Spectators allowed back at huddles

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Spectators are allowed back at huddles at breaks at senior Essendon District Football League matches.

The league conducted a four-round trial period of match day actions to stamp out anti-social behaviour, which had occurred at several matches this season.

The league said in a statement last week, the overall response to implementing the trial had been positive and announced actions that would be implemented for the remainder of the regular season.

More than 300 stakeholders responded to a survey to help inform the league’s decision.

The match day official role will remain at all age groups for the remainder of the season, including finals.

For senior football, including under-18.5s, spectators will be allowed to go to huddles, but no one (other than allocated club officials) will be permitted inside the centre square.

For junior football, spectators will still only be allowed in the 50 metre arcs at quarter time and three-quarter time breaks.

“Prior to the implementation of this action, the EDFL had significantly more issues at junior level with coaches and spectators across the year,” the statement said.

“This has been reduced, but we are still having spectator abuse umpires and players on match day.

“The response to this action has been positive from a significant number of coaches at junior level with less interference from parents, kids can concentrate more, and they can actually coach the players more positively.

It has also been noted that the flow of the game and time between games has been significantly improved.”

Match Day Officials will communicate with the umpires at all breaks to be provided with any negative feedback in relation to their club’s players, coaches and-or spectators behaviour and then act on these if required for their club only and only if safe to do so.

The league said from the survey results, 64.8 per cent of responses found the role somewhat extremely effective, with 54.7 per cent supporting the extension of this role.

An exclusion zone around all benches will remain in place for all age groups for the rest of the year.