Game over? Southern league’s 2020 season is on the brink
Melbourne’s Eastern, Essendon District, Northern, Western Region and VAFA football competitions have ruled a line through their seasons. Now there is growing speculation the Southern league will join them on the sidelines.
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Southern is the last metropolitan football league standing, but an exodus of teams and revised AFL Victoria protocols have it close to sounding the final siren on 2020.
The SFNL board will meet tonight and is expected to write off the season, joining Eastern, Essendon District, Northern, Western Region and the VAFA in ruling a line through a return to play.
The VAFA made its decision last night, saying the health and safety risks of going ahead were too great.
Southern has set July 25 as the kick-off date for its four divisions, but a string of clubs has pulled out in the past few days.
Division 1 power St Paul’s announced this morning that it was withdrawing, joining Highett, Oakleigh and East Malvern on the sidelines.
Hampton, Hampton Park, East Brighton and Keysborough are out of Division 2.
In a message to its players St Paul’s said it met last night to discuss the recent surge in coronavirus cases, the risk to players and the financial cost of putting out teams.
The committee put it to the vote and “the majority’’ favoured not going on.
East Malvern told the Southern league yesterday that it was withdrawing its football and netball teams.
“After lengthy discussions with committee members, coaches and players, the difficult decision was made that EMFNC will not be participating in the upcoming season,’’ the club said.
“The health, safety and wellbeing of players, volunteers, members and committee members are at the forefront for our decision.
“While we would love to be out there playing, COVID-19 continues to create an ever changing environment for our community and one that is greater than football and netball when considering the importance of the health of our club members.
“We look forward to a big return in 2021.’’
Return-to-play protocols released by AFL Victoria yesterday appear to have ruled out crowds attending matches.
They said state that “only spectators necessary to support participation should attend training and competitions’’.
Southern had previously said it needed crowds of at least 100 to stage senior football.
Given the work it has done to build the Under 19s, the league may opt to run the under-age section.
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