Footy to stay in usual timeslot
JORDAN GERRANS
AFL Cairns has averted the need to play midweek games in its condensed 2020 campaign and will stick to its traditional Saturday afternoons.
During the coronavirus shutdown, Friday and Sunday games as well as midweek contests were proposed to get through the season.
In the 2020 fixtures released on Friday afternoon, 14 rounds will be contested on Saturday afternoons and evenings, with the grand final on October 31.
A full reserves competition, which was in doubt last month, is also slated to be contested.
Some of the seven local clubs were concerned if they had the numbers to fill two sides every week but will at least have a crack at maintaining a reserves competition.
AFL Cairns football manager Craig Lees said the easing of restrictions around coronavirus allowed the local competition to return to Saturday football.
“It is a straightforward fixture, really, and we are hopeful we can get clubs back to a routine with Saturday afternoon footy,” Lees said.
There are slight changes to the fixture due to clashes with cricket.
Cazalys Stadium is unavailable through September due to international cricket, while Griffiths Park, home of Saints, is out of action from late September to allow local cricket use of the venue.
Cazalys Stadium being out of action forces Manunda to move a home game across town to Watsons Oval later in the season.
Port Douglas has backended its home games at the request of the club, hoping to get more fans into its ground later in the year.
The much anticipated first grand final rematch from last season between Port and South Cairns will be held at Fretwell Park in Round 4.
The league released the first two rounds of the 2020 AFL Cairns Seniors last month.
The Hawks are scheduled to face Souths at Fretwell Park in Round 1 on Saturday, July 11.
AFL Cairns will host a season commencement function next Wednesday at 11.30am at Cairns Zoom at the Reef Casino, Wharf St, Cairns.
The league has also released the first two weeks of its women’s competition.