Ask the coaches: Preferences for postponed seasons

AFL Western District announced on Tuesday it was postponing the start of the season until at least June due to the growing concern around the spread of COVID-19.

It has left coaches pondering what could happen if and when the six competitions in the south-west region start again.

Camperdown coach Neville Swayn suggested following a similar path the AFL took when it announced its plans for the 2020 season.

"We want to at least play everyone once," the second-year mentor said.

"Anything shorter and it would be getting too short. You would want to at least play everyone once as trying to make it a fair comp is a good way to go."

The AFL's plan is to play 17 games with every club playing opposing teams at least once.

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Timboon Demons coach David Johnston would like to see seasons played from start to finish if they resume.

"My preference would be to play it as you would (normally) but just go into November, if possible," he said.

"Just play the 18 rounds and just start it late.

"But obviously logistics (of other sports) will affect that."

Johnston said it would be good to get a full season in for the "integrity of the competition".

"We're obviously not doing anything for the next couple of months so people will have a good break and will be raring to go," he said.

Johnston believes the weather in November could be suitable.

"You might get a hot day but you might a perfect day," he said.

The first-year Demons coach, who recently moved from Western Australia, said it had been an odd experience to start his new role with the coronavirus situation.

"I feel for the club because it's made a lot of effort and made a lot of changes to the way we train," he said.

Johnston said the club had been doing plenty on and off-field to get back in the finals mix.

He and a fellow first year mentor, Port Fairy's Winis Imbi, said the current situation was out of their control.

"If you try to plan for it, it may not actually eventuate," Imbi said.

"It's best to wait to get a clearer picture of when it is going to take place and just focus on maintaining fitness or trying to build it but we will just wait and be guided by it."

Imbi said if and when football and netball was called back on that teams should be allowed a grace period to be able to come together and prepare.

"If there was a recall of the season to start, teams need time to prepare for that," he said.

"Whether that be a couple of weeks training together again and also maybe playing a practice match as well rather than going straight into the season.

"That's where we would need to make sure we build again when we are given the all clear for normal things to take place."

Allansford coach Bridget Foster said it was hard to make predictions.

"I suppose to play each other once over the nine rounds is a bit more realistic," she said.

"But it's hard to think of ideas when we're in this grey area of unknown."

Foster said it would be good to start playing at some point and suggested the season could be extended.

She added that it probably wouldn't work for cricketers.

"It's uncharted territory, there might be some alterations made from all aspects of sport," she said.

Foster said Allansford held committee meetings this week to make a game plan for the coming months.

She said the club would reassess every fortnight.

The Cats leader said it was important to keep communication lines open rather then leaving people to feel isolated.

"I think we want to keep everyone in the loop and communicate so then it's just a little speed bump," she said.

Foster believes club members will be eager when the season starts again.

The second-year coach said clubs were fortunate to have access to modern technology.

"It's sort of lucky with social media," she said.

"Even though we're not training, I can communicate with my team about drills and exercises," she said.

Panmure coach Chris Bant said his group "obviously wants to play as many games as we can".

He said it was hard to come up with ideas with how the season should look at this stage.

"Obviously it's a lot further above our heads," he said.

But the Bulldogs leader added the idea of each team facing off once may work.

"If you played everyone once that would be pretty fair," he said.

"That would be a preference."

Bant, an Allansford cricketer, said it would be difficult for a season to run into November because of his summer sport.

Incoming South Warrnambool coach Leesa Battistello said her side would continue to train virtually using the NetFit app to be ready if the season starts.

"At this stage I'm just hoping we can we play this season at all," she said.

"The talk around it is that it maybe doesn't happen and to be completely honest if we play this season I will be extremely thrilled."

For now south-west clubs will just have to wait and see what direction AFLWD takes on starting the seasons.

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