AFL Queensland have provided their latest information regarding post-COVID-19 training and return to play procedures.

Pending Government approval, training will recommence for all Carrara Saints Juniors after June 3, and games will recommence after July 10.

Please note this is pending government approval. These dates are subject to change at any time.

Training

More information on training structures will be provided in the coming days, however be prepared that training may look very different this season.

Training will only recommence once we have received approval to do so.

We will be required to follow some strict protocols once training recommences, including:

• 20-person groups maximum (coaches included)
• “Get In, Get Out” – no milling around or mingling before or after training
• No physical contact (no tackling, no bumping, no marking contents)
• A register of training attendees is required to be kept for each session
• No use of change rooms – come to the ground dressed for training
• Hygiene protocols to be followed:

• • No sharing – water bottles, food, towels
  • Hand sanitisers to be made available at all training sessions, and footballs to be
    wiped before sessions.
  • Players are responsible for their own strapping. No treatment from trainers.
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Most importantly – if you are sick, please do not attend training and advise your coach of team manager.

This fact sheet has been put together by AFLQ on what is to be expected by players for training restarting.

Competitions

AFLQ have advised the earliest possible start date for Junior AFL is Friday July 10, and the competition will be completed no later than October 18.

Games will be played throughout the September school holidays.

More information regarding the actual scheduled dates will be available (at this stage) in June. At this stage, it is the expectation that finals for all youth age groups will be played however this is dependent upon a number of factors.

As a club we will be given 2 weeks notice that fixtured matches will recommence.

Youth Football (U12 – U17)
Considering the current Government Restrictions (including travel restrictions and border closures) and to ease the burden on families, the SEQ Juniors will revert to a more localised competition format for all SEQ Junior competitions for 2020. Therefore, the newly formed
Conference/Community Youth competition structure will not occur in 2020.

Competitions will be based on regional competition boundaries but AFLQ will be flexible, dependent on team nominations and endeavour to work with clubs to ensure a positive outcome for all teams.

Junior Football (U8 – U11)
Your competition groups will most likely carry on as planned, except for the cases of those who were due to play against teams from across the NSW border – in these cases, competitions will be readjusted to suit local teams only.

Ausick and Superstars
Auskick will start no earlier than July 10. More information regarding what that means for our Auskickers – such as being split into two sessions, or other requirements – will be advised in the coming weeks.

At this stage we have no further information regarding Superstars. AFLQ has advised that the format of Superstars for 2020 will be communicated in the coming weeks.

Sources

AFLQ’s Return To Play website is a great source of information, and all things related to requirements for coaches, parents and clubs is available on the site. Some key documents have been included here – please click the link below to read more.

AFLQ – JUNIOR COMPETITION GUIDELINES
AFLQ – AUSKICK AND SUPERSTARS GUIDELINES
RETURN TO TRAINING PROTOCOLS FOR CLUBS
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
AFLQ STATEMENT
RETURNING TO TRAINING INFORMATION FOR PARENTS

Kind regards,
Carrara Saints Committee.