Broadford Football Netball Club has opted out of season 2020 due to effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The club officially announced on Saturday that it would not compete in any grade of football or netball this season.
The Kangaroos were scheduled to make their first appearance in a new league this season, AFL Outer East’s division two, after moving on from the Riddell District Football Netball League.
AFL Outer East announced on the weekend that it would proceed with just one senior competition this year, abandoning its usual divisional set up.
The league is hoping to have a senior and reserves competition start on August 1, with the clubs choosing to compete to be announced on Friday.
The league will also have an open-age netball competition, with the structure to be determined once team nominations have been finalised.
But Broadford Football Netball Club president Bonnie Cavanagh said the ever-changing operating environment had made it not viable for the club to compete safely and freely in any form of competition being offered.
“An absolute power of work had been completed and strictly maintained, to not only develop clear protocols that aligned with current government advice and health restrictions, but attempted to support our club and community for when we could have possibly returned to play,” she said.
Cavanagh said the health and safety of the club’s players, members and supporters was the priority.
“We had such incredible momentum going into a new league after a previous series of steps to find an appropriate, best-fit sustainable direction, and by finalising the decision to close chapter 2020 for the club, it now firmly puts the power back in our hands to self-determine our entrance into AFL Outer East and celebrate this new era in style,” she said.
Cavanagh said the club was now aiming for a round one 2021 start in the AFL Outer East league.
She said the club also planned to engage with its players and members for the remainder of the year, with a refreshed social events calendar in the works.
Fellow division two club, Kinglake Football Netball Club, also announced last week that it would opt out of this season, saying it could no longer guarantee the health and safety of its players, volunteers and supporters.
“This coupled with the financial impact to the club and the extra workload required by a dwindling volunteer base with some volunteers understandably indicating they would prefer to stay away through this period is what has led us to make this tough decision,” a statement said.
The league plans to start its junior football and netball competitions on July 25.
The league will adhere to all government, AFL Victoria and Netball Victoria guidelines to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.
