Local clubs may opt out of playing in 2020, clubs split on return
With May 11th looming as a key date for local footy, leagues and clubs are canvassing the possibilities. Will clubs battling to survive financially opt out of season 2020? Meanwhile, one league is split on whether it should restart at all.
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Some community football clubs may yet opt out of playing this year even if their league gets the green light to start in coming weeks.
AFL Victoria’s head of community football Stephen O’Donohue said the sport’s state-level governing body was awaiting the AFL’s next move before it provided further direction to community competitions, with the State Government’s current plan to lift stage-three restrictions on May 11.
“The next two weeks will provide some further clarity on our approach and ability to return to play for 2020,” O’Donohue said.
AFL Outer East regional general manager Aaron Bailey said his competition was exploring an “opt-in” model for its clubs, with a return slated for no later than early August.
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“From our end, we’re working really closely with clubs to understand their position, and what would be the roadblocks in returning,” Bailey said.
“We’ve always said that we’re keen for a return, but we won’t return at the expense of our clubs. We need to provide our clubs with both options (to return or not).
“There will be some clubs that can return at full capacity and there will be others that may look a bit different for 12 months. We’re certainly looking at providing multiple options in terms of return, particularly for senior football.”
The neighbouring Eastern Football Netball League recently floated the idea of a half-season
commencing on either June 13 or 20, stating it “would be the most viable option for season 2020” should it be allowed.
But in a recent survey put to its 45 senior clubs, 44 per cent of clubs were in favour of cancelling the season.
Nunawading president Aaron McDonald said that while the Eastern league Division Four club has had its challenges in the past decade, it was in favour of a season restart.
The club endured a 62-game losing streak from 2015-19 which it snapped in round one last year. For much of the past decade Nunawading has been it on the brink of folding.
“For the last 10 to 15 years, we’ve been swimming against the tide. Now we’re in the same boat as the big boys. We’re all in this together,” McDonald said.
“We’ll probably address it as a pre-season for next year. We’ll address it as a community and
something fun … people have been locked in their living rooms for two months.
“If we got some footy, I reckon that would be absolutely brilliant for the community.”
Kyneton coach Nathan Thompson highlighted the plight of most community clubs across the state.
Thompson, who played 179 AFL games for Hawthorn and North Melbourne, said local football “doesn’t work without crowds” to help generate income and the fact small businesses were struggling meant sponsorship had also taken a huge hit.
“The timing of it (coronavirus and its restrictions) is just awful,” Thompson said.
“So much work had gone into getting ready for the season.
“It’s left everybody really disappointed.
“Everybody is super keen to get a season going, even if it’s short.”
One senior league official said that running a season would not be financially viable without supporters in attendance with finals revenue critical to the operation of each league, and entering a season poses as too large a risk without the guarantee of that income.
The six metropolitan leagues – Eastern FNL, Essendon District FL, Northern FNL, Southern FNL, Victorian Amateur FA and Western Region RFL – are set to meet on May 12.
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Originally published as Local clubs may opt out of playing in 2020, clubs split on return
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