“Some clubs might be able to absorb financial costs but some clubs couldn’t and we’re not prepared to put the future of clubs at risk,” he said.
“There is little doubt there are going to be restrictions whatever happens and you have to ask what does that mean? Who do you let in and who polices it? Does someone stand on the gate with a counter? This is where it gets a bit murky.
“When you talk about four games of football and seven games of netball that’s a lot of people, all classed as necessary, that automatically have to be at one venue. It might be all that’s needed to put us over a limit.”
Mr Muldoon said whatever happened, the ability for community football and netball to start remained in the hands of health authorities.
“It will all depend on instructions – instructions from people who have managed circumstances pretty well so far,” he said.
He said the immediate future of community sport remained unknown.
“Community sport is important, but not only for the people who play,” he said.
“It is also important for the people who watch and are engaged by it.
“Players being out there is only one side of it. If you take away a crowd, you take a significant involvement part of the game away as well.
“If crowd numbers are under strict limits, there might be an opportunity for junior games – the kids would be suffering the most at the moment and the door might open for some social competition. But it might still be hard.”
Mr Muldoon said football and netball administrators had little option but to wait.
“We want to have plans in place but the reality is we can’t do anything until we know what we’re allowed to do – it’s as simple as that,” he said.
“When we know what time frames and parameters are involved we can get things ticking over and throw around ideas such as lightning premierships and so on.
“The pressure will come when the AFL starts playing. But the AFL is in a very controlled environment whereas community footy involves general people in the community. It’s a long bow when comparing the two.”
AFL Wimmera-Mallee has cut Wimmera and Horsham District league club salary caps in half if a season does get underway.
Mr Muldoon confirmed clubs had endorsed the AFL Victoria recommendation.
“It’s just a plan at the moment for if we get going and we will adjust that according to how many games clubs get to play,” he said.
Football and netball activities across the region, including clubs returning to training regimes and revised home-and-away fixtures, are tentatively scheduled to get underway in the first week of June.
The entire April 29, 2020 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!
The entire April 29, 2020 edition of AgLife is available online. READ IT HERE!
