Finals schedule released

Caroline Springs player Maryann Cini. Photo by Damjan Janevski. 245812_07

Tara Murray

The Western Region Football League remains committed to trying to complete its season despite the ongoing pandemic.

The league last week put out its roadmap for the rest of the season, for the juniors, men’s and women’s competitions.

In a statement online, the league confirmed the structure of finals for all its divisions if the lockdown ends on September 2.

It said that the regular season had concluded for all divisions.

All men’s and women’s competitions from under-18s up are set to return from September 11.

The men’s and women’s division 1 competitions are set to play a three week, top-six finals series, with the grand finals most likely to be on September 24.

Those finals series could be reduced to a top-four or top-two if restrictions are extended.

In the men’s competition Altona, Werribee Districts, Hoppers Crossing, Deer Park, Caroline Springs and Spotswood have made finals.

In the women’s competition, all six teams in division 1 will play finals.

Division 2 men’s and women’s competitions and the division 3 men are set to play a two-week, top-four finals series. Those series could also be reduced to just a grand final if needed.

Junior finals would also be a two-week knockout final series for the top four teams from under-12s up. The grand finals are set for September 12.

The netball competition is set to resume on September 10, with a two week knockout finals series for all divisions.

In a statement, the league said it had set the dates knowing there was some uncertainty over what would happen going forward.

“In determining the weekend of September 11-12 as its intended resumption date for all senior football competitions, the WRFL hoped to provide clubs and participants alike with a level of certainty, where currently the weekend of September 5-6 is shrouded in uncertainty, and could well remain uncertain until Thursday September 2.

“It was hoped that a September 11-12 resumption would allow senior clubs the opportunity to complete a body of training prior to finals.”