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SPORTING competitions will be shut down for five days as Victoria endures a fifth lockdown from 11.59pm tonight.
Premier Daniel Andrews announced the five-day snap lockdown late on Thursday afternoon, with the restrictions including the closure of all indoor and physical recreation and sport.
At this stage the lockdown restrictions are in place until 11.59pm Tuesday, ruling out any sporting competition set for this weekend.
It's the second season-pause winter competitions have been dealt this year following the previous lockdown in May-June.
Among the many sporting bodies impacted over the weekend will be AFL Central Victoria leagues, including the Bendigo, Heathcote District, Loddon Valley, North Central, Central Victorian Women's and Bendigo Junior competitions.
"Obviously from our perspective we just want to be able to play football and netball as often as we can, but at the same time we also have to do our bit," AFLCV regional manager Carol Cathcart said.
"If that means we have to stay home to be safe and we're only in lockdown for five days and can be back playing again next week then that's what we hope."
With no play this weekend it means league boards will now need to discuss planning for the remainder of the season having already had to revise their fixtures following the previous lockdown.
"I know a number of the leagues have already had some discussions and there will be board meetings planned, which will be convened reasonably quickly," Cathcart said.
"At the same time we know we can't do anything this weekend, so we have a little bit of time to sit back and think of what it means and the boards will look at what is the best way forward for their clubs."
The abandonment of sport comes on a weekend in which the Bendigo Suns were set to play Ballarat in the FIDA Central Victoria grand final at Trentham, while the Bendigo Baseball Association had its junior finals scheduled to be played on Sunday.
And the Bendigo Braves men's and women's teams won't play their NBL1 double-header weekend against Geelong on Saturday night and Ringwood on Sunday.
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