Local footy 2020: Melbourne’s metro leagues divided on season
Melbourne’s six senior suburban football leagues held weekly meetings and were expected to make a uniform call on the viability of a season. Now only four remain keen on a 2020 campaign, exposing a split.
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A divide in the suburban football ranks has been exposed after two of Victoria’s major metropolitan leagues abandoned their seasons amid the coronavirus crisis.
The six senior competitions – the Victorian Amateur Football Association, Essendon District, Southern, Eastern, Northern and Western Region leagues – had been expected to make a uniform call on the viability of the season.
They had held weekly meetings for months and appeared united until recently.
Then the Northern and Eastern leagues dropped a bombshell on Wednesday when they confirmed they would reset for 2021.
It led to speculation the remaining four senior metropolitan leagues would follow after Tuesday’s meeting with AFL Victoria.
But WRFL boss Matthew Duck said in a letter to clubs the decision reflected “distinctly different club sentiment to that seen in the WRFL”.
He said 22 of his league’s 25 clubs favoured a season going ahead “subject to understanding return-to-play conditions”.
“WRFL timelines for decision-making are not directly impacted by other league decisions,” Duck said.
“Whilst making no judgement whatsoever on the decision of other leagues, had the WRFL made a decision to cancel its senior season today, we would have done so with only 12 per cent club support and based on the same lack of information we had eight weeks ago.
“The strong indication from the AFL is that we will have that information required to make informed decisions within the fortnight, allowing us to complete the measured and collaborative course we all started on in March.”
The fact only four of 45 Eastern league clubs wanted a season to get up and running underlines the split between senior competitions.
St Albans president James Perkin said a player push was behind a shift among WRFL clubs in recent weeks.
He said “a lot of clubs weren’t really keen” to take the field in the early stages of the health crisis.
“But I think it’s the players’ push that’s changed people’s minds,” Perkin said.
“It’s for the welfare the players, their mental health, they just want to play footy.
“I spoke to the players about the financial impact (on clubs) … but we’ll push through, and a lot of the players are keen to play for nothing. That’s been a positive.
“Going forward, if the salary caps do drop, players might get paid what they’re really worth instead of the inflated prices we’ve had to pay for the last few years.”
The WRFL, VAFA, SFL and EDFL remain keen to explore the prospect of a season are prepared to wait until June 22 to make a decision.
Their D-Day coincides with a further easing of State Government COVID-19 restrictions relating to sport and exercise.
The prospect of some leagues taking the field and others not is set to create issues given the fear that players from competitions not participating would likely seek transfers.
The clearance window closes on June 30 but another option for AFL Victoria would be to block transfers between leagues given the unprecedented circumstances.
One coach told Leader he received several phone calls from players in rival leagues expressing interest in a switch after the NFL and EFL pulled the plug.
“Whilst ultimately the week beginning June 22 is the ‘drop-dead date’ for announcements, ultimately club desire to pursue the season is a critical component, and if further consultation/surveying this week reveals a shift in club sentiment toward the season, we’ll share that result with you as we did this morning and of course take that response into consideration,” Duck said.
West Footscray coach Shane Lucas this week hit out at opposition clubs he said were calling for a line to be ruled through the season prematurely.
“Are we going to cancel a season because 10 per cent of players aren’t going to get what they think they’re entitled to?” he said.
“If we can play, we should be doing everything we possibly can.”
AFL Victoria head of community football Stephen O’Donohue said last month: “AFL Victoria will continue to talk to leagues, but I can’t comment on what decisions leagues may or may not make. That is a question for the leagues.”
AFL Victoria and the State Government are working to finalise a return-to-play plan, with a mid-July kick-off being widely predicted.
The plan is expected to name potential starting dates for the season.
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