Players itching for regional sport return

Players itching for regional sport return

As the state emerges from the sevenday lockdown, sport is not out of the woods just yet with only training permitted for the foreseeable future.

The disappointing, but understandable call from the SA Government on Tuesday to hold back a full return to competitive sport will add to the increasing ramifications on Limestone Coast codes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

At a time when leagues and teams are usually making their big push towards finals, they  have been forced to take baby steps towards September.

However, slowly easing back into action could be a blessing in disguise.

Following a week locked indoors, each player would have entered this weekend extremely raw with a heightened risk of injury.

But extra time on the training track ensures  everyone will be in tip-top shape for the long-awaited return and gives those on the injury list  a greater chance of making their own comeback.

The face of the 2021 Bendigo Bank Western Border Football League and Netball Association seasons have already changed several times and are in for more turns as time progresses.

Although rounds 14 and 15 have been postponed, WBFL president Michael Summers is  still committed to playing a full season before finals with announcements expected to be made following a meeting held after time of print.

“Teams will start training and we have a few options that will be discussed at the meeting,” he said.

“We do not want to impact the summer sports  or have all three grand finals on the same day, but we could have a twilight grand final.

“We will look to start on the seventh of August and squeeze rounds 9, 13, 14 and 15 in.” The Mid South Eastern Football League and Netball Association also held joint meetings during the week and a firm decision was not available at the time of print.

MSEFL president Peter Mitchell said various  options were in play including the complete cancellation of rounds 14 and 15 or rescheduling  these matches which could extend the season.

The Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara Football League and Netball Association aim to keep the end of the season simple.

After round 12 went ahead before the lock-down, only this weekend’s fixture will not take  place.

If permitted, rounds 14 and 15 will go ahead as scheduled followed by last weekend’s set of matches which is expected to be moved to finish the home-and-away season, but these details were yet to be confirmed at the time of print.

Flexibility is something the Limestone Coast Football Association does have up its sleeve for the final five rounds without Portland in the competition.

Teams had just crossed the halfway mark  before lock-down and despite rounds  6 and 7 being postponed, LCFA president Eric Nieto said  they both should be rescheduled with multiple  options available including pushing the association finals back.

“We will either play the lost games at the end of the home and away season before finals or when the SAJSA Country Championships are  supposed to be played in Mildura if they are cancelled on the final weekend of August,” he said.

 Basketball has been impacted at all levels after the local teams joined the Mount Gambier Pioneers on the sidelines last weekend.

For the first time all 18 Basketball Mount Gambier competitions missed a game in the winter SECBL season last week.

If both postponed rounds are rescheduled, a major concern will be allowing enough time for  teams to have a breather between the conclusion of the current winter competition and the opening round of  the summer season which usually begins midway through October.

Basketball Mount Gambier development manager Matt Sutton said teams would be given timeslots to train at the Ice House before a  decision  was made to play when  possible.

 “We have some different scenarios for when the season will wrap up depending on  when we can return, but we have to keep in mind there is another season just around the corner,” he said.

“We will just make the court space available  for people to get their bodies back into basketball shape and resume competition when we  can.” But the Pioneers face a steeper climb back to the court.

NBL1 South has postponed rounds on a week- to-week basis as both competing states battled  to contain the Delta strain, but Sutton revealed a draft calendar for the run home has been proposed by governing body, while the Lakers Under 12’s to 18’s started selection trials before the lockdown.

The 2021 Lower South East Hockey Association also skipped a week for the first time last weekend.

Although round 15 will also not go ahead this weekend, the remainder of the season should not be disrupted after president Lochie Nisbet said rescheduling the missed games would be difficult and all teams would be likely rewarded premiership points as a result.

“As for the weeks lost, they have a big impact  on the season, so we will have a fair bit of discussion about what we could do (after time of  print),” he said.

“We are mainly thinking to rule all games as a draw because it will take a really long time to reschedule everything and we are already at full capacity on the turf pitch each weekend.” Although another silent sporting weekend is on the cards, golf could be the biggest beneficiary.

Due to golf being largely an individual sport, it has a track record of playing on through COVID times when many other sports were shut down last year.

Although nothing was announced by Golf Australia at the time of print, the Mount Gambier and Blue Lake Golf Clubs reopened yesterday which should pave the way for players to tee off at least socially.

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