An Ovens and Murray league club president fears for the workload on volunteers following the release of AFL Victoria's Returning to Small Outdoor Group Training document.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
However, it must be stressed that Corowa-Rutherglen boss Graham Hosier wasn't being critical of what is the most challenging time for the league in its 127 years.
"It's going to be tough, but if we want to have footy, we have to do it," he said.
"It's just putting extra work on the volunteers, most clubs are stretched for volunteers, it's just put another workload, especially with the cleaning because it has to be done efficiently."
As part of the guidelines, change rooms can't be used, with the key principles of training on a "get in, train, get out" basis.
However, clubs are working on the theory that change rooms will need to be cleaned after the three football games, should the season start.
"There wasn't anything in there about that (on Tuesday) but yes, that's going to happen, I believe change rooms have to be cleaned after each team has finished," Hosier said.
Given that workload, it could open the way for professional cleaners to be employed but, of course, that could be a cost the league and-or clubs can't afford in the coronavirus era.
When the salary cap was first used for the 2017 season, AFL North East Border indicated its statewide introduction was due to a desire to even out competitions, keep player payments under control and avoid volunteer burnout.
The prospect of no crowds remains a great concern, but Hosier floated juniors playing if senior football is abandoned.
ALSO IN SPORT:
"From the under 16s down, even if it's for just six weeks, otherwise there's a possibility we could lose some," he said.
Meanwhile, Daniel Bowles has been cleared back to Raiders after his Darwin stint, while ex-Panther Michael Gibbons has been named at 12 in the VFL's top 50 players of the past 20 years.
