Drought Problems for Country Footy

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HJ32

HJ32

All Australian
Veteran
Sep 7, 2005
609
1
Chatsworth Estate
AFL Club
Essendon
Hi All

Thought i'd get this thred going as it would be interesting to hear your thoughts on your local area and whether grounds are going to get up for season 2007.

As has been highlighted in media, Major regional centres Bendigo and Ballarat are on severe water restrictions with Bendigo grounds not allowed to be watered at all (except cricket wicket area). The current sight of the QEO is a classic example.
So, no rain, no water allocations and not every ground has a water bore, there's a fair chance that footy seasons will be delayed in some areas...

would be interesting to hear the state of the rest of the state....
 
HJ32 said:
Hi All

Thought i'd get this thred going as it would be interesting to hear your thoughts on your local area and whether grounds are going to get up for season 2007.

As has been highlighted in media, Major regional centres Bendigo and Ballarat are on severe water restrictions with Bendigo grounds not allowed to be watered at all (except cricket wicket area). The current sight of the QEO is a classic example.
So, no rain, no water allocations and not every ground has a water bore, there's a fair chance that footy seasons will be delayed in some areas...

would be interesting to hear the state of the rest of the state....
Click to expand...
Seem to disagree. They always find a way to play and when it comes to risk management the leagues and clubs are severly lacking in this particular area.

They would play on cement some clubs and be totally unaware of the potential risks they are placing on their clubs future when a smart cookie comes along and takes the Club/league to the cleaners.

North Bendigo used to mark there centre circle around a sprinkler head, the umps dont bounce and it doesn't appear to be a bounce plate. How stupid is that? In saying that they are not the only club who dont consider potential risks.
 
got told the other day gfl has taken 2 league byes out of the competition next year, and has pushed back the start of the season by 2 weeks, to give th grounds as much time as possible to soften up.
 

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thekid178 said:
got told the other day gfl has taken 2 league byes out of the competition next year, and has pushed back the start of the season by 2 weeks, to give th grounds as much time as possible to soften up.
Click to expand...
That's a good idea kid. Country clubs without bores next year are really gonna struggle. Most I have spoken to have said that they aren't gonna even bother watering until a month or 2 before the season because there is no point and then soak it for a month! Time will tell if that is a good plan or not!
 
Late start to RDFL

by Matt Nicholls

CONCERNS over the drought and ground conditions have forced the Riddell District Football League to delay the opening of next year’s season to April 21.
With dry conditions hampering the quality of grass coverage on a number of RDFL grounds, the league has decided to start the season late in 2007.
It is believed that Riddell, Macedon and the three Boardman ovals in Sunbury will struggle to be in suitable condition for next season if there is not a significant amount of rainfall.
To keep the grand final on the same weekend as this year, the league has had to scrap the popular split-round, which gives clubs a mid-year break.
Next year’s grand final has been scheduled for Sunday, September 23, despite three Diggers Rest Mormon players asking the league for it to be played on a Saturday.
The junior football league will commence the day after the seniors on Sunday, April 22, and with increasing team numbers, the league is desperate to make sure every ground is available for round one.
The April 21 opening round is the latest kick-off in modern RDFL history, with this year’s opening game held on April 8.
 
Will be interesting for Wimmera & Horsham District league Clubs

eg Kalkee or Taylors Lake HDFL or Minyips ground, or Quantongs
seems to get worser each year
hopefully we'll have a wet summer when its closer to start of the H&A season
they should delay the start to a bit later then normal
 
The grounds aren't the only issue in the drought. Most isolated rural clubs who don't have the big gates with crowds to generate revenue will struggle. A lot of clubs run a few sheep on agisted land or crop land that is donated for this use to them, the money just aint gonna be there for the players. So the metro leagues and larger country leagues will continue but the district club who relies on the help of the cocky will struggle to entice the bigger names.
 
All goes well, by the time footy season comes around we will have wastewater here at St Arnaud... so no problems hopefully :) (the problem being that the oval can't be used for 4hrs after watering...but anything for a good footy oval)
 
Heard tonight that the Ovens and King league were looking at using 3 grounds,those with some form of water, and playing Sat and Sun on those grounds until things improve.
 

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Huge ramifications for country footy and the community as a whole. With the ongoing drought many clubs may face uncertain futures due to continued player drain and lack of available money to operate a club.

If it does rain, it will be 18 plus months before good times return - hopefully the rain falls soon.
 
HJ32 said:
Hi All

Thought i'd get this thred going as it would be interesting to hear your thoughts on your local area and whether grounds are going to get up for season 2007.

As has been highlighted in media, Major regional centres Bendigo and Ballarat are on severe water restrictions with Bendigo grounds not allowed to be watered at all (except cricket wicket area). The current sight of the QEO is a classic example.
So, no rain, no water allocations and not every ground has a water bore, there's a fair chance that footy seasons will be delayed in some areas...

would be interesting to hear the state of the rest of the state....
Click to expand...

NO problems in river area, you need to stop worrying send you players to greener pastures
 
This has been taken from Black Diamond League site, covering Central Coast & Newcastle in NSW,shows the problems you face down south are not so unique.......
Central Coast Clubs and Water Posted: Friday, October 13, 2006
A meeting on Thursday Night spelt out what is in store for Central Coast Clubs following the local water authority's decision to go to level 4 water restrictions on October 1.

The General Manager called the meeting where he spelt out in no uncertain terms the expectations of the restrictions following the water shortage on the Coast..

Some of these include:

* There will be no watering of the grounds;
* No showers after training or games;
* A meter has been purchased which will test the 'hardness' of the ground and if too hard, the ground will be outed.
* If the grass level on a ground dimishes to a certain degree, matches will be cancelled;
* No pre-season training;
* No pre-season games;
* Training once a week;
* A request to shorten the season;

These are just some of the probable recommendations which will go to both Central Coast Councils next week.

One glimmer of hope for AFL is that the game does knock the grounds around as much as some other sports so expectations are on the positive side for the league, however if water restrictions move to level 5 at Christmas, it could be a different ballgame.

Clubs have been requested to discuss the use of the ground with other user groups and if they feel the need make an approach to Council regarding some possible remedial work.
 
not only does the problem extend to football, but with the Water Restrictions, many clubs can't even water the Cricket Pitch tables to get a pitch up and running....just a 30m squared box...
 
In heard that some teams from the Bedigo area might have to go up to Kerang, Cohuna, Macorna, etc,etc in Northern Victoria to play ther football if they dont get no water next year! Do you think that might happend? Or would that be to far to travel?
 
Foxdoog, I think it may be too far to travel. The real question would be if the 2's would be prepared to travel that far to play and it would put heaps of strain on the 3rds. Also the social cohesion of clubs constantly travelling would be difficult. Many clubs would lose money by perhaps having difficulties with catering bar takings. Gates would also be down. Whilst I'd hate to see it a year off maybe the only real alternative or a lightening premiership type set up. It is not looking good for footy followers in 2007.:thumbsu:
 
wonder if they will delay the start of the Wimmera and horsham & Dist
the rate its going Anzac Park will be dry before the end of the year
or no later then late jan
i think THE VCFL will have to let Clubs play if the grounds dont improve by a certain date.

yeah thats another option have a year off to give the grounds a break and try to recover i've seen cracks at the Brim Ground las time i looked havnt; checked out anzac park yet i think all grounds are about in the same condition
 
Metropolitain Melbourne have the same problems. In my council they have stopped us from doing pre-season training on all council grounds. This could escalate to other munincipalities after christmas.
The talk of reducing the length of season is gathering momentum in all leagues. Some have already moved thier season. We might end up having to wait til a good downpour occurs closer to the middle of winter before games are played.
AFL grounds have the ability to continue to water, but why are the Bulldogs still allowed to water thier ground considering no AFL games are played there? I guess it is to keep the big boys happy. I saw a VFL game last season where an AFL listed player refused to take the ground as the centre pitch area was too hard for him.
Where is it going to stop? The insurance company will have the final say as there will end up being too many soft tissue injuries if played on grounds that have not received water and are too hard.
 
League hopes to start on time


THE Heathcote District Football-Netball League remains hopeful its season will start on time next year, despite the drought and water restrictions crippling the majority of its grounds.

HDFL secretary Trevor Arnel will meet with all clubs in the coming weeks to discuss their ground situation.


'‘At this stage, all I know Elmore (is in reasonable condition), and Colbinabbin and Lockington may have pre-season water, but the rest of the grounds aren't much good," Arnel said yesterday.


‘‘We believe we will be able to play next year, if not, we will just keep putting the start of the season back until we are ready.


‘‘We have spoken about various things, and if we only have two grounds up and running (next year), that's what we will have to go with and if the clubs want to play, they will have to be prepared to play on Saturdays and Sundays.


‘‘If the clubs want to play, we need to come up with a strategy that can be worked and is safe for everyone concerned," he said.


‘‘It seems the logical option is to play two games on a Saturday and two games on a Sunday if it comes to that.


‘‘At this stage though, we are assuming we are going to start our season on time." Arnel is confident the White Hills ground will be available for most of the season once Coliban Water's $35 million Recycled Water project is completed.


The HDFL season is scheduled to start on Saturday, April 14.


The Loddon Valley Football League is also in the process of speaking with each of its clubs about the state of their grounds. '‘We're working out which clubs have access to water and which grounds will be okay," newly-elected LVFL president Gary Bath said.


‘‘Probably the issue we are facing is a lot of the country clubs have used their allocation of water for the cricket season, and there's not a lot left for the start of the football season.


‘‘There's an opportunity there for a couple of the clubs, namely Bridgewater and Serpentine, if they haven't already done so to look at putting an emergency bore in.


‘‘Places like Pyramid Hill don't seem to have had too much problems in the past with getting water on to their ground, so they should be okay." The LVFL season starts April 14.
 
footyfan001 said:
Bendigo or ballarat!!! What about wimmera/horsham district/mallee teams??? We are in the hottest part of the state apart from the border which have a supply of water anyway... I know we are struggling an hour north of horsham but a boar has been found and many are hoping it will provide enough for the needs of the town..
Click to expand...

sunraysia footy league has the mighty murray flowing past but its not so mighty at the moment. we too are on restrictions and it will get a lot worse. already going to training once a week, no practice matches etc etc. grounds herev are like cement. this is consistantly the hottest part of the state.
 

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