Colac is preparing to spend the next month training away from its Central Reserve base, with the venue acting as a staging ground for the Otway fires.
A tent city popped up at the Tigers’ home ground last week as the blaze, which claimed at least 16 structures, took hold.
In all, there are 258 tents, which include sleeping quarters for more than 170 firefighters.
Over 380 meals are served every day, and firefighters have access to relaxation areas, TVs, internet access, and a dining room.
It’s also understood that the main pavilion serves as a communications hub.
Footy boss Brent Langdon has told K rock Football that Colac will recommence pre-season training tonight (Monday) at Trinity College.
“The situation that’s happening out in the Otways has had an effect on everyone, whether it be relatives or people that you know and whatnot,” he said.
“So, that’s certainly been a priority.
“The situation has calmed down a little bit, but for us to get off Central and let the powers that be do what they need to do there becomes priority.”
The Tigers will also use Colac Secondary College and other grounds around the Colac district, which is likely to include joint sessions with some of those clubs.
“We’re going to be able to train as normally as possible,” Langdon said. “To be honest, it might just keep us a little bit fresh here and there.
“Up until three or four years ago, we used to do it (train elsewhere) for a period of time in February and March when they’d re-sow the ground.
“They haven’t done it as recently, but it’ll give us the opportunity to do something different; some different grounds here and there.
“It’s a good little opportunity for us.”
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Port Melbourne-listed Jack Skinner is back in full training, while hard-as-nails midfielder Jarrod Walters is also pushing to be right to play early in the season.
Skinner, who made two VFL appearances last year, missed Colac’s finals campaign with a knee issue that required surgery.
“He went and had a clean-out, which was probably a bit more than a clean-out in the end,” Langdon said.
“Jack, being Jack, he probably just pushed on maybe more than he should have, once we found out what was going on in there.
“But once he had it done a week or two before the end of finals, there, yeah, he was probably ahead of schedule by the time December came around”
Walters went under the knife on a shoulder injury suffered diving low for a mark in the first semi-final win over Newtown & Chilwell.
He is back to running but not yet in full training.
“That’ll just be a suck and see, whether he’ll be available at the start of the year or whether we just need to take a little bit of time with him,” Langdon said.
“But, knowing Jarrod, he’ll be doing everything he can to get ready for the first game.”
Colac has a practice match scheduled against Ballarat league club Sebastopol on March 28 in its only confirmed pre-season game.
The Tigers open their quest to add a second GFNL premiership to the trophy cabinet with a clash against St Mary’s on April 11.
The meeting with the Saints is a Round 7 clash that the two clubs agreed to bring forward, giving them King’s Birthday weekend off.
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