Decision time: AFL Outer East makes call on season 2020
AFL Outer East has become the latest grassroots football competition to make a call on its season.
Local Footy
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The AFL Outer East competition has made a call on season 2020, announcing its decision to proceed with a season.
The league met with its senior clubs last week, and the commission decided an opt-in senior football season would commence on August 1, comprising one division.
“After consultation with all of our senior clubs over the past week, AFL Outer East can confirm that our traditional model of Premier, First and Second Division Seniors and Reserves will not commence in 2020,” the statement said.
“The manner in which our clubs have worked with us through this process has been outstanding and the decision to not proceed with divisional football in the 2020 season has been an immensely difficult but considered one.”
The clubs who have opted to play will be announced on July 3, the decision following the withdrawals of Premier club Cranbourne and Division 1 outfit Gembrook Cockatoo from the senior ranks.
“We will work with these clubs to support and prepare them for the implementation and management of all required protocols in returning to competition,” the league said.
Clubs were “unanimous” in wanting under-18s football to commence this season, with July 25 named as the kick-off date. The league will confirm the competition structure once team nominations are in.
Open-age netball and women’s football will also commence on August 1, and junior football and veterans is set for July 25.
Outer East released a return-to-play road map earlier this month, featuring an 8-10-week season with senior grand finals played across the weekend of October 17 and 18.
The decision to return to the field has gone against the current trend in Victoria, with close to 40 grassroots competitions pulling the pin on their seasons.
Up to 19 have made the call in the past week or so following the state government’s tightening of restrictions, including major metro comps Essendon District and Western Region last week, with the EDFL now reconsidering its decision.
The Eastern and Northern leagues made the call in early June, becoming the first major community comps to do so.
AFL Outer East will now turn its attention to providing fixtures for all competitions, and said it was in consultation with local councils to monitor COVID-19 hotspots.
“(We) will continue to work diligently with those Clubs who are impacted by these developments in their local area … (and) continue to monitor all advice from key stakeholders in the lead up to these start dates,” it said.