Country footy leagues fear financial hit due to AFL finals clash

Cash-strapped country football leagues are upset their finals series will be going head-to-head with the twilight AFL qualifying final.

Cash-strapped country football leagues are upset their first finals series since 2019 will be going head-to-head with the Saturday twilight AFL qualifying final between Geelong and Collingwood at the MCG.

Gate-takings from finals matches remain one of country’s football’s biggest revenue raisers with many leagues eagerly awaiting the return of finals after a two-year absence due to Covid.

East Gippsland and Bellarine grand finals are on Saturday week when Geelong and Collingwood play.

East Gippsland league secretary Ian Forbes said he hoped fan loyalty would be a factor when people made a call on what they attended.

“Country football has no clout against television stations and the AFL,” he said.

“People are more loyal than what you might think.

“There are a lot of people not watching AFL and supporting country football this year.”

Ovens and Murray league chairman David Sinclair. Picture: Supplied

The Ovens and Murray league’s finals series is starting on the same weekend as the AFL and its chairman David Sinclair said he was “staggered” there would be a clash given what country leagues have to endure in the last two years.

“It’s our first day of finals, our first opportunity in three years to bring in revenue from finals and the AFL schedules a game like that up against us,” he said.

“I know it’s a 4.30pm start but anyone going from regional Victoria will be on the road by noon to 2pm.

“It’s going to take people away from community sport at a time when we should be shining a light on it.

“I just don’t think there’s any consideration given to what impact these decisions have.”

The O and M has previously gone head-to-head with AFL finals and taken a hit on crowd numbers.

In 2017, the O and M grand final crowd was down by more than 2000 people when it went up against an AFL preliminary final.

The AFL has been contacted for comment.

Morwell qualified for the Gippsland league finals series on Saturday. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

The Gippsland Football League second semi-final will be played on the same day and league president Brett Tessari agreed that the clash will have a negative impact.

“Unfortunately the AFL isn’t going to worry about what the Gippsland Football League thinks,” he said.

“It would be nice not to be competing.

“But we’re used to the AFL not considering what’s going on out in the regional areas.”