Please find following a statement from AFL Victoria in relation to Sunday’s Victorian State Government announcement that some restrictions impacting community sport have been eased.

There is still some work to do around what this means for community football and the protocols and we will share further information as it becomes available. We are seeking further information around crowds also.

AFL Victoria welcomes the Victorian Government’s announcement today that community sport full-contact training and competition.

i) for people 18 years and under can resume from Monday 22 June

ii) full-contact training for adults can resume from Monday 13 July with full-contact competition resumption from Monday 20 July.

We want to thank the Victorian Government for their support of Victorian football and thank the community and our health and essential workers – and the wider Victorian community – for an environment where community sport can resume.

We are excited to work with our Leagues and Clubs to begin the 2020 Community Football and NAB AFL Auskick Season where so many girls, boys, women and men have the opportunity to return to play.

We also want to acknowledge all the community clubs who were committed to following the physical distancing and hygiene protocols associated with a Return to Small Group Training.

As we prepare to move toward contact-training and competition play, AFL Victoria will work with Leagues, Clubs, participants, coaches, umpires and all volunteers to ensure we return to competition play in an effective and safe manner in adherence with Victorian Government guidelines and AFL Return to Play Framework (RTP Framework).

We know how much community football means to Victorian families and we look forward to working together to ensure community clubs return to play in a safe and well managed environment.  AFL Victoria will provide a further update in the coming days.

The VAFA Board will meet the week beginning June 22 to determine whether a season will proceed and further advice specifically related to VAFA RTP will follow.