Inside the EDFL’s meeting with Premier Division clubs about season 2020
The EDFL has floated a start date for 2020 to clubs, but several hold concerns about the financial and health risks associated with staging a season amid the coronavirus crisis.
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Essendon District Football League Premier Division clubs are united in their bid to take the field in 2020 but optimism appears to be fading.
The presidents and secretaries of the 10 top-flight clubs met with league chairman Bernie Shinners, chief executive Ian Kyte and the EDFL board on Wednesday night.
Clubs are keen to play but health and financial concerns amid the coronavirus pandemic remain following this week’s meeting between AFL Victoria and the six senior metropolitan competitions.
The EDFL has floated a potential July start date with clubs, which would mean the season would finish in October.
It is becoming increasingly likely that Cricket Victoria will approve AFL Victoria’s request to extend the football season into October, should it proceed.
But a nine-round home-and-away season will still cost clubs about $50,000 – without player payments.
The fact clubs have lost sponsors and the likelihood they will be unable to generate the usual game-day revenue could leave many hurting for years.
There is also uncertainty whether the competition will have to shutdown if a player tests positive to coronavirus.
Club presidents have praised the EDFL’s handling of a difficult situation, but they are growing frustrated and considering whether conducting a season will deliver more negatives than positives.
“I think it’s too big a health risk and financial risk for the future,” Strathmore president John Elliott said.
“Strathmore’s fine because we’re a big club, but how are the smaller clubs who are really battling now going to survive?
“That’s the part that is of great concern.”
Greenvale president Bruce Kent is hopeful junior football will be played given it provides less financial pressure, but he has doubts about the senior ranks.
The experienced football administrator said he thought planning for a season would be more advanced following the State Government’s easing of stage three restrictions on Monday.
“I think we’re starting to think that this may not get off the ground,” Kent said.
“It’s either going to be too difficult or if you can’t have people having some food at a canteen or you can’t have people in your social club or you’ve got to go around with a tape measure getting whatever spectators turn up separated – ultimately that’s not community football. It’s a bit like a glorified practice matches.
“We all got ourselves excited and thought come the 11th of May there’d be an announcement that would clearly show the pathway. Well, the pathway is still as obscure as it was a month ago.”
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Glenroy president Murray Nilsson has declared staging a season would be “financial suicide”.
“We’re keen to have the footy back, absolutely, but at the moment we’ve got the council saying there’s no fees, we’ve got no overheads, and clubs are losing sponsors left, right and centre,” he said.
“We’ve taken a financial hit sitting still.”
Promotion and relegation is another sticking point, given some clubs could be without several players if a season is given the green light.
“I think most people are agreeing you can hardly have promotion and relegation at a senior level in an environment like the present,” Kent said.
“You could be relegated because one person in your group tests positive, and the whole team has to go out for a few weeks and you get relegated.”
Elliott said the Mores remained wary of the health issues associated with kicking off a season.
“Strathmore will toe the line with what the majority goes with, as long as they can sort out the health requirements,” he said.
“If they can’t, we will then need to reassess at a committee level.”
AFL Victoria is establishing protocols around training following the announcement about the easing of restrictions and how it applies to community sport.
In a statement, the six senior leagues — EDFL, EFL, VAFA, NFL, WRFL and Southern — said no sanctioned training should take place until “return to training” protocols were established, put in place and accepted by leagues, clubs and local council alike.
No time frame has been given for finalising the protocols.
“A number of considerations around health and safety protocols and insurance need to be worked through prior to training being sanctioned,” the statement read.
“We have also been advised that player transfers will be reopened soon and we will provide an update on both items as soon as this information comes to hand.”
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