NFL coaches discuss players wanting clearances to rival leagues
Coaches in the Northern Football League don’t believe players should be stopped from seeking opportunities in rival leagues in 2020 so long as it doesn’t come at the club’s cost next season.
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Northern Football League coaches won’t stand in the way of players who seek a move to rival competitions that will play on in 2020.
The NFL and Eastern league were the first metropolitan competitions to confirm their plans, deciding the cancel the season amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Clubs began fielding calls from players looking to switch leagues almost immediately.
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However, the NFL will block any transfer request until AFL Victoria announces its temporary permit plan and individual leagues confirm return to play dates.
Banyule coach Paul Harris said it could be in clubs’ best interests to let players go to ensure they returned in 2021.
“Every club’s going to be in the same position. As soon as our comp got cancelled, clubs from other comps were ringing players to try and get them across,” he said.
“I think you need to support the blokes going but the fact is they’re at clubs they wanted to be in the first place, so they’ll come back next year.
“I’m of the view if we’re not going ahead, we’re not going to deprive blokes from having a kick of the footy.”
Banyule’s Ricky Dyson and Fitzroy Stars’ Jake Firebrace were the first players to lodge clearance requests following the league’s decision.
Dyson has requested a move to Rennie in the Picola District league, the only competition in the state that has a confirmed a start date.
Firebrace has twice been denied a move to St Kilda City in the Southern league, as it waits until June 22 to make a decision.
West Preston-Lakeside’s back-to-back Division 1 premiership coach Rob Maiorana said it would be unfair to effectively ban players from playing.
“I can’t begrudge anyone who wants to play a game of footy and we can’t offer that to them in the Northern footy league this year,” he said.
“We’ll see how that plays out but first we need to see if any other leagues get up and running to give them that option.”
West Heidelberg coach Michael Missen agreed.
“That night I had four or five guys ask ‘does that mean we can go and play at other clubs’,” he said.
“I’m not going to stand in their way, the league has taken that option away from you to play sport, so if they government says it’s OK and safe to play, there’s not much we can do about it.”
Diamond Creek coach Andrew Tranquilli said any decision would be made with the club’s interests at heart.
“If a player came up to me and said I just need to play footy for my mental wellbeing, I’d say go for it, as long as it’s not to the detriment of Diamond Creek in 2021,” he said.
While the NFL and EFL have cancelled their seasons, the four remaining metro leagues – WRFL, EDFL, SFL and VAFA – will wait until June 22 before making an official announcement.
The Goulburn Valley league has set a preliminary return to play date but will also wait until later this month to confirm its intentions.