MPNFL 2021: Contingency plans in place for grand finals to be played

The MPNFL is refusing to give up on the season, revealing contingency plans for a finals series. And promotion and relegation is a hot topic.

Dromana won the last MPNFL Division 1 grand final in 2019. Picture: Valeriu Campan

While some country football leagues are cancelling their seasons amid another Covid outbreak, the Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League is refusing to give up.

Its plan all along was to resume playing once lockdown finished and government protocols allowed.

The weekend of September 4 and 5 was the MPNFL’s targeted return.

But with the state’s lockdown set to be extended, the league’s hopes of that happening are fading.

“Naturally that’s out of our hands in terms of restrictions and government announcements,” AFL South East regional manager Will Dakis said.

“We’re still hopeful we can get a decent finals series away.

“But we’ve got contingencies in place should we not be able to return on that weekend.”

Dakis said a top four finals series could be played in both divisions if the season was to resume next weekend.

“If we return on that weekend (September 4) we can get a top four in both divisions,” he said.

“If we lose that weekend we’re looking more at grand finals only for Division 2 and potentially top four for Division 1.

“But it’s all subject to clubs’ ability to return to play…in terms of allowing clubs a chance to train before playing.”

Dromana celebrates its 2019 flag.

The MPNFL Division 2 grand final was scheduled for September 11, with the Division 1 flag decider on September 19.

Dakis said if lockdown continued, the season could be extended.

“We’d look at potentially pushing the grand finals back if needed but again it would be a discussion with participating clubs to ensure the willingness to go past that September 19 date,” he said.

Dakis said there was also a chance the season, including finals, could be cancelled.

“Potentially,” he said.

“But at this stage we’re still hopeful that we will be able to return and get some form of finals series played.

“That’s our preference, to play a finals series of some form.”

Dakis said the issue of promotion and relegation in the MPNFL was “still to be determined”.

“The starting point is that promotion and relegation will occur,” he said.

“If there is any change to that that will need to be discussed by the clubs, but the starting point is that that will go ahead.

“But should that change there will need to be consultation period with club clubs first.”

Competitions along the NSW-Victoria border, including Central Murray, Golden Rivers, Millewa, Murray, Picola and District, Sunraysia and Tallangatta and District competitions have called an early end to their seasons.

The Upper Murray league did the same weeks before.

Goulburn Valley league officials called off its competition in response to Shepparton’s Covid cluster last week.

Controversially it awarded premierships to teams who finished on top of the ladder.