The COVID-19 situation is already biting hard in Australia and more locally in Melbourne.

Cancellations of sporting events, concerts, and employees working from home have become commonplace over the past week.

Football has not been immune. While the AFL wrestles over shorter games, a shorter season, and playing to empty stadiums, AFL Victoria and its affiliated leagues, of which the VAFA is one, met yesterday to map the immediate future.

SEASON DELAYED

Contingent upon clearances from authorities, the commencement of the 2020 season has been rescheduled for 2 May. There will be a review by the VAFA and other Victorian community football leagues on 14 April to determine if that date is feasible, or whether a further postponement is necessary.

At this stage, the season will still feature eighteen home and away rounds plus finals, with the bye weekends in June and July shelved. The season will run one week later than in other years, culminating on 27 September.

All community football leagues, as well as clubs, have suspended official football activities for now. In light of this, we advise there will be no further practice sessions or club-sanctioned gatherings, until there is a directive advising of the recommencement of full activity, and/or the announcement re-confirming the start date for the 2020 home and away season.

The Xavier grounds have been closed and are unavailable to our club. Our winter tenancies at Toorak Park, Stradbroke Park begin in April, but we will not be taking them up until we are advised that conditions are safe.

OUR PLAYERS

We have turned our attention to supporting the individual fitness of all players in preparation for the late commencement of the season.

Players will need to continue their preparations for the season away from the club. Our coaches will be contacting their squads shortly with instructions for maintaining fitness and developing team tactics within the strictures that have been laid down.

The well-being of our players is central to the success of our club, and with this in mind, we will be strengthening our support with additional information and contact points.

These plans will require specific engagement arrangements through a range of communication platforms to update players on the latest plans as well as “check-ins” to assist all players to manage through these challenging times.

Our Community Partner, Beyond Blue, is available for assistance with a range of resources and information. We attach details of their Personal Best link which contains a series of stories, tips etc to help people achieve their personal best. It’s updated a couple of times each month with new articles, including items on sport and mental health here.

FINANCES

After the Annual General Meeting in November, the OXFC budgeted for a small profit over its financial year, based on past performance and future expectations of income from player subscriptions, corporate partners and financial members against rising costs.

A lack of football action will mean that certain outlays will be reduced, but these savings will not cover the certain loss of income, and budgets will need to be reset once we are clearer about the future of the season.

As an example, we were forced last week to cancel our Xaverian Football Launch, which turned a strong profit in 2019. Instead, we will now wear a heavy loss.  

At our meeting of the club committee last night, we committed to immediately eliminating all but vital club expenditure. I want to ensure our supporters that we have in place protocols to ensure that the only funds outgoing are those vital to meeting our immediate obligations and commitments.

In doing so, we are preparing for the worst, while still hoping for the best.

I am fully cognisant of the financial challenges that many in our immediate community are facing because of a summer of fire, and the possible shutdown of business in the weeks and months ahead.

However, I urge all supporters of the Old Xaverians Football Club, if personal circumstances allow, to maintain, or indeed, extend their commitment to our club. The option to donate through the Australian Sports Foundation promises full tax deductibility, and most of those who have committed to our club already this season have chosen that option. You can join them here.

Though the beginning of our season now appears some time away, we will not be idle in preparing our club both on and off the field for football’s inevitable return.

Please stay safe and healthy.

Matthew Cosgrave

OXFC President