Football Far North Coast General manager Steve Mackney has today posted the latest updates for all competitions moving forward with the current lockdowns in place.

The information states:

FFNC wishes to outline the proposed way forward subject to the anticipated exit from lockdown that is currently nominated to occur from 12:01am on Sunday 22nd August.

The fixtures that were unable to be played this weekend and again next Friday night and Saturday, means that things are increasingly constrained to deliver the balance of season 2021. A decision has been made to proceed as outlined below (subject to the NSW Government approving the exit from the current lockdown);

• An assessment has been made that the fixtures listed here need to be played and EACH of the fixtures listed have been scheduled for Sunday 22nd August;

ALL other results

(i.e. fixtures applicable to next weekend that are not listed above specifically for Sunday 22nd August) will be DECLARED as 0-0 (*)

(*) Various men’s premier league, championship, women’s premier league and women’s league 2 fixtures (beyond the fixtures listed above) will be scheduled for the weekend of 27/28/29 August to ensure that fixtures impacting the respective competitions relevant to the finals are played. The draft Finals Series schedule provides scope for such fixtures to proceed (hopefully??).

The assessment of pointscore fixtures across every senior league and each junior competition, has considered (1) the comparison of how many games each team within each league/competition has played (2) Points table and potential material impact on the Top 5 or Top 4 positions (3) Delivering a logical road-map to completing the pointscore season and Finals Series given the obstacles that exist.

FFNC has reviewed the schedule of fixtures that had previously been posted for 20/21/22 August, so any fixture that is not listed within the document above can now be concluded as being DECLARED as 0-0.

We recognise this advice means that some teams are now finished their season and may share the disappointment that the season does not end “on the pitch”, as anticipated. Any fixtures that are not formally scheduled by FFNC can proceed as sanctioned friendlies and advised to FFNC by e-mail notification. Such fixtures will however not form any part of the recorded pointscore results. We trust that we have correctly identified the fixtures that need to proceed (if reasonably possible), noting that sourcing match officials for each fixture is another hurdle.

The fixtures that will now be scheduled for Sunday 22nd August are of course subject to the exit from lockdown, however FFNC makes it known that each team that is scheduled to play next Sunday, is required to do so. We are now at a stage that a team that does not play (as scheduled) will be deemed to have forfeited. There will be no further “declared results” beyond what is now disclosed, unless circumstances require yet another review of the variables?

JUNIOR Semi-Finals (that were scheduled for 20, 21 or 22 August) are NOW all to be played on Sunday 22nd August (see here)

JUNIOR GRAND FINALS

The ongoing volatility as a consequence of the variables created by the impact of the Health Orders, also prompts a re-think of how the JUNIOR grand Finals will proceed? Significant concerns exist about encouraging a lot of people to gather at the same venue. A decision has therefore now been made to schedule respective JUNIOR grand finals at club venues. The venue for each respective junior grand final will likely be determined as the venue of the HOME team that finished HIGHER on the points table from the two teams contesting the respective grand final, however we will confirm each venue for respective junior grand finals in due course. It is very unfortunate that we will again be impeded in presenting a high profile junior grand finals series, but we remain hopeful that every junior (and senior) grand final will be able to be played?

FFNC will bestow medals to players as follows;

• Each player in each winning junior grand final team/squad;
• Each player in each runners-up grand final team/squad;
• Each player in each junior point score champions team/squad;
• Each player in each winning senior grand final team/squad;
• Each Match Official who officiates a junior or senior grand final.

FFNC will provide a memento to each player in the respective senior pointscore champions squad in each league.

Summary of the FINALS SERIES schedule

Please refer here to the schedule that has been updated given the impact of the latest lockdown restrictions.

MiniRoos Schedule

All MiniRoos fixtures that were scheduled for Saturday 21st August will be moved to Saturday 4th September which extends the season by one week to ensure the kids get to play. Pending the exit from the current lockdown restrictions, all MiniRoos fixtures that are currently scheduled for Saturday 28th August will proceed as scheduled, thus giving most MiniRoos teams a further two games to conclude the season.

Disclaimer; Scheduling plans will remain subject to any conditions imposed by NSW Health and further, subject to any matters that necessarily require FFNC to make decisions about football activity. We are of course in uncertain times, so we must respond to variables as they are made known.

We offer our support for everyone through these challenging times.

Fixtures scheduled for Sunday 22nd August