By Shane Fleming
THE heartbeat of the Murray – community sport – is about to pump back into life.
After a three-week hiatus, during which all local football and netball matches were postponed due to Covid-19 restrictions, it’s game on again from Saturday.
And the crowds are back too – capped at 1000, but enough to spur on the tiredest of legs.
It’s all systems go for both the Central Murray and Golden Rivers Football Netball League senior competitions after the Central Rivers Board decided this week to restart both leagues from tomorrow afternoon.
With the state government announcement the easing of Covid-19 restrictions across Victoria on Wednesday, it gave both the Central Rivers Board and its clubs options of where and how to restart the season, after the board earlier this week canvassed the option to clubs of moving all games across the border into NSW.
Central Rivers Chairman John Keely told The Guardian that ultimately the decision was made with the best interests of all parties in mind.
“As a board, we are keen for football and netball to be up and going. Clubs want to see it, people want to see it and, from a mental health perspective, we think it’s important to get the season restarted again.” Keely said.
“We want to be able to give clubs the options to get both football and netball going again, both in the Central Murray and the Golden Rivers.
The Central Murray Football Netball League will re-start their season with the original Round 10 fixtures, minus the Koondrook-Barham and Tyntynder match, with that game having been played prior to the opening round of the season to open the new facilities at the Barham.
Balranald will host the Cohuna Kangas at Greenham Park, while the Mallee Eagles will travel to Kerang to take on the Blues and NNW United and Lake Boga will battle it out at the Nyah Rec Reserve.
Swan Hill will host Tooleybuc-Manangatang in the final match of Round 10 at the Swan Hill Rec Reserve.
In the only change to the fixtures, Swan Hill will now travel over the border to Tooleybuc to face the Saints, after originally being scheduled to play in Swan Hill.
Meanwhile, the Golden Rivers Football Netball League season will resume with no changes to the original Round 7 fixture, with Moulamein hosting Macorna and Nullawil travelling to Hay, with both games originally scheduled to be played in NSW.
The only games in the Golden Rivers that will be impacted by Covid restrictions will be the Ultima verses Quambatook and Murrabit verses Wandella fixtures.
With the government allowing a crowd capacity of up to 1000 people outdoors at regional sporting events, with a maximum venue capacity of 300 indoors and in groups of no more than 50 people, the decision of clubs to remain in Victoria and play their games at their home grounds was made easier.
Central Rivers League Manager Taylah Morris said crowd limits were the key factor in the decision to proceed.
“It’s really not viable for them to play without crowds,” she said.
In a welcome addition, all clubs will also have full playing squads with which to select from after the government also announced the removal of travel restrictions, with people now able to freely travel between metro Melbourne and regional Victoria.
Swan Hill A-grade netball playing-coach Zoe O’Sullivan said she was thrilled to be playing again.
“We’re all really excited to get back onto the court and have a good hit out,” O’Sullivan said ahead of their match against Tooleybuc Manangatang this weekend.
And O’Sullivan is not alone.
