EFNL junior season start confirmed following government announcement
The Eastern Football League junior season is one step closer to resuming after the league confirmed a return-to-play date. It follows the state government green lighting community sport’s return.
Local Footy
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Junior football is one step closer to a season in the Eastern Football Netball League, with a start date slated for next month following a state government announcement.
The Andrews government gave the green light on Sunday for the resumption of full-contact training and competition for those aged 18 and under from June 22.
The EFNL has pencilled in Sunday, July 26 as the tentative date for matches to commence, with Sunday, September 20 as a finishing date.
“Recognising the lower rate of transmission amongst younger people, all sports training and competition will resume for those 18 and under,” the state government press release said.
The EFNL, which recently cancelled its senior season, declared a shortened model of play for its 36 junior clubs.
But crowd attendance remains the linchpin to a return.
“All teams will play a nine-game season and the final competition structure will be provided in the near future,” the league said in a statement.
“Please note that this start date is subject to restrictions placed by the state government on crowd numbers.”
The league has called for clubs to provide their junior team numbers, and Heathmont junior president Jo Hart-Parker said her club was looking forward to the season starting.
“We had a full (training) day on Sunday, full of protocols, it went really well,” Hart-Parker said.
“A lot of happy faces and kicking the footy, and coaches were doing a great job with 1.5 (social distancing).”
The league had previously gauged the interest of a season among junior clubs via a series of Zoom meetings, where it was revealed the majority supported a return to the field, provided the protocols set in place remained achievable.
One of those protocols is each club is to have COVID-19 safety officers in place, and players are to ‘get in and get out’, with no access to change rooms, with the exception of toilets.
“We actually have a head COVID safety officer and every team has at least one, some two – that’s all worked out well,” Hart-Parker said.
“They’re right on top of it, even down to little under-8s … I feel as though I’m right back into full footy mode.”
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