AFL Victoria works towards November 23 reboot
With suburban footy players “chomping at the bit” after a derailed 2020 season, an AFL Victoria “road map” is working towards clubs returning to training in a matter of weeks.
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Footballers are “chomping at the bit’’ to hit the track, but they will have to wait a little while before they can start pre-season training.
AFL Victoria and Sports and Recreation Victoria are working on a “road map’’ towards clubs kicking off on November 23.
But, as occurred when training resumed before the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic, they will face stringent conditions as they reboot for 2021.
Based on information from Sports and Rec, AFL Victoria is putting in place protocols around social distancing, hygiene and the sharing of equipment.
Clubs will also have to submit COVID-19 plans to local councils.
In its latest update, AFL Victoria said returning to training and matches in a “safe, hygienic and controlled manner is paramount to the AFL’’.
“Our primary focus is preparing to return to training and games in a safe environment in a well-prepared and educated manner,’’ it said.
Sports and Recreation Victoria said it anticipated Victoria would move to the last step for reopening at 11:59pm, Sunday, November 22.
That will loosen restrictions on contact sport in the state.
On Monday the Southern Football Netball League wrote to its clubs reminding them that sanctioned training was still not permitted but all going well adult sport would be able to resume on November 23.
SFNL chief executive Lee Hartman said today that players were eager to start training after the 2020 season was scrapped.
“They’re chomping at the bit,’’ he said.
“We’re receiving calls all the time asking if they can get going. I think after having the year off, we had some concerns about players wanting to come back to footy, but it’s the exact opposite. The players are keen, the coaches are keen. Obviously people have been locked up for a long time. But it’s pretty clear that once the shackles are off they’ll hit the ground running. They’ll just have to be patient for a couple more weeks and away we go.’’
Hartman said his league was confident training would resume smoothly and community football wouldn’t be impacted for the 2021 season.
Noble Park Football Club senior coach Steve Hughes said his players had already started training in small running groups at different locations, but were looking forward to training together.
He said it was coming much earlier than the date suggested a few weeks ago.
“It’s very exciting given the last communication was, ‘Don’t be planning anything until February 1’,’’ he said.
“It just demonstrates how quickly things can change. It almost feels like you’re pinching yourself a little bit, that we’re now in a position where there’s a level of confidence in the community that we can move on in our lives and that includes footy. And I know talking to players they are just screaming out for it.’’
Hughes said the lockdowns had been a “mental challenge’’ for players, who missed not only the physical activity of football, but social interaction.
When they do resume training clubs must have at least one COVID safety officer to oversee protocols including registering player attendances and cleaning equipment.
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