Robbo call to kick off season
NOT enough is being done to save the 2020 season, according to St Mary’s premiership coach Travis Robertson.
With a June 9 deadline looming for AFL Barwon competitions, Robertson urged clubs to embrace the possibilities of a shortened season, but fears some officials at other clubs have been quick to rule a line through the year due to coronavirus.
The Saints returned to training on Tuesday, with 60 players split into six groups and all subjected to temperature checks, disinfected footballs and a variety of hygiene procedures.
The session was staggered and each group trained for 50 minutes, adhering to social distancing protocols.
“I am bullish (about the season starting),” Robertson said.
“I actually think we’re not trying hard enough to make something happen and we’re not having the right conversations about how we make it work.
“I’m pretty sure there’s a motivation across the leagues to have something start and we’re pretty keen to try anything in any shape or form.
“It (season) will be compromised, and I get that, but I think it’s important for everyone to do what they can to make something happen.
“We have no guarantee that life will ever return to normal. There’s a new normal and if there’s no vaccine in March or April (next year), we’re faced with the same challenges.
“I’m disappointed with some of the presidents who think it’s easier to just put a line through the season than it is to try.”
With the AFL Barwon commission set to meet on June 9 to decide the fate of GFL and BFL competitions, local football in the region is at the crossroads.
But Robertson urged club and league administrators to consider more options, such as a lightning premiership or a reduced competition, before abandoning 2020.
“I don’t think we’re having the right conversations about how flexible we want it to be,” Robertson said.
“(The) worst-case scenario, we could have a five-week round-robin.
“Ask any of the players if they would be up for that and guess what answer you’ll get … ‘Absolutely, give me something. Why do I need to come back in March?’
“We could have a six-week lightning premiership over the weeks of October. They just want to play.”
Robertson also floated the idea of resuming the season in front of no crowds, in the hope restrictions eased and fans could return at the later date.
“That’s exactly the conversations we should be having,” he said. “Why can’t we have Rounds 1-3 without crowds? The boys would play.
“I just feel like there’s more conversations to be had and we’re rushing into a decision on June 9.
“We’ve got more time up our sleeves to make decisions.”
When the Saints’ training resumed for the first time since pre-season, almost 60 players hit Anthony Costa Oval.
“It was surreal,” Robertson said. “We split them up in six groups of 10 and we had groups in separate areas of the ground with no crossover.
“We had temperature checks, roll calls and the balls had to be disinfected between groups and we had hand sanitisers on the boundary line fence, so it was all a bit different.
“But to our boys’ credit, they did a great job. They presented themselves really well and did what they had to do in terms of social distancing.
“We trained for 50 minutes with each group and got in and got out.”