Roadmap allows restricted football sessions to start

Michael Mourbey Dsc 2004  TBW Newsgroup
APPROVED: SANFL South East football operations coordinator Michael Mourbey signed his tick of approval on South Gambier's first training session at Blue Lake Sports Park on Tuesday night. Picture: THOMAS MILES

Michael Mourbey Dsc 2004 TBW Newsgroup
APPROVED: SANFL South East football operations coordinator Michael Mourbey signed his tick of approval on South Gambier’s first training session at Blue Lake Sports Park on Tuesday night. Picture: THOMAS MILES

TUESDAY night was a significant moment for players and fans praying for country football to begin in the Limestone Coast this year.

As some country football leagues pull the pin on their 2020 season, the Western Border Football League made a big step in the right direction after South Gambier became one of the first teams in the Limestone Coast to commence training.

After two months of being forced to stay at home, players can now finally reconvene with their team mates after the South Australian National Football League announced the commencement of stage two in its return to play roadmap.

Teams can now hold official training sessions with groups of 10 players separated across three zones on the field.

No body contact is permitted as players must adhere to social distancing and remain in the same zone in each session, while any equipment used including footballs must be sanitised before and after use.

SANFL South East football operations coordinator Michael Mourbey was present at Blue Lake Sports Park to oversee the proceedings.

He said it was a big tick in the right direction, with other clubs set to follow suit.

“It is a very good step forward,” Mourbey said.

“South is one of the first teams to start training and there a couple of other clubs in the South East who have completed their education on COVID-19 with all their training protocols in place.

“But it is just great to see the players out there and having a run again, which is good for their mental health and the well being of the community.”

The return of official training has arrived after clubs completed the initial phase of the SANFL’s return to play scheme.

Recently clubs completed a number of education sessions and ensured their venues are safe areas for everyone.

Mourbey said it has been a busy period contacting all the clubs to ensure players can hit the training track again.

“Last week was all about educating the clubs and players,” he said.

“We had a couple of Zoom conferences with league and club presidents, getting teams to understand they have to come prepared to train and go home.

“Even during the sessions, changerooms and clubrooms are not open, while rub down and strapping from trainers is not available.

“Clubs have gone through a number of records and appointed a COVID-safe officer, so things are in place.”

The next objective for the SANFL is to allow leagues to enter stage three, which outlines a return to competitive training with contact permitted during drills.

If everything goes to plan, Mourbey hopes body contact can begin around the start of June.

But he said it is important people do not get ahead of themselves, with the possibility of implementing the final stage still an unknown.

“The next stage is set for June 8, providing everything goes well of course,” Mourbey said.

“But it is important that we check on it to make sure everything is done right because we want to fast forward things correctly.

“The fourth step is a determination on whether we can return to full competition with crowds etc.

“But that is what we don’t know enough about yet to get the eventual okay to start play.”

One of the major obstacles Limestone Coast leagues face is the border blockage between Victoria and South Australia.

Victorian clubs and many more players in South Australian competitions are governed by tighter restrictions from AFL Victoria.

Victorian clubs can only have two groups of 10 train on the same oval, while Casteron Sandford has been told not to train at all.

Mourbey said the Victorian situation remains a problem out of the SANFL’s hands.

“The entire border issue is a concern through all three leagues,” he said.

“Casterton has a little bit of a disadvantage, but we cant do much about that.

“Hopefully as things improve the governments can ease restrictions, but that is something which has to be looked at in the next month.”

With the AFL set to return on June 11, Mourbey said country leagues have also been discussing possible dates for round one.

But with so many outside factors in play, he believes time is running out.

“Each league has completed meetings on possible start dates and they will look at their situation to work out how late they can possibly play,” Mourbey said.

“But I think most leagues would like to be starting around late July or early August at the latest.”