Football leader: Wait for guidelines

Acommunity football leader has urged football and netball clubs and players to wait for greater clarification of new COVID-19 restrictions before launching into expanded training programs.

AFL Wimmera Mallee area manager Jason Muldoon said the expectation was that after Sunday, training protocols announced last week would simply involve permission for a rise in the numbers of people involved.

“But we need greater clarification and a clear understanding of definitions, especially surrounding social-gathering limits in training circumstances at ovals and on courts,” he said.

“Our message is to stick to protocols announced last week until we know more. We just need to make sure.

“It is better to take a conservative approach to do the right thing and keep the community safe.”

Mr Muldoon said he had spoken to Wimmera and Horsham District club leaders about circumstances surrounding the State Government’s latest easing of restrictions.

AFL Wimmera Mallee has earmarked June 15 for a meeting to determine a definitive path for football and netball competitions across the region for the remainder of 2020.

The meeting is the result of discussion involving Wimmera Football League, Wimmera Netball Association and Horsham District Football Netball League boards and presidents.

Mr Muldoon said a return to training protocols last week was a step forward.

“The health of our region can never be compromised and that remains paramount in decision-making for players, coaches, volunteers and supporters,” he said.

“The health of our region has and will always be our number-one priority.”

Under broad community guidelines the State Government released last week, up to 20 people can participate in outdoor-group sport and exercise activities, provided all involved keep at least 1.5 metres apart.

Community football and netball training guidelines based on strict ‘get in, train and get out’ directions came into effect last week, before the weekend announcement.

Under last week’s rules, outdoor training sessions could only occur in groups of no more than 10 people.

In football, two groups could use an oval, provided the oval was split into two zones and that the groups did not interact.

Netball was confined to one group per court, which became a designated zone.

Again, groups from different zones could not mix.