GFL PRESIDENTS FEAR LOST SEASON
LARA president Shane Bennett says he would be shocked if the GFL season went ahead as a decision looms on the fate of local football.
A verdict on senior football could be reached this week, depending on state government advice.
Bennett said other presidents had also expressed concerns about the season.
“I would be awfully surprised if the season goes ahead,” Bennett said. “A couple of presidents I have spoken to are in a similar vein — unless we can go flat out and have a proper season with unrestricted crowds, we all play each other once, it’s going to be really difficult to work.”
Bennett said clubs needed revenue to support the games and the capping of crowds would present significant financial challenges.
Lara is one of several GFL venues that does not make any income from gate takings.
“Unless there is unrestricted access and the shackles are completely off, it’s unrealistic to expect to have a season,” Bennett said.
“We’re a volunteer organisation — who’s going to police social distancing, who’s going to monitor that people are behaving in the appropriate manners and who has the authority to do that?
“The current school of thought is there will be a second wave. I’m not prepared to put our club, our sponsors, our supporters and our members at risk. I don’t want to be the guy on the front page of the Addy explaining why something went wrong.”
AFL Barwon region general manager Will McGregor said the local governing body remained in constant dialogue with clubs and was confident it understood the view of all presidents and their positions.
He said a decision may be known this week ahead of the June 9 commission meeting.
“That is the case but we are in constant conversation with AFL Victoria and the AFL in regards to if information can be provided to us, which will give us further evidence to either press forward or end the season at senior level,” McGregor said.
South Barwon president Roger Blacksell said clubs were united in their approach.
Blacksell was one of several club officials to praise AFL Barwon for its leadership.
“No one is pushing it either way,” Blacksell said.
“We’re all doing as much as we can to get a season up. If it’s going to be financially crippling, we don’t want to see any clubs go under. That’s the last thing we want to see.
“We’ve got to consider the whole club — it’s not just the senior football, it’s the football, it’s the netball, it’s the junior football.
“We’ve got to survive this, that’s the biggest issue all the way through.”
Grovedale president Michael Schulze said fatigue was setting in on the uncertainty of the season.
“I think everyone would like a decision sooner rather than later and one way or another, we just need to know where we’re going, but that’s not a criticism either because we understand the government has to make its call first,” Schulze said. “If we can’t have crowds, it’s going to be difficult for everyone and managing that. There’s a lot of different layers to this. Every time you come up with something, something else bobs up.”