Local footy 2020: WRFL coaches’ verdict on call to cancel season
Top-flight Western Region Football League coaches have responded to competition’s decision to cancel the 2020, with two questioning why the call was not made sooner.
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Western Region Football League coaches have backed the competition’s decision to scrap the season amid the coronavirus crisis.
The WRFL was the third suburban league to rule a line through the 2020 campaign, with clubs’ optimism fading in recent days as the State Government delayed the easing of restrictions.
Clubs also had concerns about the “health and safety of members and patrons and the inability to effectively manage crowds to comply with current social distancing rules and crowd restrictions at open public reserves”.
Last week’s announcement that clubs could start contact training from July 13 and competitions could kick off from July 20 is also under review until next month, which left local leagues in a race against time in an uncertain environment.
The WRFL is still hoping to stage a nine-round junior season.
“This year there’s a lot of difficulties with everything in life, not just football,” Werribee Districts coach Chris Gilham said.
“I think it’s a smart call. If it’s going to put clubs’ viability in jeopardy and the safety of the club and community for a seven or eight-week competition, probably the safest thing and smartest thing to do is cancel it, focus on the kids and look to be back stronger than ever a year later.”
Gilham acknowledged the state of play had changed significantly in recent days.
Victorians have been advised not to travel to Brimbank, which houses WRFL clubs.
“Two months ago, I would have thought it was no chance at all,” Gilham said.
“Then (the odds were) shortening all the time to get a season up and running.
“But the restrictions coming back in place on the weekend … it made it more and more difficult.”
With salary caps set to be cut by at least 50 per cent in 2021, Gilham said Werribee Districts would use the extra time wisely to assemble its senior squad for next year.
“We won’t be doing nothing for three months. We’ll be busier than ever planning for what football clubs and leagues look like post-COVID,” he said.
“We’ll look at that and try to use this time well to set up for the year later because there are going to be a lot of changes.
“We’ll also have a bit of a break. We’ve been training up until now in case preparation was required.”
Hoppers Crossing coach Steve Kretiuk and Altona mentor Corey McCall supported the decision but said they would have preferred to know earlier.
The Eastern and Northern leagues opted last month to reset for next year.
Former AFL defender Kretiuk said some clubs may not have survived if a call was made to proceed.
“Deep down, I always thought it was going to happen,” he said.
“I’m not sure of (the WRFL’s) thought process, but it would have been nice for them to get on the front foot a little bit earlier.
“It’s just that uncertainty for the last couple of months when other leagues have pulled the pin.
“It certainly makes it easier to plan for next year, but who knows, it might still be compromised next year.”
Kretiuk questioned the decision to cancel the under-18.5 grades and said the age limit could be increased next year to help clubs keep hold of young players.
He said teenagers missing a year of football before potentially entering the senior ranks would be “detrimental”.
The WRFL said it had left the door open for a “shortened, more informal opt-in/opt-out” season and is keen for an under-18.5s competition.
“I think a year off from under-18s is not going to be good for them. It would be good if the league could keep them down there for another 12 months,” Kretiuk said.
“But hopefully the juniors go ahead.”
McCall, who took on Altona’s top job last October, said relief was his overwhelming emotion.
“It’s hard not to support the decision with what’s going on at the moment,” he said.
“It’s probably just the length of time it took … and all the bumps and riding the emotions all the way through from group sizes, going back to training, the possibilities and all the discussions about sustainability of football clubs as well.
“For me as a coach, I can understand most coaches out there have probably got some kind of relief.
“There’s disappointment obviously but relief with some clarity for the rest of the year, for sure.”
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