Country footy: Fixture changes across Victoria due to lockdown

Country footy competitions have been forced to restructure their fixtures following the enforced break. Here’s a look at what competitions across the state have done.

Ballarat league officials said round 7 was unlikely to be rescheduled. Picture: Hamish Blair

Victoria’s country footy competitions find themselves in a holding pattern again.

Across the state, some leagues have cancelled games, while others are holding out hope of playing their matches later in the season.

Here’s what officials across the state have announced so far.

AFL Barwon (Bellarine, Colac District and Geelong leagues)

In a statement on Thursday, AFL Barwon said if only a single round is impacted, no points or percentage should be awarded to any team and the season would resume with the next scheduled round.

This is also the case if consecutive weeks are called off.

Play would continue until the original finals were scheduled to start.

“With the situation constantly evolving and uncertainty on what 2021 may hold, it is our belief this framework will give our competitions and clubs the best opportunity to have a fair and equitable season,” the statement said.

Ballarat

Round 7 of the Ballarat Football Netball League is unlikely to be rescheduled, according to competition officials.

The only way it could be played is if clubs agree to fixtures being moved to the Queen’s Birthday weekend in two weeks.

In a statement, the league said points previously allocated for a bye would be removed with no further points awarded to ensure ladder integrity.

Central Highlands

Round 7 games have been postponed until the Queen’s Birthday weekend.

While the competition is also looking for alternative interleague dates.

Central Murray

Officials made the decision to abandon round seven games on Thursday afternoon after the state was plunged into a seven-day lockdown.

The round six game between Cohuna and Tooleybuc Manangatang grabbed headlines during the week after a positive case attended the game.

Ellinbank and District

All around 8 games were called off under AFL Victoria’s Covid framework guidelines.

Geelong and District

League officials said it would cut games at the back end of the season if only one weekend of games is lost.

Round 8 has not been abandoned and will be played when the season is able to resume, meaning round 18 could be scrapped later in the year.

The league is expected to keep its bye for the Queen’s Birthday long weekend.

AFL Gippsland

It is hoped games can be rescheduled for later in the year, but if they can’t be matches will eventually be abandoned.

Echuca co-coach Andrew Walker will be hoping to return to action next weekend. Picture: Aaron Cook

Goulburn Valley

The GVL season is now set to run a week longer after the competition’s board agreed to play round 8 games the week following round 18.

This means all finals have all been pushed back a week and a new finals plan will be unveiled in the coming weeks.

Hampden

Games have been postponed at this stage with an official decision yet to be reached.

Heathcote District

Competition officials announced on Thursday night round 8 games would be rescheduled on June 5 and become round 9.

Horsham and District

Round seven games have now been moved to the Queen’s Birthday weekend with round 8 games remaining on June 5.

Loddon Valley

Cancelled games have been moved to the Queen’s Birthday weekend which was previously listed as the league’s general bye.

Officials also agreed to not extend the season beyond the scheduled grand final of September 11 as it would cause disruptions to neighbouring competitions.

Millewa

No call has been announced on how the league will treat its round 7 fixtures, but more detail was expected in coming days.

The league doesn’t have any matches scheduled for June 12, which was meant to be a bye weekend.

Mininera and District

All games affected have been moved to the Queen’s Birthday weekend.

Koroit won the 2019 Hampden Football League premiership. Picture: AFL Western District

Murray

July 3, which was meant to be the competition’s general bye, will now host the rescheduled games.

Ovens and King

Round 10 games have currently been rescheduled to June 12 with next week’s games also pushed back to allow players and coaches to prepare for a return to action.

Ovens and Murray

Games in round 8 and round 9 have been postponed with competition to resume on June 12 (round 10).

It means there have been a number of fixture shuffles for one of the state’s major competitions.

Picola and District

The competition’s entire fixture has been pushed back a week meaning round 9 games will be played next weekend.

The general bye on July 3 will no longer take place.

Sunraysia

No decision has been made on what will happen to the round 7 fixtures that weren’t played on Saturday.

League officials will meet late on Sunday to discuss its next steps.

Sunraysia’s semi-finals are currently scheduled to run over two weekends, which could potentially be abridged to allow games to be rescheduled for later in the season.

Warrnambool and District

League officials elected to abandon the weekend’s fixtures with no points to be awarded.

Wimmera

The weekend’s round of action has been postponed with an official decision still to be made.