Final siren: AFL Barwon’s senior football and netball competitions cancelled for 2020

THE siren has sounded on senior footy and netball for this year across the Geelong region, with the Bellarine Football Netball League (BFNL), Colac and District Football and Netball League (CDFNL), Geelong Football Netball League (GFNL) and Geelong and District Football League (GDFL) competitions officially cancelled.
The decision, jointly announced on Tuesday afternoon by the leagues and the AFL Barwon Commission, includes senior football home and away seasons (including seniors and reserves) for all listed competitions, as well as all senior netball home and away seasons (including all senior grades).
According to a survey of senior clubs across the four leagues, nearly eight in 10 respondents (79 per cent) said they were either unsupportive of a premiership home and away season or were willing to follow an AFL Barwon Commission decision.
Concerns raised by senior football and netball clubs included uncertainty around a clear path back to return to play, uncertainty around how to generate revenue without the opening of bars and canteens (including social functions), the burden placed on volunteers, the inability to effectively manage crowds to comply with state government restrictions, health concerns with COVID-19 and varying financial implications.
Torquay Football and Netball Club president Jenny Wood said she was disappointed to not have a regular BFNL season but understood why the decision was made.
“For the senior players, it was getting just a little bit too late, and for the volunteers and everyone else, the uncertainty was a big question mark.”
AFL Barwon region general manager Will McGregor said the cancellation would allow all clubs to return in 2021 in the strongest position possible.
“Unfortunately, cancelling senior football and netball in 2020 is the only viable option to ensure the sustainability of 44 senior clubs.
“It is our duty to support clubs, to protect the over-burden of volunteers, protect teams from high injury rates and protect clubs from potential forfeits, which would’ve tainted the integrity of already compromised seasons.
“For our members to come back reinvigorated in 2021, we believe this is the only course of action given the timeframes.”
The governing bodies and leagues remain committed to providing alternative competition models in a modified format for both senior football and netball, as well as to conducting junior football, junior netball and senior female football competitions in 2020, and believe all players should be given the opportunity to play in some capacity safely in 2020, if they opt to do so with the support of their club.
Ms Wood said the Torquay Tigers would now focus all their efforts into junior competitions, which she believed might start at some point in July.