News

SDJFL to revise under-14 fixture to reduce blowouts in back half of season

By Rodney Woods

May 20, 2021

The under-14 fixture of the Shepparton District Junior Football League is set for an overhaul in an attempt to address one-sided results after the first four rounds of competition.

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League president Mark Lambourn said the changes to the under-14 competition would occur after the bye weekend in June.

“We don’t alter the fixturing lightly because finals are involved, but as a board we have made the decision to allow more games between the top teams and more between the bottom towards the end of the season,” Lambourn said.

Shepparton Swans and Mooroopna Blue have won all three of their matches this season with the Swans winning all by more than 20 goals, while Tatura and Echuca Murray Bombers are without wins.

Lambourn said fixturing and the composition of teams had added degree of difficulty in 2021 due in part to the recess of last year’s COVID-19 shutdown and uncertainty around sport in general.

“While we want to think it’s business as usual with 2021, the reality is there have been a lot of challenges this season that we are tying to meet,” he said.

“During the off-season we put together a strategic plan, which will address many things, but in the meantime we need to do the best thing for footy and we don’t think that 20-goal-to-none scores is doing that.”

The under-14 competition will have a top six for the finals this year and the re-fixturing will come after the bye to ensure the competition or integrity of the final six is not compromised.

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