AFL Western District, WDFNL and HFNL leaders back July bye clash

The Hampden, Warrnambool and District, South West District and Mininera and District competitions all had byes on Saturday.

AFL Western District senior operations manager Brad Pole said the decision to schedule byes on the same day instead of splitting them over the course of a few weeks was planned to coincide with the middle weekend of the July school holidays.

"I don't know if it's the first time it's ever happened. It's certainly the first time in the two years we've been involved with the fixture," he said.

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"When the RAC (Regional Administration Centre) started, the 2017 fixtures had been done already.

"We did them in 2018 for the first time and co-ordinated the fixtures this season to incorporate that mid-season bye.

"I think the response so far has been very good. I think people have appreciated the mid-season break, in particular coordinating it with the school holidays.

"It just allows people the opportunity to have a break, refresh and if they want to go away they can."

Pole said the break, which gave everyone involved an "opportunity to recharge the batteries", had received a positive response.

"We'll obviously have to talk to the leagues about it but from our point of view and the feedback we've had from the clubs, I think we would do it again," he said.

"I don't think the end of the school holidays would work. I think the middle one is perfect.

"That end weekend you've got your eye on to next week's work."

But Pole said AFL Western District would also consider splitting the breaks if there was ample support.

"It's not something we have spoken about but it is something we would have a look at," he said.

"Each league, with their own independent board, is heavily involved with their own fixture, so that would be something they would need to approve and sign off on."

The Hampden league has used the July holidays for a mid-season bye for a number of years.

The District league, which features 11 teams and weekly byes, did not have a league-wide bye in 2018 but had one in 2017, a week after the Hampden competition.

Warrnambool and District league president Michael Harrison backed the mid-school holidays scheduling.

"Being school holidays, to have the middle week off, it allows families to go away," he said.

"It also gives everyone a break before the finals, it freshens the whole club up.

"Volunteers get a week off as well...and with underage kids going away on holidays with families, it made it a lot easier for clubs if we had a bye that weekend.

"It also gives the umpires a break as well. It's the wettest part of the year and the coldest part of the year.

"At the end of the day, I think everyone enjoys it."

Hampden league board member Bernie Harris agreed with the timing.

"I think at the end of the day you'll find in the middle of the school holidays is the over-riding factor," he said of the scheduling.

"It's a good time for families to get away, especially those who have under 14s and under 16s kids who are still going to school.

"I think at that time of the year, it's a good thing.

"A lot of people try and catch a bit of sun this time of year. It gives people a chance to get to Queensland or Bali for seven days or 10 days and freshen up a bit."

Harris said ideally the league byes would be split over different weekends to give each competition's clubs a chance to boost their gate takings.

But he said he'd heard "no negative feedback" about all four of the region's leagues having byes on the same weekend.

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