Footy seasons in limbo as COVID restrictions return

District football and netball competitions are still in the dark on how their seasons progress as they wait on state government decisions in response to the latest COVID outbreaks.

The four district leagues – Gippsland, Ellinbank and District, Mid Gippsland and West Gippsland – could not play last weekend and have cancelled those rounds.

Next weekend’s rounds, and possibly the next few, hinge on what the government announces today (Tuesday) when the most recent statewide lockdown is reviewed.

The situation has been clouded by COVID-positive cases detected in regional areas – Phillip Island, Bacchus Marsh and most recently Mildura.

Reports were emerging yesterday that the government may extend the current lockdown until Friday.

If that is the case, country football and netball would almost certainly be off next weekend with players and clubs unable to train and get together during this week.

The EDFL, where all sides have already played each other at least once, says it will not be making any changes to its fixture for the remaining home-and-away rounds.

Rounds will simply be cancelled if lockdowns or severe restrictions on numbers allowed at grounds make staging matches unviable, president Roger Gwynne said.

He said there would be no change to dates allocated for finals.

Mid Gippsland league’s cancelled round last weekend will, if restrictions allow, be played next weekend with a bye round scheduled for the following week to now be round 16.  It is the last home and away game before finals start on August 7.

All of that depends on what the government announces tomorrow.

West Gippsland and Gippsland leagues remain in a state of flux although hopeful they’ll be allowed to resume next Saturday.

Their biggest issues revolve around the extent of any extension to lockdowns or whether there is any easing for regional areas even if the current lockdowns measures continue in the greater Melbourne area.

Seven of West Gippsland clubs are in the previously defined “Greater Melbourne” and several others in the Bass Coast shire that includes Phillip Island where a COVID positive case has been detected.

The EDFL has two clubs, Lang Lang and Catani, in Cardinia shire in the Greater Melbourne area and Gippsland League one club, Wonthaggi, in Bass Coast.

Gippsland League made some significant changes to its draw following the earlier cancellation of three rounds and still has some instances where clubs have yet to play each other this season in the home-and-away rounds.

Even what seems the most likely “best case” scenario where the lockdown would be removed and restrictions eased in regional areas this week, but remain longer for Greater Melbourne, there are player availability issues for several GL and EDFL clubs that have strong contingents from west of the Bunyip River.

And as EDFL president Roger Gwynne points out, umpire availability would also be a major issue with the Gippsland and South Gippsland umpire panels including many that live in the Greater Melbourne zone.

Those panels officiate in the Ellinbank and District, Gippsland and West Gippsland football leagues.