Sport
8 September, 2021
Days tick on final plan
UPDATE: The new Victorian restrictions allow only training for community sport. The Loddon Valley and North Central leagues will be meeting to make further decisions. EARLIERNORTH Central league has locked in a season finish for AFL grand final...
UPDATE: The new Victorian restrictions allow only training for community sport. The Loddon Valley and North Central leagues will be meeting to make further decisions.
EARLIER
NORTH Central league has locked in a season finish for AFL grand final weekend.
Board members met again late last week to put finishing touches to a plan to conclude the COVID-lockdown disrupted season.
But with play increasingly unlikely this weekend, the league’s first option has likely disappeared.
President Tim Lockhart said everyone had agreed “that we could not extend beyond September 25. Understanding that this is AFL Grand Final day, the NCFL board will work around times of matches being concluded prior to any twilight games being played in the west.”
If play is possible next weekend, Sea Lake Nandaly will play Donald at Charlton on Saturday and Birchip Watchem will meet Wedderburn at Donald on the Sunday.
However, there remains doubt that Donald will be able to field a day, forfeiting the last home and away game played because Melbourne-based players were in lockdown. Donald has 12 players on its list from Melbourne.
Under the two options still live, the grand final will either be between the semi-final winners or a match between reigning premiers Sea Lake and Birchip Watchem.
Lockhart said the league would keep options open until “all avenues have been exhausted or are out of the board’s control”.
If a straight top teams play in the grand finals, Boort will meet Sea Lake in under 16 football, while in netball it will be Wedderburn against Boort in A Grade.
Wedderburn will be in the B and C Grade finals while Boort will be in the under 16B and under 13 netball deciders. Boort will be in men’s and under 15 hockey clashes.