THE SFNL senior football grand final next month could be played under lights after the league ditched plans this week to hold its showpiece event at Mildura Recreation Reserve.
The league bowed to weeks of public pressure on Tuesday night, when it held an extraordinary board meeting to have a rethink of whether City Oval was fit to host a finals match.
There was a resounding “no” by the board members, who opted to stage grand-finals day at the new $45 million Mildura Sporting Precinct on Saturday, September 10.
“The board has decided tonight to play the grand finals at the new precinct on the basis of the unacceptable surface at City Oval,” SFNL president Paul Matheson said shortly after the meeting.
“We don’t want players and umpires to injure themselves, and there are liability issues for the league.”
Matheson then floated the prospect of a night-time grand final for the senior football.
“In my opinion, we could play all the other games up to 4.30pm, then play the A-grade netball indoors at 4.30pm and the senior footy at 6.30pm,” he said.
“This will crucially allow for us to showcase the main netball game, as well as the senior football.
“It will also mean we can spread games out over the day. Maybe the younger kids can play on the AFL-standard main oval and it will also provide space for presentations.”
City Oval has now been rubbed out for the rest of the season after the league also decided this week to move the first semi-final on Sunday, August 28 from City Oval to Quandong Park in Red Cliffs.
“We know the main ground at Red Cliffs has a much better surface, so this was a safe option for the board to take,” Matheson said.
“We had already spoken with the council about getting City Oval up to scratch (for finals), but it’s a risk that we weren’t willing to take.
“Imperials were due to host the first semi-final, but they understand that for the betterment of the competition that it needed to be moved, so hats off to them.”
He said the SFNL would be working closely with Mildura Council to ensure a “number of key boxes were ticked” for the indoor grand finals.
“We want to make sure that netball is comfortable as possible to be played inside,” Matheson said.
“We want curtains on the big windows to remove the glare, along with the temperature inside to be right, as well as the ability for clubs who make the grand finals to be able to train at the facility before the game.
“Also, the basic stuff around courtside seating for teams and officials.”
Precinct manager Chelsea Pettinau said earlier this week that temporary seating for up to 800 could be put in place around the main netball court.
Pettinau also said that blinds would soon be installed after recently going through the planning approvals.
Council chief executive Martin Hawson said earlier this week that there was still enough time to prepare the new precinct in time for the SFNL grand finals.
