SUNRAYSIA Football and Netball League clubs are in preparations for a likely return to action on August 7.
The SFNL have a board meeting tonight to make final fixture confirmations, with games likely to be played in New South Wales venues to allow for crowds. Board members held a zoom meeting with club presidents last night to discuss options when it comes to resuming the season.
Millewa Football League club presidents also held a meeting last night to discuss options, however it appears a resolution is yet to be confirmed.
Their fixtures, which would also include the fixtures of the Millewa Netball Association and Sunraysia Women’s Football league, also look more likely to resume next weekend.
Local football and netball was thrown a lifeline after the region’s border bubble with NSW was reinstated by the Victorian Government on Tuesday.
The strict 5km limit for NSW residents entering Victoria was lifted by Premier Daniel Andrews as he announced the state’s latest lockdown was to end at 11.59pm on Tuesday night.
Under Victorian restrictions announced on Tuesday, community outdoor sport is permitted with 300 allowed at the venue, but no spectators.
SFNL president Paul Matheson said more details would become available once tonight’s board meeting has concluded.
“It would have been nice to get back to play again this weekend but the majority of clubs wanted to make sure all their teams can play on the same day,” he said.
“The role of the league is to facilitate the competition.
“We’re trying to put together the fixture and how it looks which will be ratified tonight.”
Crowds are still permitted at NSW sporting venues under restrictions, including the wearing of masks.
Matheson said earlier this week that the SFNL board is open to all options if clubs are.
“We need to move quickly and I am of the opinion that the most important thing is to get the season up and going again,” he said.
“The biggest issue we have is we don’t know how big this window of opportunity will be open for us.
“We want to be positive, but the reality with what we have seen in Victoria and NSW the past few weeks is it can change quickly.
“We might only have six weeks to get a competition away and an end to the season.”
Matheson said the level of co-operation from clubs this year gave him confidence that they could “make it work”
The SFNL season has been one of the most even in recent memory.
The next two rounds would ensure every club has played each other once, helping ensure the competition is as fair as it can be in what has been an interrupted season.
