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LODDON Valley Football-Netball League clubs are dissecting a range of options about how the finals series should play out if the season can resume.

The league board has offered five scenarios for consideration for clubs, which have until 9am Tuesday to provide feedback.

Like all community sporting competitions, the LVFNL season is on pause under Victorian lockdown restrictions that will be extended beyond 11.59pm on Thursday.

This latest lockdown has already cost the LVFNL the chance of playing on its first two weekends of originally-scheduled finals dates, leaving the league to map a new way forward in the hope there can be a resumption.

However, if a finals series can get under way post-lockdown, it will be without the teams that finished fifth.

The league confirmed in its memo to clubs that its finals options are built around a top-four format.

In the senior football it means Bears Lagoon-Serpentine is eliminated, while Bridgewater is the team knocked out of the A Grade netball.

It leaves Mitiamo (1st), Marong (2nd), Bridgewater (3rd) and Pyramid Hill (4th) as the four teams still standing in the senior football, and Mitiamo (1st), Maiden Gully YCW (2nd), Calivil United (3rd) and Marong (4th) as the four A Grade netball sides remaining in contention.

The range of scenarios that have been put to clubs involve finals formats based on three weeks, two weeks and one week and varying grand final dates of either September 11 or 18:

1 - Two-week scenario should community sport be permitted to resume on September 4 (unlikely):

* 1^st v 4^th and 2^nd v 3^rd to be played on either the same day at different venues or split over September 4 and September 5.

* Winners progress to grand final on Saturday, September 11.

2 - Three-week scenario should community sport be permitted to resume on September 4 (unlikely):

* 1st v 4th and 2nd v 3rd to be played on either the same day at different venues or split over September 4 and September 5.

* Preliminary final on Saturday, September 11.

* Grand final on Saturday, September 18.

3 - Should community sport be permitted to resume on September 11:

* 1st v 4th and 2nd v 3rd to be played on either the same day at different venues or split over September 11 and September 12.

* Winners progress to grand final on Saturday, September 18.

4 - Should community sport be permitted to resume on September 18:

* 1st v 2nd in grand final.

5 - Should no community sport begin by September 18:

* Season abandoned.

"It is a very challenging situation for the board and decisions regarding the finals series are difficult and problematical," the league said.

"The board, however, would like clubs to provide their thoughts as feedback."

The LVFNL options outlined set up a potential grand final date clash with the neighbouring Heathcote District league of Saturday, September 18.

However, given the likelihood that there will be no spectators permitted at games, the leagues are unlikely to be in competition in terms of maximising crowds.

The LVFNL was to have held its league vote count on Monday night, but like the finals series, it too has been put on hold.

The league is yet to reach a decision on whether premierships will be awarded to the teams that finished on top of ladders if the season is unable to resume.

"It has been tabled at board level and when the board convenes next week it will be discussed," LVFNL executive officer Laura Naughton said on Friday.

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Bears Lagoon-Serpentine senior coach Greg Gadsden said that while understanding of the league's position to condense its finals from a top-five to a top-four format, it was a hollow ending to the season for his team.

Had the finals been able to proceed as fixtured, the Bears would have played Pyramid Hill in the elimination final at Marong on August 22.

"It is a very hollow ending. We understand it's a very difficult situation to work through with COVID for the league, but it's still not a nice way for us to finish the season," Gadsden said.

"Unfortunately, it's the time we're in at the moment and we just have to accept what has happened."

With their 2021 campaign now officially done and dusted, the Bears end their season with a 5-6 record.

Meanwhile, the Central Murray and Golden Rivers - which are both part of the AFLCV region - on Friday joined the growing list of leagues to call off their seasons.

No premierships will be awarded for the season, but the teams that finished on top of each football and netball grade will be recorded as minor premiers.

"Many considerations were taken into account when making this decision, including the health and safety of our community, club sustainability and competition integrity," Central Rivers board chairman John Keely said.

"This was not an easy decision to make and not the way the board envisioned the season ending."

Other country Victorian leagues that have now been cancelled for 2021 include Goulburn Valley, Murray, Picola District and Sunraysia.

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