With case numbers continuing to mount, it does not bode well for the winter sport season, with football associations particularly nervous after the virus claimed almost all of its past two campaigns.
However, for AFL Goulburn Murray it is full steam ahead in preparation for season 2022 as it continues to monitor the situation and do its best to adapt to what is an ever-changing landscape.
AFL Goulburn Murray commercial and operations manager Zara O’Keeffe said she was hoping to see the community wrap its arms around its football clubs as the season quickly approaches.
“We are preparing as we normally would, we are just trying to work out the new protocols and waiting on AFL Victoria to give us more clarity on what that might look like,” O’Keeffe said.
“At the moment we are working with the clubs to ensure they have enough volunteers to do what they need to do; we are really encouraging people who have volunteered in the past to go back and be part of (it) again.
“One thing that has really taken a hit over the past two years is volunteer numbers and clubs are really looking for more, so we are really hoping people get back out there and support their local clubs in 2022.”
With leagues now deep in planning ahead of the challenges the season will present, O’Keeffe said the key to success this year would be being adaptable and fluid as circumstances constantly change.
“It potentially will be very different to how we had to handle the virus in 2020 and 2021,” she said.
“It is really hard because you don’t know where the wave is going to be come the middle of the year, we’re not sure whether this is going to die down and so many people will have had it that it won’t spread as easily, so at the moment it’s just a wait and see.
“We really need to continue to be agile in the way that we operate so we can face any challenges that come, which we have done over the last couple of years.”
As anxiety continues to grow among the football community, she had this message of reassurance in regard to the season.
“We are 100 per cent committed to getting the seasons up and running,” she said.
“We are aware we are going to face challenges in 2022 that we haven’t faced before and that we may not expect, but we are going to face them head on and hopefully get a complete season under way.
“I guess we just really encourage people to get out there, rejoin their local clubs, put their hands up to do jobs at those clubs and make sure we continue to see football thriving in our local region.”
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