SUNRAYSIA Football Netball League president Paul Matheson isn’t giving up on the season.
Matheson said the evolving situation in Mildura where two COVID-19 cases have been confirmed, meant there were many other factors at play.
“With so many people in our community who have been to exposure sites, or required to be in 14 days’ isolation, we mightn’t have clearance of enough people to play, or the volunteers,” he said.
“It would be near impossible and how many clubs would be willing to take the risk from a health perspective?
“We will take a commonsense approach and put the community first.”
Matheson said the other factor the SFNL would need to consider was whether the
Victorian Government would reimpose crowd limits at community sport.
“I’m not going to be negative, but obviously it has got far-reaching implications,” he said of the COVID-19 situation in Mildura.
“We know that if there is a crowd limit of 100 we can’t play, so that sort of thing is out of our control.
“It is just a hurdle that we will have to work around. I’m not sure anyone wants to say we will give up and not proceed and I’m not personally ready to pull the pin. There are lots of strategies we can look at still.”
Matheson said the continuation of the footy and netball season was important for the mental health of the community.
“That’s why we won’t give up on it,” he said. “I just feel for the kids not going to school and all those businesses who are doing it so tough.
“Hopefully we can turn things around quickly.”
The home and away season is due to finish on August 28, but Matheson admitted the league would be willing to look at extending it if the need arises.
“We will look at all options,” he said.
