GDFL’s Sunday shift

League moves grand final to avoid clash with BFL

THE Geelong & District Football League has avoided a local grand final clash next year by shifting the date of its showpiece event back a day to Sunday, September 15.

But it has not ruled out playing its premiership decider on the Friday public holiday before the AFL grand final in the future.

After the recent release of AFL Barwon fixtures for 2019, the GDFL was left to decide whether it would go head-tohead with the BFL or move its grand final to an alternative date.

But at the GDFL annual meeting on Wednesday night, club delegates voted unanimously to play the match on the Sunday.

“If it clashes down the track we might do it alternatively (with the BFL), but that is something to look at in the future,” GDFL president Neville Whitley said.

“We decided to go the Sunday instead of the Friday holiday and we would rather there was no clash with the Bellarine and to play on the Saturday, but to get our sponsors and league more exposure it is probably best to play stand alone.

“We won’t be competing against the AFL, they play on Friday night and Saturday night, so we will be the only game on that Sunday. It should work out all right crowd wise, and it will allow people to go to all three grand finals.

“It (Friday afternoon on the public holiday) is still there as an option and we will weigh everything up as to what will be beneficial to the league.”

Whitley said while there were some concerns about playing a Sunday decider, the right decision was reached.

“There was some disap- pointment because clubs say they can’t raise money on the Saturday night but they usually have Sunday off and ‘Mad Monday’ anyway,” he said.

“The clubs and players won’t worry too much because they will still either be in celebration mode or disappointment mode.”

The GDFL season kicks off on Saturday, April 6, but unlike previous years, there will be no split round staged in 2019.