Summer netball returns

AFL BARWON has announced the summer netball season will begin on October 27.

The competitions return has been facilitated by Regional Victoria’s move to the Third Step of the coronavirus roadmap, although various protocols will be implemented to reduce the risk of transmission.

AFL Barwon will run Under 11, 13, 15, and 17 Female divisions and Under 15 and 17 Mixed divisions.

AFL Barwon stated they were also working with the relevant bodies regarding the Under 19 age group, with contact sports (including those where social distancing is not possible) presently not permitted for people over 18.

The competition structure has remained largely unchanged. Each division will include 12 rounds, followed by semi-finals and grand finals.

Each quarter has been reduced from 10 minutes to eight minutes. AFL Barwon game development officer Josh Conway this was to give teams some more time to deal with COVID protocol.

“It’s purely to allow greater time between games so there’s no crossover and so everyone’s doing the right. That’s probably the only main difference.”

Netball Victoria is still working with the state government to finalise some of the protocol, but Conway said similar measures will likely be in place to those that existed during the brief period when the winter competition ran.

“There are relaxations on a couple of things as opposed to when we last played but on the whole it’s pretty similar.”

Most teams will play on Tuesday nights, although the Under 13 and 15 Female and Under 15 Mixed teams will play on Fridays.

AFL Barwon will hold information sessions for participating clubs to ensure they are familiar with COVID protocols.

Team registrations will close on October 13.