Major country football league sets preliminary return to play date
One of Victoria’s biggest senior football leagues has announced a preliminary return to play date after a meeting of the league board and 12 club presidents this week.
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A major country football league has set its sights on an opening bounce in 2020.
The Goulburn Valley Football Netball League hopes to start its season on July 18, pending approval from the state government.
The league board and club presidents met on Wednesday night to discuss the season’s status and confirmed their desire to press on this year.
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However, an official decision will not be made until the next round of government announcements on June 22.
In a statement released on Thursday morning, board chairman David Roff said the league had several questions that needed to be answered.
“The GVL is aiming for a return to play date of 18 July for all grades of football and netball,” he said.
“However, we will continue to await the announcements from state government, which are expected on 22 June, in relation to the easing of restrictions, including those around crowd numbers, the numbers of people at outdoor gatherings, whether contact training and play can resume and numbers in a hospitality setting.
“These announcements will be major deciding factors as to whether the 2020 season goes ahead or not.”
The decision could see a wave of transfer requests with players in cancelled leagues desperate to play.
The Picola District is the only league with a confirmed return to play date of July 11.
PDFL club Rennie has already secured the services of Coleman Medallist Brendan Fevola and former Essendon player Ricky Dyson.
The Victorian Amateurs and AFL Outer East are eyeing a July 25 start, pending state government advice.
However, several major leagues have decided against playing on in 2020.
The Hampden District Football League announced on Wednesday night that it was abandoning its season, while AFL Barwon, which controls football in the Geelong region, cancelled the season in four senior leagues.
The Northern and Eastern football leagues are the only metropolitan leagues to have made an official decision, resetting for 2021.
The Goulburn Valley league consists of 12 teams; Kyabram, Echuca, Shepparton, Rochester, Seymour, Tatura, Benalla, Mansfield, Euroa, Shepparton United, Mooroopna and Shepparton Swans.