“If we can finalise these return to training guidelines and principles, we’ll be able to start training as early as this week or next depending on how quickly we can finalise that," he told FTBL. 

“That’s of course groups of 10 – and then beyond May, hopefully then we can start full training because I think the plans are to permit that to 20.

“That’s then leading into competition’s restarting at the end of June, the start of July – this is all provided that the COVID-19 numbers are contained.”

While still a week-to-week proposition, the FV CEO also confirmed that planning for FFA Cup, Dockerty Cup and Nike FC Cup fixtures was still ongoing at FV headquarters. 

Another question facing Filopolous, Executive Manager of Football Operations Will Hastie and FV is how to approach community football.

Unlike NPL clubs, who control access to their own facilities, community clubs share theirs with summer sports such as cricket – creating a challenge for community clubs facing the possibility of losing access to their facilities come the summer months.

AFL Victoria has already flagged with Cricket Victoria the possibility of a delayed start to the cricket season so the former can stage finals in October. 

FTBL understands that a full men’s and women’s NPL season that is concluded by early November is the preferred model of FV, but there remain challenges for the leagues below which the organisation aims to address. 

"We’ve been working with government and Sport and Recreation Victoria in centralising our engagement and communications with councils,” said Filopolous.

“That means engaging with other sports, like cricket. We believe we are almost there in terms of getting access to facilities beyond the end of September so we can complete as much of the community competitions as possible."