HOW COVID-19 WREAKED HAVOC ON SA FOOTY
SANFL CEO, Jake Parkinson.
M
arch 2020: summer cricket had given way to autumn and football was underway. SANFL women’s and senior trial matches had kicked off, and four men’s trial games were played between March 7 and March 14. The largest margin was 17 points. All the signs were positive for a close season. Yet the dark story of “coronavirus” was quickly escalating; what had started as a localised outbreak in China was now the threat of a global pandemic, with dark mutterings about previously unthinkable ramifications for football. Australia had confirmed its first cases as early as the Australia Day long weekend. On February 1, the nation closed its borders to China and on the following day, SA confirmed its first two cases of Covid-19. In late February, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said it would become a pandemic and Australia’s emergency response plan was triggered. By the time of the March 14 trial game in which Sturt defeated Central by 17 points, the rate of infection in Australia was doubling every three days on average. The signs were ominous. New restrictions were being announced every day, so it was with 6
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a sense of inevitability that, on March 16, the bad news was delivered: “SANFL, in a united decision with the AFL and all other State Leagues, has postponed the 2020 football season in response to the coronavirus pandemic. “SANFL will delay the start of the 2020 SANFL Statewide Super League season, Reserves and U18 Torrens University Cup competitions until May 31.” More bad news quickly followed. The Statewide Super Women’s League, National Pharmacies SANFL Juniors and NAB AFL Auskick were all postponed until May 31. The U16 Torrens University Cup, which was already underway, was cancelled. SURVIVAL MODE These difficult decisions were essential to safeguard the health and safety of players, coaches, staff, supporters and the broader community. Nevertheless, it was a devastating blow for clubs, with the loss of revenue threatening their survival. Many staff lost their jobs or were stood down. Those who remained had to step up to hold everything together. The pressure was enormous. SANFL CEO Jake Parkinson said the competition was facing one of the biggest challenges in its 143-year history.
“There is no winner today. But we must do what’s needed to keep people safe and healthy and get us through this most challenging time. “SANFL is focussed on survival for the organisation, the SANFL clubs and affiliated leagues and clubs across the entire football community. Every club will be important to our game when we are again able to safely return to playing footy.” Behind the scenes, SANFL was working with its interstate counterparts, the AFL, State and Federal Governments, and the World Health Organisation. Health and safety were priorities - but the burning question was always: When can we play footy again? This question was posed against a backdrop of worsening conditions around the world. SA was not an epicentre but neither was it immune from the mounting death toll. More bad news came on April 7, when the 2020 SA Country Football Championships were cancelled. The May 31 restart date was intact but confidence was waning that it could be achieved. The toll on the SANFL clubs was enormous. This was the first time since World War II that football had been postponed. With no revenue coming into football, each club undertook fundraising initiatives – while
