The board of the Ballarat FNL have today confirmed a pathway to the conclusion of the 2021 senior football and netball season.
This plan moving forward is designed to provided certainty for all stakeholders (clubs, players, and the league) in the best interests of the senior competitions.
With many variables as we move through this current period, the league has tried to create a compromise at all points that takes in to account the varying needs and wants of all clubs across the league.
The announcement yesterday from government that lockdown and further restriction will continue for another two weeks, means the earliest date for competition would be Saturday 4th September.
There is a requirement to provide a minimum 7-day period for a return to training before competition can commence, in effect means the earliest date for competition will be Saturday 11th September 2021.
In summary:
Competition starts 11th September:
4 week finals (Top Six) - Grand Final 2nd October
Competition starts 18th September:
3 week finals (Top Six) - Grand Final 2nd October
Competition starts 25th September:
2 week finals (Top Four) - Grand Final 2nd October
Competition starts 2nd October:
1 week finals (Top Two) - Grand Final 2nd October
As each week progresses from the 11th of September that finals are delayed, the bottom two clubs based on ladder position will be removed from finals.
This is a last resort and a tough decision that was made by the board to move through to a finalisation of the season. The final date the grand final can be held is the 2nd of October 2021, which is designed to give as much time as possible to have a premiership decided via a game.
League chair Adrian Bettio added:
“The aim of the BFNL board is to provide fairness and equality to all clubs and maintain the integrity of our competition.
It is a delicate and complex balancing act, and we accept that we are not going to please everyone. As with all leagues, we have had little choice but to evolve with the conditions.
“We face a unique situation in the Ballarat FNL with clubs that cross regional and metro areas which has created many challenges."
The league respects the right of all clubs who have qualified for finals to have the ability to compete in a final’s series with all other clubs” In other competitions, the McDonalds BFNL Junior finals series will kick off this weekend, along with Youth / Junior BFLW games.
BFLW open age competition will be paused along the same lines as the senior competition to allow the opportunity for Melton Centrals to compete in that final’s series
