WRFL 2021: Promotion, relegation and premiership call made after cancelled season and finals
The Western Region Football League has made a call on promotion, relegation and flags for 2021. Latest here.
Western
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Premierships, promotion and relegation are off the table in the Western Region Football League for this season.
A WRFL board meeting this week had determined the shortened season and cancelled finals series could not allow divisional movement after local football came to a halt earlier this month.
“In making this determination, the Board identified that fundamental to the promotion/relegation process was the completion of a finals series,” the WRFL said in a statement on Tuesday afternoon.
“As desperately as the entire WRFL community wanted to complete a finals series this season, the Board acknowledged the reality that this had not been able to occur.”
Inequities in club fixtures as a result of lockdown interruptions also played a key role in the WRFL’s decision to put the brakes on promotion and relegation.
“In reaching its decision, the WRFL Board also took into consideration the minimal number of senior matches completed over the past two seasons (2020-21), recognising the significantly reduced sample size of completed matches to adequately inform any promotion/relegation process,” the WRFL said.
Clubs who finished on top of the ladder at the conclusion of the season would however be awarded and recognised with the minor premiership.
The league confirmed consideration was given to awarding premierships, but determined that the completion of a finals series was “considered critical in order to recognise and award fully fledged Premierships”.
The league said the decisions made aligned with the majority view of WRFL clubs, after clubs were surveyed for their views on promotion, relegation and premierships.
Altona (Division 1), Wyndhamvale (Division 2) and Wyndham Suns (Division 3) all finished on top of the ladder in the senior men’s divisions.
The decision follows the Eastern and Northern leagues to award minor premierships.
Promotion and relegation has also been ruled out in the Northern league, and while Eastern clubs would be spared demotion, clubs could submit a case for promotion. Undefeated Division 4 club, Coldstream, was promoted to Division 3 for 2022 in the Eastern league.
Meanwhile, the Essendon District league will award premierships to teams who finished on top of the ladder, and enforce promotion and relegation across the senior men’s competitions.
The Southern and Mornington Peninsula leagues are yet to make a decision on flags.
The WRFL will present league awards, including best and fairests, in the coming weeks.
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