The North Central Football League is keen to return to inter-league football and netball action in 2021.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The league has released its draw for next year and the board remains hopeful of finding an opponent for an inter-league battle on Saturday, May 15.
"It seems a lot of leagues have shut the door on inter-league for 2021, but our clubs voted in favour of it,'' NCFL general manager Lance Standfield said.
"We've checked out with Central Murray and they don't want to play. We've asked the Wimmera league to see if they're interested and, hopefully, we'll get an answer early in the new year.
"If we can't lock something in reasonably early then we'll have a general bye."
If no inter-league opponent can be found then the NCFL will have three general byes in 2021 - May 15, the Queen's Birthday Weekend on June 12-13 and the first weekend in July, which corresponds with school holidays.
"We used to play a split round during those school holidays, but by doing this everyone plays on June 26 and then doesn't play again until July 10,'' Standfield said.
"It gives all clubs the chance to have a good break in school holidays. The May 15 weekend corresponds with the hockey championships in Melbourne.
"If you have a home game that weekend then your gate numbers and canteen are really down because we have no local hockey. It works well for all clubs to have that weekend for inter-league or a general bye."
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused community clubs around the state pain, but Standfield was confident NCFL clubs would be ready to participate in all grades in 2021.
"There's been some uncertainty around (player) numbers, but it seems that everyone is doing okay,'' Standfield said.
"(In terms of COID-19) we're planning around everything going ahead as normal in 2021. It's easier to cancel something than have to set everything up at the last minute.
"The kids are the ones we need to get up and going the most. There's a good relationship between the kids from these towns and they're the ones that have missed out on that interaction.
"We need to get something going for the young ones.It might be in the form of some kind of academy."
Standfield said there would be an addition to senior football in 2021.
"Clubs have voted in favour of having all their senior games filmed just like Bendigo and Loddon Valley,'' he said.
"The league is now determining how we use that in terms of umpiring and reporting."
The season starts on Saturday, April 10.
NCFL 2021 fixture
Round 1 - April 10
Charlton v Wycheproof-Narraport
Birchip-Watchem v St Arnaud
Donald v Wedderburn Redbacks
Boort v Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers
Round 2 - April 17
Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers v Charlton
Boort v Birchip-Watchem
Wycheproof-Narraport v Donald
Wedderburn Redbacks v St Arnaud
Round 3 - April 24
Charlton v Wedderburn Redbacks
Birchip-Watchem v Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers
Donald v Boort
St Arnaud v Wycheproof-Narraport
Round 4 - May 1
St Arnaud v Charlton
Wedderburn Redbacks v Birchip-Watchem
Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers v Donald
Wycheproof-Narraport v Boort
Round 5 - May 8
Charlton v Boort
Birchip-Watchem v Donald
Wedderburn Redbacks v Wycheproof-Narraport
St Arnaudv Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers
May 15
Inter-league or general bye
Round 7 - May 29
Charlton v Birchip-Watchem
St Arnaud v Donald
Wedderburn Redbacks v Boort
Wycheproof-Narraport v Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers
Round 8 - June 5
Wycheproof Narraport v Charlton
St Arnaud v Birchip-Watchem
Wedderburn Redbacks v Donald
Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers v Boort
June 12
Queen's Birthday weekend - general bye
Round 9 - June 19
Charlton v St Arnaud
Birchip-Watchem v Wedderburn Redbacks
Donald v Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers
Boort v Wycheproof-Narraport
Round 10 - June 26
Wedderburn Redbacks v Charlton
Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers v Birchip-Watchem
Boort v Donald
Wycheproof-Narraport v St Arnaud
July 3
School holidays - general bye
Round 11 - July 10
Charlton v Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers
Birchip-Watchem v Boort
Donald v Wycheproof-Narraport
St Arnaud v Wedderburn Redbacks
Round 12 - July 17
Boort v Charlton
Donald v Birchip-Watchem
Wycheproof-Narraport v Wedderburn Redbacks
Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers v St Arnaud
Round 13 - July 24
Charlton v Donald
Wycheproof-Narraport v Birchip-Watchem
St Arnaud v Boort
Wedderburn Redbacks v Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers
Round 14 - July 31
Birchip-Watchem v Charlton
Donald v St Arnaud
Boort v Wedderburn Redbacks
Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers v Wycheproof-Narraport
Round 15 - August 7
Charlton v Wycheproof-Narraport
Birchip-Watchem v St Arnaud
Donald v Wedderburn Redbacks
Boort v Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers
Round 16 - August 14
St Arnaud v Charlton
Wedderburn Redbacks v Birchip-Watchem
Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers v Donald
Wycheproof-Narraport v Boort
August 21
1st semi-final
August 28
2nd semi-final
September 4
Preliminary final
September 11
Grand final
Have you signed up to the Bendigo Advertiser's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in central Victoria.
