AFL Barwon outlines plan to resume senior footy and netball

AFL BARWON is ready to resume senior football and netball this weekend if the eased COVID-19 restrictions expected on Friday allow it, and also has a contingency plan for a restart the following weekend.

Yesterday (Tuesday, June 8), the governing body for footy and netball in the Geelong region outlined the possible scenarios surrounding senior football and netball fixtures due to the impact of COVID restrictions across Victoria and the subsequent loss of rounds.

“As previously outlined, the health of our members is always our number one priority. However, it is our intention to ‘Play On’ this weekend if restrictions and protocols allow, and it is also viable for clubs, competitions, volunteers and members,” AFL Barwon said in a statement.

AFL Barwon says the contingencies align with AFL Victoria’s COVID Functional Framework, designed to support community football return to play this year.

Feedback has been sought from club presidents, who identified the main priorities as:

• Ensure all clubs play each other at least once
• Provide the most equitable balance possible of home and away games
• Not play on the bye weekend unless absolutely necessary, and
• Minimise the number of changes to the existing fixture.

Geelong Football Netball League

If return to play is Saturday, June 12 from the originally fixtured Round 9:

• Round 9 games will remain as originally fixtured
• Round 7 games will not be played
• Round 8 will be played in place of Round 18 on August 21 with three changes – Newtown & Chilwell v Grovedale to be changed to Elderslie Reserve to equalise the number of home games each club has, North Shore v St Albans to be changed to Windsor Park to avoid a clash with GDFL finals at Gordon TAFE Oval, and South Barwon v Bell Park to be changed to McDonald Reserve to equalise the number of home games each club has
• Round 11 match between Leopold v South Barwon to be changed to Leopold Community Bank Oval to equalise the number of home games each club has
• Round 16 match between Geelong West Giants v North Shore to be changed to West Oval to equalise the number of home games each club has.

If return to play is Saturday, June 19 from the originally fixtured Round 10:

• Round 9 will be played in place of Round 17 on August 14 with the fixture to be played as is
• Round 8 will be played in place of Round 18 on August 21 with three changes – South Barwon v Bell Park to be changed to McDonald Reserve to equalise the number of home games each club has, North Shore v St Albans to be changed to Windsor Park to avoid a clash with GDFL finals at Gordon TAFE Oval, and Newtown & Chilwell v Grovedale to be changed to Elderslie Reserve to equalise the number of home games each club has.
•  Round 11 match between Leopold v South Barwon to be changed to Leopold Community Bank Oval to equalise the number of home games each club has
• Round 16 match between Geelong West Giants v North Shore to be changed to West Oval to equalise the number of home games each club has.

Bellarine Football Netball League

If return to play is Saturday, June 12 from the originally fixtured Round 11:

• Round 11 will be played as originally fixtured

If a return to play is Saturday, June 19 from the originally fixtured Round 12:

• Round 12 will be played as originally fixtured
• Round 15 will have two changes –  Anglesea v Geelong Amateur to be played at Ellimatta Reserve to equalise the number of home games each club has, and Modewarre v Queenscliff to be played at Modewarre Community Bank Oval to equalise the number of home games each club has.

Colac and District Football and Netball League

If return to play is Saturday, June 12 or June 19:

• Round 18 match between Irrewarra-Beeac v Alvie will become a bye, as the two clubs played a now “additional” standalone game in Round 1.

Senior Female Football

If return to play is Sunday, June 13 or June 20:

• No change to original fixtures at this stage.

In their decision-making, AFL Barwon said it also considered the impact on Under 19 and junior fixtures, with the aim to align to senior fixtures as closely as possible.

“If there are any further delays to the season, subsequent contingencies would be decided upon with full club consultation, including the possibility of re-fixturing remaining games to make the season as equitable as possible.

“Affected clubs would also be offered various opportunities for support, such as the potential to host junior finals.”