Hume league football to return this weekend with new method to determine finalists

A decision was made to activate the method after a lengthy meeting of the Hume league board on Wednesday night, meaning premiership points accrued by clubs will be scrapped and replaced with a percentage determined by the amount of wins divided by matches played.

Whether or not fixtures go ahead is purely on the clubs and won't be enforced by the board.

Billabong Crows confirmed on Thursday night they would not have enough numbers to take on Osborne, with injuries and the lockdown taking a huge toll on the club's playing and coaching stocks at senior and reserve level.

Finals contenders Rand-Walbundrie-Walla and Brock-Burrum have confirmed their clash at Walla on Saturday, but the Saints won't be at full strength with Damian Cupido (Shepparton) and Ron Boulton (Wodonga) ruled out by the Victorian lockdown.

Henty has committed to its away clash against Jindera, but will be without coach Heath Ohlin, who lives in Wodonga, while Dylon Simpson, Sam Scott, Beau Connell and Ben Carmichael are also ineligible.

Assistant coaches James Ellis and Daniel Hore-Smith will take the reins in Ohlin's absence.

CDHBU, due to face the winless Murray Magpies, are the hardest hit with 19 out, but hadn't made a call on Thursday night on whether they would play.

The Power won't have their senior coaches John Pratt, Mick Collins and Corey Smith available as they all live south of the Border.

Matches between Holbrook and Howlong, and Lockhart and Culcairn were given the all clear immediately, despite the change in how the ladder will operate.

"We're disappointed they (Billabong Crows) can't play, but we fully understand and respect their decision," Osborne vice-president Jason Webster said.

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But it's business as usual for the majority of other clubs.

"We're just going to push on as normal as possible," Holbrook president David Morton said.

"From a Jindera point-of-view, we support the league's decision to play and whatever that process is, we'll support that," Jindera president Simon Cossor added.

Once the match ratio method is activated, it can't be reversed as it would disadvantage sides who opt not to play between now and the start of finals.

Hume league president Brendan I'Anson said it was the only fair and equitable way to keep the competition going.

"But the longer you stand out and don't play, it will hurt you," I'Anson said.

"If a few clubs can't play and don't have enough numbers, that's what happens and they don't fall off the tree overnight.

"They could miss a couple of matches and keep the pace.

"A lot of clubs we've spoken to that are pretty strong, such as Osborne and Holbrook, were pretty good and said you've got to help the clubs impacted out.

"You don't want to disadvantage clubs at all, so I think clubs will be pretty good in agreeing to withdraw a match."

I'Anson didn't rule out the prospect of clubs playing scratch matches or dropping down to 16 or 14 players per side to get games completed.

"We could go down to 14 a side at senior and reserve level to make a match of it," he added.

"The other thing when clubs don't play is they miss out on votes in the Azzi Medal (the league's best and fairest award) and their own best and fairest."

Points percentage will still be used to determine the higher ranked team if they have the same match ratio percentage at the end of the season.

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