Two of Victoria’s biggest football leagues have cancelled the 2020 season
Two of Melbourne’s biggest metropolitan football leagues dropped the bombshell news that their 2020 seasons are over. Now, one club is so shattered, its president wishes he could move competitions.
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Two of the biggest football leagues in Victoria have pulled the pin on season 2020.
The Eastern and Northern Football leagues have officially decided to call the season off after discussions with AFL Victoria and fellow metropolitan leagues this week.
League sources at the NFL and EFL have confirmed the decision.
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The EFL has also cancelled its netball season but both leagues are still hopeful of pushing ahead of a return to junior football this year.
The leagues’ decision to pull up sticks comes as AFL Victoria and the State Government work to finalise a return-to-play plan, with a mid-July kick-off being widely predicted.
The plan is expected to name potential starting dates for the season with the WRFL, EDFL, SFL and VAFA still planning to return.
In a joint statement, the leagues said cancelling the season was the only viable option to protect the long-term viability of clubs.
“Recent feedback from senior clubs indicated an overwhelming wish for the future of the 2020 season to be determined without further delay,” the statement said.
“Both the EFNL and NFNL believed that cancelling their competitions is the only viable decision that will ensure the long-term sustainability of their clubs and the leagues.”
EFL chief executive Troy Swainston said the league had conducted a lengthy and thorough consultation process and was committed to beginning 2021 with all of its clubs in the strongest possible position.
“The EFNL has maintained a view throughout this process that we do not want one club to
come back next year worse off than they are now,” he said.
“All clubs were aware of the challenges associated with managing a reduced season under COVID-19 rules and restrictions and were very open, balanced, and frank about where their club sat.”
“Clubs expressed concerns about their financials, player numbers, committees, older volunteers, crowd restrictions and their inability to manage crowds at open public spaces.”
NFL boss Peter McDougall understood people would be disappointed but the decision was made for the overall health of the competition and participants.
“We must make decisions based on what is best in both the short and the long-term,” he said.
“The information we have gathered from our clubs together with the latest medical advice, has determined that cancelling the senior football and netball competitions in 2020 is the only viable option.”
Doncaster East president Peter Sowersby expressed his club’s bitter disappointment at the cancellation.
Sowersby recently implored the league to exhaust all options before making the call, and said his club now needed to explore its options for 2020.
“If there’s any other comp that wants Donny East in it, go ahead, we’ll certainly look at that,” Sowersby said.
“You have to think of everything. I’ve had blokes ringing me, extremely upset, I feel terrible for them.
“As a club, we’re extremely, extremely, disappointed, to be honest.”
Noble Park president Grant Connolly said he wasn’t surprised and supported the decision.
“Personally, I think they’ve done the right thing,’’ he said.
“The EFL are there to protect the clubs. They don’t want the clubs to be in a worst position next year by going ahead.’’
Noble Park players trained on Tuesday night in three groups of 20 and Connolly said they were “pretty flat, understandably’’ after being told there would be no season.
The six metropolitan leagues met AFL Vic again on Tuesday and Southern league chief executive Lee Hartman emerged from it convinced there would be an opportunity to play.
“I’m confident there will be a window,’’ Hartman said.
“But it’s just about seeing what it looks like with crowds, the requirements on volunteers to get it up and running and so on.
“But I’m confident there will be an opportunity. Hopefully we can shortly receive a return-to-play date and from there we’ll continue to plan. We’re meeting with our clubs again later in the week. We’re continuing to plan if we get that date or not.’’
The SFL, EDFL, WRFL and VAFA are prepared to wait until June 22 to make a call on the season.
WRFL boss Matthew Duck said last week there was a “growing sense June is the month where we want to make a call”.
The AFL Outer East has again committed to an announcement about the season’s future this Friday.
In a statement released this afternoon, region general manager Aaron Bailey said the announcement made by the EFL and NFL this morning had not altered that plan.
“We respect and understand the decisions of other competitions and leagues on their 2020 seasons, however, these decisions will not impact or influence the process undertaken by AFL Outer East and its clubs,” he said.
“Over the past three weeks AFL Outer East has been meeting and consulting with its clubs on the best path forward. Key to this is a detailed set of guidelines and principles for football and netball to return in 2020. These will be released to the public on Friday, following feedback from our clubs. The document will provide clarity and will shape our decision moving forward.
“This will include preferred start dates and alternative options across our various competitions.”
The league will then meet with clubs on June 23, following the next state government announcement to consider the next step forward.
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