Local footy: Melbourne suburban clubs may not train until February 1
Usually local football players start pre-season around mid-November. But Melbourne clubs have been told official training sessions may not get the green light until well into next year, giving footballers just weeks to prepare for the season.
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Suburban football clubs are facing the prospect of not returning to full-scale training until next year amid the coronavirus crisis.
Clubs have been told that official training sessions may not be given the green light until February.
Melbourne’s six metropolitan competitions – the VAFA, Essendon District, Northern, Eastern, Southern and Western Region leagues – are working on an appropriate date for clubs to start training in preparation for 2021.
If contact training was delayed until February, clubs and players would be left with just weeks to finetune their game plans and build fitness ahead of the standard April kick off.
While the state of play remains uncertain, it is possible non-contact training in groups will be allowed earlier than February.
Before Victoria’s second wave, clubs were able to train in two groups of 10 and then 20 on the same oval.
But in an email to clubs, the EDFL warned small group training may not be “sanctioned” and therefore not covered by insurance.
It said it would provide more detail to clubs in coming months after discussions with AFL Victoria and the state government.
It is understood competitions are eagerly awaiting the possible easing of restrictions on October 19 before deciding on their next move.
“As we understand it, all the major metropolitan leagues have basically decided there shouldn’t be club training until after Christmas, and they’re actually nominating the 1st of February,” Greenvale president Bruce Kent said.
“I don’t know if that’s through an abundance of caution.
“But like most clubs we’d usually have about six or seven weeks before Christmas and come back in the second half of (January) and get into it again.”
A suburban coach said he had no knowledge of the February date but added he was planning for no official training to take place before Christmas.
Strathmore president John Elliott said health protocols remained a concern for clubs.
A COVID-19 clean at a venue such as a pub can cost about $4500.
“If we had to do things like that next year, it could send clubs broke,” Elliott said.
AFL Victoria media manager Will Carter said: “We are continuing to work with the DHHS and Sport and Rec Victoria to plan the roadmap back to football.”
Under the next step of Victoria’s coronavirus roadmap, exercise in groups of 10 is allowed with distancing of 1.5m between each person.
It is not known if the 5km rule will be lifted in the next stage of restrictions.
For sport and exercise rules in the next step, the DHHS website states: “You can compete and train in non-contact community sport outside. People who are aged 18 and under can compete and train in both contact and non-contact sport outside.
“A sport is non-contact if participants can maintain a distance of 1.5 metres while playing.”
Cricket clubs are planning to start training this month before the first ball is sent down in November.
Under the last step of the roadmap, organised contact sport can resume for all ages with limited spectators.
The last step is set to be activated when there have been no cases of community transmission for 14 days.
Under the final stage, described as ‘COVID normal,’ there are no restrictions on community sport or spectators.
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