting their seasons with an update of the state of play for each SA competition.
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Three months have passed since all sport was postponed due to the coronavirus shutdown.
Now grassroots footy is finally back with eight competitions kicking off their 2020 seasons this weekend.
Adelaide Footy League, Hills and North Eastern Football League are two of the eight beginning this Saturday.
Others, including Southern and Great Southern football leagues, will start a week later on July 11 before the Barossa, Light and Gawler Football League kicks off on July 18.
The Adelaide Footy League’s divisions one, two and three will be bolstered by high-profile signings, including many ex-AFL players and those from the country who have headed to the city following the cancellation of their competitions.
Division three will, however, be without Portland after the club decided to sit out this year due to health and safety concerns and increased strain on volunteers.
But the Thunder will retain their spot in division three for next year however the third tier will be played as a nine-team competition this season.
SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE STATUS OF EVERY LEAGUE IN SA
Division seven club Greenacres was the first to withdraw from the metropolitan competition last month.
Powerhouse SFL grand finalist Noarlunga, meanwhile, backflipped on an original decision not to play in a revamped 2020 season.
The Shoes voted to sit out 2020 last month.
But following backlash from within and outside its ranks, combined with further easing of COVID-19 restrictions, they decided to rejoin the competition.
The SFL will be an eight-team competition this year, as Aldinga’s decision to withdraw from the A grade still stands.
Noarlunga president Mark Anderson said the club was committed to playing in both senior and junior competitions.
“It is fair to say we copped a lot on social media about our original decision not to play,” Anderson said.
“But now with further easing of things like the number of people we can have in our clubroom and the number of people we can have at games we have been able to readdress a few things.
“I have said all along the safety of our volunteers who are mainly over 60 was the key factor and the uncertainty surrounding the season were key factors in our original decision not to play.
“The players and club are committed and on board and looking forward to playing.”
Here is The Messenger’s state of play for every community football league across SA.
SA FOOTBALL’S STATE OF PLAY
ADELAIDE FOOTY LEAGUE – BEGINS JULY 4
The metropolitan league will return to play a nine-round home and away season beginning on July 4.
Chief executive John Kernahan said the start date was locked in and the league would work out finer details with its clubs in the coming weeks.
Trial games will take place on July 27.
Two clubs, Greenacres and Portland, have pulled out of the competition for 2020.
ADELAIDE PLAINS – BEGINS JULY 11
Clubs voted to play with the season kicking off on July 11.
Bute, which plays in the Yorke Peninsula Football League which cancelled its competition, will join the APFL this season.
APFL president Michael Vigor said Bute was a welcome addition to the ranks.
“Our clubs were right behind Bute coming into our competition for the season and I was pleased to be able to offer them a place,’’ Vigor said.
“We look like having anywhere from seven to nine clubs competing with a couple of our clubs still undecided about playing but we will know more after this week’s webinar meeting with the SANFL.’’
BAROSSA, LIGHT and GAWLER – BEGINS JULY 18
Barossa, Light and Gawler clubs made a decision on Tuesday night to go ahead with a 2020 season, starting on July 18.
There will be nine minor rounds and the top three will face off in a finals campaign in September which will then culminate in a flag decider.
EASTERN EYRE – SEASON CANCELLED
In a statement on its Facebook page, Eastern Eyre Football League said it had decided to cancel the 2020 season “after receiving unanimous feedback from all clubs”.
The statement said the decision was made with “great disappointment” but the league was looking forward to returning in 2021.
FAR NORTH – SEASON CANCELLED
The four-team league abandoned the season but said on its Facebook page it had devised a plan to get teams training again for wellbeing reasons and hoped to stage community events in Roxby Downs “to provide our clubs with some momentum for 2021”.
FAR WEST – SEASON CANCELLED
The Far West, a four-team competition, was forced to cancel the 2020 season after two clubs advised the league they would not participate this year.
In a statement, league president Ron Redford said it would be “impossible to proceed with a season with only two clubs participating”.
“The league is very supportive and respectful of the decisions made by each individual club,” Redford said.
Redford said the league looked at forming a composite competition with teams in the Far West and Mid West leagues but it was not successful.
GREAT FLINDERS – SEASON CANCELLED
The Eyre Peninsula-based league was the first SA league to pull the pin on its 2020 season last month. Uncertainty over crowds, financial impacts and increased workload on volunteers were the reasons behind the decision, which was made by all six Great Flinders clubs.
GREAT SOUTHERN – BEGINS JULY 11
Great Southern will begin a nine-round season on July 11 and play its grand final on October 3 after clubs on ticked off the date on Wednesday night.
Yankalilla announced last month it would not take part this season due to financial concerns, but backflipped on the decision and will play.
“The crowd of 500 is a bonus and over time that will hopefully increase by the time we’re playing,” league president Terry Corcoran said.
“We’re pretty confident we can get everything going.”
HILLS - BEGINS JULY 4
The HFL has proposed a July 4 start date for its two divisions with a grand final no later than October 10.
KANGAROO ISLAND – SEASON CANCELLED
Senior men’s competitions have been cancelled with clubs not returning to play until 2021. The league will instead host an under-12 and under-15 competition, kicking off on July 4.
All clubs – Dudley United, Kingscote, Parndana, Western Districts and Wisanger – are likely to enter a team in each of the junior tournaments.
KOWREE NARACOORTE TATIARA – SEASON CANCELLED
KNTFL clubs voted 8-3 in favour of abandoning the 2020 campaign but hoped to get juniors up and running in July.
The league, in the state’s southeast, had the added complication of having a Victorian club, Kaniva Leeor, that could not enter SA because of border restrictions.
League president Peter McLellan described the result as sad but unsurprising.
“There were too many obstacles and we’ve still got to get the borders going,” McLellan said.
“Clubs felt the protocols made it really difficult, it would put a strain on volunteers and it’s too late.”
McLellan said the three clubs against shutting down the season – Mundulla, Bordertown and Kybybolite – were considering speaking to the SANFL about joining other associations for this year.
MALLEE – SEASON CANCELLED
The league’s six clubs unanimously voted to cancel its season last month after struggling to cope with the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, including the closure of the state border. Mallee has Victorian club Murrayville in its competition.
“The border restrictions thing is still going to be a big sticking point,” Mallee president David Arbon said.
I’ve always said right from the start because Murrayville were keen to play that if they couldn’t, we wouldn’t go on without them and that still stands.
“I don’t think much will change unless all the restrictions are lifted.”
Junior competitions will still go ahead and to kick off late July.
MID SOUTH EASTERN – SEASON CANCELLED
The Mid South Eastern Football League will not go ahead with a senior competition this year.
But clubs are being invited to join a proposed Limestone Coast regional competition, possibly involving SA clubs from Mid South East, Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara and Western Border football leagues.
A junior season is being planned.
MID WEST FOOTBALL – SEASON CANCELLED
The league voted 4-2 to scrap the season, citing long travel concerns and hot weather in September as key factors.
“We are looking at running some of footy carnivals for juniors and seniors but that is still being looked at,” league recorder Andrew Buckham said.
NORTH EASTERN – BEGINS JULY 4
Six of the competition’s eight teams voted in favour of starting on July 4. Eudunda Robertstown and Burra Booborowie Hallett (BBH) will not feature this season due to factors including a lack of volunteers.
NORTHERN AREAS – BEGINS JULY 4
Four out of the competition’s six teams voted to go ahead with a season and start on July 4.
The 2020 campaign will include 10 minor rounds and culminate with a grand final at Crystal Brook on September 26.
But Jamestown Peterborough has pulled out.
PORT LINCOLN - BEGINS JULY 4
The league plans to kick off on July 4 with 10 minor rounds.
RIVER MURRAY – BEGINS JULY 4
The competition will start on July 4 with six teams after Meningie Football Club’s decision to sit out the 2020 season.
River Murray Football League president Terry Connolly said Meningie would be welcomed back into the competition in 2021.
This season will be a shortened campaign with 10 minor rounds, a three-week finals series and a flag decider on September 26.
RIVERLAND – SEASON CANCELLED
Clubs met with competition executives to discuss the Riverland Football League’s 2020 season and chose to abandon the season.
An under-18s, under-15, under-13, under-11 and under-9 competition will still go ahead.
SOUTHERN – BEGINS JULY 11
The SFL will now be an eight-team competition, kicking off on July 11 with only Aldinga not taking part after Noarlunga reversed its decision to sit out.
The Sharks, perennial battlers, cited ongoing concerns about the health of volunteers, an inability to cope with strict COVID-19 restrictions and a lack of senior players.
There is still set to be a three-week finals series with a flag decider on September 27.
Women’s matches, men’s C grade, minis and back-up junior games will be played on Sundays.
SPENCER GULF – BEGINS JULY 4
The Spencer Gulf Football League originally decided to can the 2020 season, citing a lack of volunteers and financial concerns.
But that decision was soon reversed and the seniors campaign will kick off on July 4.
The league will be without Solomontown as the club opted not to be involved this year.
League president Les Promnitz said hosting a 2020 season was made after many players indicated they still wanted to play and would move to other football competitions.
WESTERN BORDER – SEASON CANCELLED
The Western Border is one of three SA associations with a Victorian club – Casterton-Sandford.
League president Michael Summers confirmed on Monday night all clubs voted to cancel the season after Casterton-Sandford pulled out.
WHYALLA – BEGINS JULY 4
The six clubs unanimously decided on Wednesday night to start the season on July 4.
It will be a 10-round season with the usual three-week finals series, culminating in a September 26 flag decider.
YORKE PENINSULA – SEASON CANCELLED
Clubs in the nine-team league voted 6-3 in favour of cancelling the campaign.
First-year league president Leighton Wilksch said clubs had too many concerns to make the senior season viable.
“Most of the clubs couldn’t see it working with getting enough volunteers and the right people to police the strict COVID guidelines needed for a start,” Wilksch said.
“Some clubs were worried about finances and whether it would be too costly for them, while all bar one club said they would find it hard fielding both (senior) teams.”
Bute Football Club is set to join the Adelaide Plains Football League in 2020.