Players are back in training after the Covid-19 shutdown with Football Bundaberg fixtures to resume on 17 and 18 July unless there are further delays.
FB president Femia Eizema is cautiously optimistic that all divisions will return to competition that weekend for a shortened season.
“Things can change quickly if there is a spike in Coronavirus cases, but fingers crossed, we will be good to go with restricted numbers at the venue at any one time and social distancing and sanitizing and other Covid-safe practices in place,” Femia said.
“It will be the usual competitions on Friday night and Saturday which will include Mini-Roos and Under-16's to Under-11's.
“All games will be held at Martens Oval, meaning no Away games at other grounds within Bundaberg, and there could be some mid-week games, but until the draw is completed, hopefully by next week, we will not know.”
Femia said Mini-Roos will finish on October 24 with Junior Competition finals on October 17 and 24, while finals for Friday night competitions will be on October 23 and 30, Wide Bay Premier League and Wide Bay 2 on October 24 and 31, and the FB men’s finals will be played on Tuesday nights October 20 and 27.
The Wide Bay Champions Cup is scheduled as a precursor to the Wide Bay Leagues Grand Finals on October 31.
Points for the two rounds which were completed back in March will stand with Brothers-Aston Villa (BAV) heading the 10-team Wide Bay Premier League table as the only side with two wins so far.
Across The Waves (ATW) and KSS Jets are joint-leaders in Wide Bay League 2, each with two wins, while Villa and United Park Eagles (UPE) Black share pole position in Bundaberg Men’s League, and Bingera and Bargara are co-pilots in the Ladies League.
With some players who had registered before the Pandemic now deciding not to pull on the boots, a number of teams have vacancies and anyone wanting to play should get in touch with the club of their choice – ATW, Bargara, BAV, Bingera, Diggers, Gin Gin, SC Corinthians or UPE – with contact details for all on the FB website.
Diggers FC president Andrew Halpin said that like all clubs, everyone is excited about the imminent return to the field, but that it continues to be a difficult time for all the FB family.
His club has 16 teams to accommodate across all divisions, some of which are yet to get back to training, but he said their Wide Bay Premier League side are determined to bounce back from their two losses in a tough initiation after being WBL2 champions but shock grand final runners-up in 2019, and be very competitive under coach Todd Bray.
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