HDFNL - Friday grand final on Heathcote District league's mind in 2021

THE Heathcote District Football-Netball League could move its grand final to a Friday in 2021.

The HDFNL has asked its clubs to consider the merits of playing its 2021 grand final on the AFL grand final eve public holiday.

The proposal was raised at the league's annual general meeting last Wednesday night and if given the green light by clubs would once again allow for four weeks of grand finals across the region.

"We've raised with the clubs the prospect of playing our grand final in 2021 on the AFL grand final eve Friday public holiday and they will now have 12 months to think about it, so they have plenty of time to weigh up the pros and cons," HDFNL chairman Peter Cole said.

"We're trying to be a proactive league and we see this as another opportunity to try something new.

"The early feedback I've got from some of the presidents is they think it's a great idea, but it will ultimately come down to a consensus opinion among the clubs.

"But it's certainly something we're keen to push."

By shifting the grand final to the AFL grand final eve Friday public holiday the HDFNL would avoid clashes with any other local Saturday finals.

The HDFNL's grand final day this year at Huntly clashed with the Bendigo league preliminary final, North Central league grand final and Maryborough-Castlemaine District league grand final also all being played the same day.

A change to the Friday would mean the AFLCV region could revert back to all four of its leagues - BFNL, HDFNL, LVFNL and NCFL - playing their grand finals on separate days as was a resounding success from 2015 to 2017.

However, the switch to the public holiday Friday would only mean a six-day break for the winner of the preliminary final.

Plus the HDFNL preliminary final would then clash with the BFNL grand final.

"There's obviously a bit to consider and if no-one else sees an opportunity there, we're happy to look at it," Cole said.

"If it happens and it doesn't quite work then we'd just go back to the old way."

The AFL grand final eve public holiday was introduced by the state government in 2015.

Meanwhile, the HDFNL expects to know this week if the Murray league will accept its invitation for an inter-league game in 2020.

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