But the glass half-full is the first year mentor has plenty of time to lock down an "unpredictable" forward line rotation he hopes will keep opponents guessing.

Community football has gone on hiatus until at least May 31 due to coronavirus, and Somerville faces the task of replacing key goal kickers Marc Geppert (retired) and Luke Gestier (Holbrook), while John Buchanan has returned to Wagga Tigers.

Somerville said a handful of players would pinch hit up forward in a 'horses for courses' strategy.

"There's obviously some big losses in there but we'll have some blokes there that can cover," Somerville said.

"Maybe having a bit of unpredictability up there may be an advantage to a degree. We'll probably be rolling a few blokes through there and try and pick up a few mismatches along the way.

"Not being locked down with one key forward doesn't help but we've got some blokes who can cover that anyway.

"We've got some blokes who can play there as key forwards. It will be rotating blokes through and trying to find mismatches that suit, and if somebody's on they're on.

Somerville said Ned Mortimer could be an option up forward, depending on how they match up with their rivals from week to week.

"I think we'll see him basically everywhere on the ground. He's a big body so he can go through the middle, and he's obviously a good key back," he said.

"Who we're playing and where we need him will be when how the call is made."

Somerville said it would be tough for players to keep motivated to train in isolation with no set return date, or even any guarantee football will return this year at all.

"Are we expected to play the first game in June (if allowed to play) without training, or do we get some lead-in time to prepare?," he said.

"If you look at it from the point of view that it's only going to take one (coronavirus) case in a club post June, what are they going to do then?

The Demons' reigning best and fairest winner Blake Harper made an early return from a serious farm accident on the cricket field a month ago.

But Somerville said there is no guarantee he will be available this season.

"Playing cricket and playing footy are different things when he's been through what he's been through," he said.

"It'd be a while before he could start full contact so I wouldn't be holding out hope that he'd be playing, but he's obviously recovered a bit quicker than they thought.

"He can run, it's just contact and how he reacts to that."

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