Portland senior football, North Warrnambool Eagles' open netball sides miss revamped 2021 Hampden league finals

Portland's quest to play senior football finals for the first time since joining the league will stretch into a 10^th season while North Warrnambool Eagles' open netball side is also sidelined.

The two teams missed out on fourth spot on percentage.

Koroit, North Warrnambool Eagles, South Warrnambool and Camperdown will compete in the football and Cobden, South Warrnambool, Warrnambool and Koroit in the netball.

The Hampden league on Thursday unveiled a plan to reduce the usual top-five, four-week final series due to COVID-19 restrictions.

At present community sport is not permitted in Victoria.

There is hope regional restrictions could ease next week.

Portland coach Jarrod Holt said he was stunned to hear of the decision.

"We are really disappointed it's come to this," he told The Standard.

"We know nothing is ideal and it's hard to organise and plan in these times...but the decision made doesn't seem to reflect giving us every opportunity which is really disappointing and disheartening for the effort that has been put in by everyone."

Holt said he was under the impression a regular final series was the preferred option.

"The information we've had from the league (compared) to what's been handed out is not the same," he said.

"It was actually a surprise to us. I was under the impression the grand final could be pushed out to October 2 and if regional Victoria opened up next week, which is what they said was a possibility, we could play that first final next weekend and fit in a four-week final series.

"Without any explanation to us and, as far as I know, anyone else or even a courtesy call to say 'this is what we're going to do', they released a statement this morning."

Holt said he understood the decision hurt his side more than others which made it harder to digest.

"If it came down to a vote, it was never going to work in our favour because no one else was in our position, so no one else cares as much as we do about it," he said.

"If it came to the point where we couldn't be rewarded because there was no room or time for it, then so be it. We don't want to take away from the other teams in the finals.

"In my mind, you can see a pathway (for four weeks) that is possible still, and for that to be taken away is pretty gut-wrenching to be honest."

North Warrnambool Eagles coach Skye Billings said it was a bitter pill to swallow.

The Eagles missed out on fourth spot on percentage.

"It is very disappointing for everybody (in fifth)," Billings told The Standard.

"It is great for the first four teams but we only miss out by percentage and we know we can give the teams above us a run as we've beaten at least two of them.

"It is very gut-wrenching when we have worked our arses off all year, to find out now the league is only making a decision on a 'what if' instead of waiting to find out and set it in stone."

Billings questioned why the season couldn't push into early October to potentially enable a four-week finals campaign.

"The cricketers didn't have interruptions last year, so it would be great if both committees could get together and come to an agreement so we can still play the final series," she said.

"I understand (Hampden) wants to do the grand final before the AFL grand final but we haven't been able to play while the AFL has still been playing, so in that respect I think we should still be able to play our final series."

Cobden coach Sophie Hinkley said she was grateful for the work the league had done to keep the season alive.

She said the plan gave her top-placed side, which has lost the past two Hampden league grand finals, something to aim for.

"That is great for all of us to have a finish line in sight as the difficulty has been the unknown," she said.

"We always find it difficult to maintain focus and motivation if you don't have that end in sight.

"We have all remained upbeat and connected over the last few weeks and we have been happy to see how positive the girls have remained.

"We will have to make sure we keep ourselves physically and mentally ready and see what happens on the 13th if we get confirmation we are playing."