Although COVID-19 restrictions prohibit spectators from all community sport, some codes have opted to truck on with this weekend’s scheduled fixtures.
Picola District Football Netball League was the first to express its desire to play on, issuing a statement on Tuesday night detailing the return to field and court for its players this weekend.
“The PDFNL are pleased to announce that the 2021 PDFNL season will recommence this weekend with round 15, with the only alteration to venues being that the Tungamah v Jerilderie match will be held at Berrigan,” the statement read.
Operations manager Shane Railton spoke about prioritising getting back out on the park.
“It was a pretty common thought around all clubs that they were concerned about players losing interest,” Railton said.
“The current set up (of restrictions) is in for two weeks.
“If we didn’t go now there was nothing gained in playing next week, so based on that they were keen to get going.”
The cancellation of PDFNL’s round 16 and 17 matches now means Saturday’s games will serve as the penultimate round of the home and away season.
In a similar vein, Kyabram District League released its fixture for the remainder of the season, but will not play this weekend.
“(The fixture list) is currently subject to change depending on whether games would be permitted to go ahead with crowds based on the direction of the Victorian Government and the easing of restrictions after the state's fifth lockdown,” the statement read.
Elsewhere, Goulburn Valley League will meet tonight to discuss action for the upcoming round, while Murray Football League decided to call off the weekend’s games.
Away from the oval, Basketball Victoria issued a Return to Sport update which lists the Big V competition’s resumption, meaning Shepparton Gators’ home game against Corio Bay will go ahead on Saturday.
Games missed in the past two weeks are set to be rescheduled.
In accordance with Football Victoria greenlighting senior match play, the National Premier League and Bendigo Amateur Soccer League matches will proceed.
Another destined to resume is Goulburn Valley Hockey Association, which released a revised fixture to allow play to restart this the weekend.
An under-10 carnival slated to take shape is also hopeful of commencing.
Elsewhere, a slew of other junior sporting leagues are set to go ahead.
Shepparton Netball Association and Shepparton District Junior Football League have confirmed their respective round 12 games will be played, while Shepparton Junior Soccer Association will recommence.
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