Division is emerging between Picola District Football Netball League and its clubs after the league set a July 11 starting date for this season late last week.
While, in a statement released Thursday, the league said it would aim to begin its 13-round, four-week finals season in just more than a month, a number of clubs have expressed concern with the campaign kicking off at that point.
Tocumwal was among those clubs, with a statement on its Facebook page suggesting it had not been sufficiently consulted before the league announced its starting date proposal.
“The TFNC has always been supportive of a return to play, as long as it can be done in a manner which ensures the safety of all participants, spectators, sponsors and volunteers,” the statement read.
“To achieve such a goal a lot of work has to be done and a lot of protocols and restrictions have to be adhered to before we can make a decision to undertake a season start.
“The TFNC is disappointed that little or no consultation was undertaken by the PDFNL board before issuing this statement, however, we will endeavour to do what is best by our club, members, player, volunteers and sponsors.”
But league president Denis Brooks insisted clubs had been consulted when interviewed on One FM's Super Saturday Sports.
“We've been in regular consultation with our clubs and clearly not everybody is flat-out on-board . . . and that's part of the result of not having a date,” Brooks said.
“We thought get a date out, get same feedback from our clubs now, clearly there'll be some issues that have clubs concerned with without a shadow of a doubt.
“We've got good feedback already over the last 48 hours and we'll work through that and our anticipation is that we'll have a Zoom meeting or a face-to-face meeting, we'll see what it all looks like at that point.
“Our operations manager Shane (Railton) has been speaking to all our clubs all the way through, trying to pass on every bit of information we can to the presidents and key guys and ladies.”
Mathoura president Andrew Pridham also cast doubt on the viability of starting on July 11, telling the Riverine Herald there was no sign government-imposed restrictions would be lifted in time to make it possible.
While Brooks and Railton have acknowledged games will not go ahead without crowds, it remains unlikely sufficiently-numbered social gatherings will be allowed by July 11 for clubs to make ends meet.
“There are still questions from a health and safety point of view, but the big question is around the financial side,” Pridham said.
“Due to the restrictions currently in place we don't believe a season is financially viable. We know a lot can change before the season is currently scheduled to start, but no-one can tell us for sure they will.”
Pridham also suggested a potential exemption allowing crowds of 500 would still present issues with footballers and netballers making up about 200 people, adding a proposal that would have players arrive immediately before a game and leave straight after would hurt financially.
“All clubs, not just ours, need people to stay around and get lunch at the canteen or buy a couple of drinks. It's how we make our money,” he said.
“We are like any other business, we need to stay profitable to be successful. No business operates to run at a loss.”
Picola United president Brad Caldwell was also vocal about the problems at hand, tweeting Thursday night smaller clubs would be disadvantaged when play returned.
“Good luck to the smaller clubs trying to survive in the PDFNL,” he wrote.
“Risks to clubs include health, lack of volunteers, financial burden, litigation, not to mention the cashed-up making use of extra available players.”