In a letter to members on Friday evening, president John Box informed clubs the remainder of the football and netball season would be cancelled.

"The board and netball executives met tonight. With the uncertainty of COVID and restrictions, the board with the netball, has decided to cancel the 2021 season with great sadness," he wrote.

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He thanked all football and netball clubs and league executives for their contributions this year.

Box also praised "all the volunteers and supporters who have tirelessly worked hard for our clubs".

"This is one of the hardest decisions I have been involved in. The greatest honour for any club is to play finals, after a hard year of training, and not to have that opportunity, is very sad," he wrote.

"At this stage six weeks out of football is a long time to get back and going.

"I would like to thank the six junior sides who worked hard all year, travelling and not having the opportunity to play finals."

The board will meet next Tuesday night to discuss the league dinner, presentations and awards for the top teams.

Box told The Standard the league had not yet decided if the top sides in each grade would be awarded minor premiership flags.

The MDFL had intended to scrap its finals series if Victoria remained in lockdown on September 25.

Box said he consulted with the netball competition and contacted senior football club presidents in the top-five during the week.

He said the feedback revolved around it being too difficult to keep to the season going and too much to ask of the players.

"If we could have got going we would have," he said.

Box said it was disappointing to miss out on what would have been an exciting finals series.

"I feel sorry for the clubs who got to the finals in our competition, we had Woorndoo Mortlake which hasn't won a grand final since it's been in it," he said.

"And Ararat Eagles got into the five after a couple of years of not winning many games."

Box said he also felt sorry for the juniors who travelled far and wide to make the games happen. There was an under 16.5 football competition with six teams.

He said it would be important for the league to stick together and come back bigger and stronger next year.

The president highlighted it had been a tough year financially for clubs as well as local businesses.

He said football and netball were a big part of Mininera and surrounds with some of the league's towns only having a few houses.

Sport is where communities gather on Thursday nights and Saturdays.

"It's starting to have a big impact on the health and wealth in the country, so that's the worry," he said.

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