Northern beaches: End of league, netball soccer, union, AFL seasons hit by Covid threat
Junior sports across the northern beaches want to salvage finals for the 2021 winter season despite the Covid lockdown. Here’s what’s in store for your code
Manly
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The ongoing Covid lockdown is set to see the axe officially fall on the 2021 season of winter sports on the northern beaches.
Soccer authorities have already decided to abandon the season while local netball officials are expected to make a similar decision early this week.
On Monday, rugby league, union and AFL bodies on the northern beaches were still holding out a slim hope that the NSW Government would lift its lockdown as scheduled on August 28 so a couple more games can be squeezed in.
Local league, union and Aussie rules’ associations say they are waiting on advice from their Sydney or state-based parent bodies on whether the season will restart.
Northern Beaches Council has confirmed that it had not been formally approached by any of the winters sports’ associations to extend their seasons.
The council’s sports fields were available for winter sports this year to August 29.
Last year the winter sport season on the northern beaches was extended by several weeks by agreement with summer sports such as cricket and touch football.
“Council understands the winter sports season is now in a state of flux, as a result of the Covid restrictions,” said council CEO Ray Brownlee.
“We have been in close contact with the local sports groups that use our sports fields. They are the ones who ultimately decide whether the winter season comes to an end or not.
“When the NSW Government’s COVID-19 Public Health Orders permit sport to return to play, council will consult with the local sports clubs/associations about their plans.
“At this stage we have not been formally approached by any of the winters sports to extend their season.”
The official summer sports season starts on August 30 and ends on March 20 next year.
The Manly Warringah Football (Soccer) Association told its 19,865 players and officials and 17 local clubs on July 31 the season was over.
In a message from its chairman David Wilson and CEO David Mason, the MWFA said that even if the Covid lockdown ended on August 28 indications from Football NSW were that it was highly unlikely matches would be able to be played until late September at the earliest.
“Therefore. following emergency discussions with your Clubs, the (Referees Association), Football NSW and the Northern Beaches and Mosman Councils, the MWFA Board made the difficult decision to abandon the 2021 season.
“While we would all dearly love to be able to play football on the weekends, the health and wellbeing of our players and the general community is paramount.”
The MWFA board decidsed that champions would be declared in all competitive divisions, from under-12 and above, based on the competition tables as they stood pre-lockdown and, adjusted where required if teams in the same division had played a different number of games.
For rugby league, the NSW Rugby league said it was working closely with the Office of Sport, NSW Health and other winter codes to form its position on the rest of the season.
“The NSWRL continues to work with all stakeholders and will provide advice by 16 August,” a spokesman said.
John Fox, a senior official with the Manly Brothers club, said some of the juniors had only played six games this year.
“It’s sad, but it’s not looking real great at the moment and we’ve only got the ovals until the end of August,” he said.
Manly Junior Rugby Union secretary David Beat said the five local clubs were waiting on advice from the Sydney Junior Rugby Union on what may happen during the rest of the year.
Mr Beat said as well as the local season there were Sevens rugby competitions scheduled during Spring.
“We’re still hoping to have an end to the season, but we don't know what’s happening yet.”
Ellen Casey, vice-president of the Manly Bombers AFL Club said it was waiting on word from AFL Sydney Juniors about the fate of the season.
Ms Casey said the club was keen to see the winter sports season “pushed out by a couple of weeks” to finalise the competitions.
“We are holding out hope, but that looks unlikely, especially with some of our older teams playing in wider competitions across the city.”
Manly Warringah Netball Association secretary Cathy Hurditch said it was “highly probable” that season would be called off and the scheduled grand finals’ day on August 28 would be cancelled.
The MWNA was set to meet on Monday night to make a decision on whether to officially end the season on the northern beaches.
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