Ovens and Murray won't make decision on year until June 29 board meeting

The O and M has always said it would wait until after the Victorian Government's COVID-19 announcements next Monday, June 22.

The league has a delegates meeting two days later, but will hold off on a decision until the next board meeting,

"I don't think there will be a vote taken (at the delegates meeting), at the end of the day the decision will remain with the board, but obviously we'll be canvassing clubs as to how they're feeling at that point," O and M chairman David Sinclair said.

"The board will meet on the 29^th of June and that's when we'll make a decision."

The O and M currently has an eight-person board after David Avery stepped down.

That means there's no possibility of a tie with the chairman only voting if votes are equal.

The league will be sweating on a positive announcement from the Victorian Government about the possibility of crowds being allowed to attend.

Football officials are hearing speculation while specific crowd figures might not be released, fans will naturally have to follow strict social distancing rules, whether it be the 1.5m regulation or one person per four square metres, which was first introduced by Prime Minister Scott Morrison on March 20 for public indoor gatherings.

If the O and M gives the green light on June 29, it means clubs will only have another 24 hours to lodge any clearances.

A clearance doesn't have to be approved by June 30 for a player to be eligible to play, rather the documentation just has to be in the system.

Another dilemma facing the O and M is the prospect of Victorian clubs being disadvantaged.

IN OTHER NEWS:

Clubs are only allowed to resume contact training on July 13 and competitions a week later, so it doesn't give players much time to prepare physically, if the O and M decided to start on July 25.

A nine-round season, plus finals, would run until the weekend of October 17-18.