Hampden and Warrnambool and District league coaches weigh in on fixtures

The leagues' boards will meet next week to discuss what happens with the seasons' fixture after round 11 of the Hampden league and round 14 of the Warrnambool and District league were called off this weekend.

With the potential of more snaps lockdowns - there have already been two this season - is it time to bring forward both finals series to ensure they are played?

WDFNL football bottom-dwellers Timboon Demons (ninth) and Dennington (10th) and injury-plagued HFNL netball open side Port Fairy are keen to play out the season.

Seagulls mentor Renae Taylor said games should continue "for the integrity of the season".

"It would be good to see games be played just not for us as we won't be playing finals but for the teams between third and seventh vying for positions," she said.

"It's crucial for them after so much hard work they have done to play more than once. We will be missing out on finals but teams would want to have the best opportunity to cement their place.

"We have got other senior netball teams looking good in the second half of the season.

"Our div two and three sides are undefeated and div one is third and has had so many injuries and are managing to do well.

"I'd like them to get as many games as they can as we have been working so hard as a senior group since the end of last year and it would be good to see the season fully come to fruition."

Dogs coach Ben Thornton said there was value in his team playing as many games as it could this season.

"I'm easy with it, from our point of view with the club where we're at, we probably want to play as many games as we can," he said.

Thornton explained he had a young side that would be keen to get more games under its belt.

He said playing matches could help make the club more appealing to future recruits "to show that we have improved from the start of the year".

Timboon Demons coach Dennis Hobbs is hoping games will be back next weekend but realises nothing's certain.

He said he was thinking of the bigger picture and the health of the community came first.

Like Thornton, he'd like to see the regular season played out as much as possible.

"I just want our boys to have a few more kicks," he said.

"For the league's benefit, I can understand if they wanted to start finals earlier."

For Hobbs, more games means getting more experiences into his young group.

Koroit premiership coach Chris McLaren says all grades need to be considered when making a decision on the fixture.

"Everyone needs to understand it's not just senior footy but all grades of footy and netball and each competition is equally important as senior footy," he said.

"Whether it is a under 18.5 footballer or under 15 netballer, a reserve footballer or a player from any grade it is equally important to them as to what senior footy and netball is to us.

"I think we keep finals where they are and play as many as we can and make it as even as possible. Having said that we have to consider all parties.

"Senior footy and netball do bring in bigger crowds but the participants and people involved in other levels are equally important as senior footy is to our players and people."

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Camperdown coach Neville Swayn said it was difficult to make a decision until a there was a clearer picture if the lockdown would end as planned on Tuesday.

"From a league perspective it is difficult to make a call on it straight away," he said.

"The pleasing thing is we have played everyone once and we would like to think that makes a case we have had a season to go into finals.

"I don't know how they will attack it (round 11), whether they wipe it and move on or move onto round 12. Whatever happens a compromise may be needed somewhere.

"The way things are some clubs might think they're harshly done by with who they've played and some have had the opposite and may have had a good run but it's up to everyone to put that in the past and move on because it's the way the year is."

Merrivale A grade netball coach Elisha Sobey said it had been "hard to keep the momentum and the want" this season.

"It's hard, you get pumped to play a good side and then have a bye and then play a bottom side and it's hard to keep the momentum going," she said.

Sobey said her group was pumped for Thursday night training this week as it was coming up against in-form Old Collegians. The group was deflated by the news of no netball.

The Tigers' coach described the Warriors clash as crucial for her team as it strived to build toward finals.

She added next weekend's round 15 game against Panmure was just as important as it was against another finals-bound opponent.

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Sobey said you couldn't just expect teams to jump straight into a finals campaign after this lockdown break.

She said you wouldn't get a quality finals series.

Sobey said it would take her group a few rounds to build momentum.

The Tigers' mentor talked about the preparation she intended to put in ahead of finals.

"I was looking at the last four games, I envisaged to get our best side on and really get a good hit-out for finals," she said.

It's been a tough year to build consistency for Merrivale and Old Collegians as the most games they have played in a row is six.

They played Good Friday - a week before the other teams - then missed the two Saturdays with the June snap lockdown.

There was also a league bye on July 3.

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