Some Ballarat Football Netball League clubs have indicated they would be happy to have the 2020 season abandoned.
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That's the news filtering through from BFNL chairman Adrian Bettio, who is working hard to help decide on the best way forward for the competition during the COVID-19 crisis.
"We have spoken to a few of the clubs and a couple have been non-committal and a couple of clubs have made it quite clear they are quite happy for the season to be called off," Bettio told The Courier.
And Bettio says there is an all-or-nothing approach to the 2020 season.
"Through discussions that we've had we've made it quite clear to all club presidents that the situation is that it's all clubs in or all clubs out," he said.
"And we're not going to be put in a situation where we move on with the season with some clubs opting out of the season.
"All clubs have to opt in otherwise it's off. It's that simple."
Bettio said he wanted to hear the real opinions of clubs about their desire to play in 2020 and felt doing so in a one-on-one setting - and not in a large gathering - was the best way to achieve that.
His comments come as speculation intensifies around whether or not the BFNL - and other leagues in the AFL Goldfields region - will bother running a season this year.
At least four Victorian leagues have already called off their 2020 seasons. In the past couple of days, Kyabram District and South West District have joined Heathcote District and Millewa in pulling the pin on their campaigns.
Darley president Mark Shelly has publicly backed the "all clubs in or all clubs out" statement from Bettio.
"I agree... if one club for a reason cannot participate, well the season then becomes null and void," Shelly said.
Shelly said his club's clear concern was around the financial viability of playing games without crowds due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Meanwhile, DAVID BREHAUT reports that one BFL club president, who acknowledges his club would prefer to see the season abandoned, says his club will play if that is what the majority wants and chooses to do.
The president, who wished not to be named, indicated his club was not alone in expressing a desire to call off the 2020 season and begin planning for next year.
However, he said club would press on to get the season off the ground if that what the majority decided.
He said if the season was to go ahead, all clubs had to be involved.
A number of club officials have agreed during the COVID-19 shutdown that while there is still chance to get the competition up and running it was important to support the players to ensure their was purpose in their return to training.
The BFL has stated that unless 11 home and away rounds can be played - allowing each club to play one another once - there will be no premiership awarded for 2020.
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