AFLNT boss Stuart Totham looking for the best methods to dance around the effects of COVID-19

DARWIN’S NTFL competition remains focused on an October start despite the changes to the AFL season

Nightcliff and St Mary's players come to grips in a hotly contested 2020 NTFL Premier League grand final. Picture GLENN CAMPBELL

THE first bounce in Australian football competitions across the NT is still at least a month away.

That was AFLNT boss Stuart Totham’s response to questions on when leagues in Alice Springs, Tennant Creek and Katherine can resume hostilities post COVID-19.

Darwin’s NTFL competition remains focused on an October start despite the length of the AFL season.

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Totham is meeting with the eight NTFL presidents in mid-May to discuss the evolving nature of the virus and its effect on the game.

“We’ll activate the By-Laws committee at the same time with a view to starting in October, but with the situation changing all the time there’s still a lot of work to do,’’ he told the NT News.

“If the AFL season runs into October what do we do?

“Do we stay the same and, what will it look like, what will the finances look like and do we play some rep footy, there are a lot of scenarios.’’

Totham said getting the CAFL. BAFL and Big Rivers Football Leagues up and running was very important.

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“We want to get them engaged and up and running and it’s why we’re full bore at making that happen,’’ he said.

“That involves all stakeholders including the government and AFL head office aiming to get a road map on a return to play completed in the next couple of weeks.

“From that we’ll give everyone a clear direction on when training and the seasons proper in those regions will commence.’’

Totham said a key consideration in the restart was the biosecurity measures already in place to protect remote communities.

“We’re really conscious of the fact that playing football in main centres like Alice Springs, Katherine, Tennant Creek and Darwin will attract people from the communities,’’ he said.

“Those measures are in force until June 18, which makes it a key date before we can consider a kick off.

“Community and player safety is No.1, then financial considerations, start and finish dates, crossovers with the cricket season.’’

Financial impact on the AFLNT and the AFL will be significant in all cases.

A reduction in revenue gained from sponsorship, gate receipts and canteen revenue will have to be covered by top-up funding from the AFLNT and the AFL.