Group Nine remains in limbo waiting for another update on the coronavirus crisis before attempting to consider what their season could look like.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
NSW Rugby League (NSWRL) have put a hold on community competitions until May 1, but despite announcing last week their major competitions, including the Canterbury Cup, won't be played at all this year the future of competitions like Group Nine remains clouded.
Group Nine president Peter McDermott is just playing the waiting game.
"We've heard nothing so it is all on hold still," McDermott said.
"Realistically the 1st of May is the only thing we've received and I'm pretty sure some of the state and federal restrictions have already cancelled that out.
"We're just waiting in limbo before we hear something."
Group Nine's season was supposed to start next weekend.
McDermott believes mid June would be the latest a meaningful competition could get under way, leaving enough time for each of the 10 teams to play each other once before a finals series.
There doesn't seem to be an wriggle room with the grand final date locked in at Equex Centre on September 13 with McDermott saying it was unavailable any later.
Clubs, including Junee, Temora and Cootamundra, have already raised concerns over their ability to commit to the 2020 season, even over a significantly shorter time frame due to financial situation of their sponsors.
"There are a lot of things involved and I don't know if some clubs would be financial to play the rest of the season," McDermott said.
"A lot of them have pubs as sponsors but until we get something definite from NSWRL and we can sit down and have a discussion it is all up in the air."
After bringing in four new faces to the club, Cootamundra president Stephen Howse believes the Bulldogs would continue on.
However the uncertainty is making things hard.
"We are in a bit of a conundrum as our major sponsors are licensed establishments," Howse said.
"Our major income is from sponsors and game days, we don't have a a big backer but licensed premises rely on us going back to them after games and we rely on bums on seats and people buying food at the canteen, at the bar and raffles.
"We haven't got an income coming in."
All four of their international recruits arrived just before the border shutdown, two haven't even been to a club training session, but remain employed in the town.
After investing in them after another poor year on the field, Howse we like to see the season start.
"Because we have gone to so much effort building our squad this year I would say we would go ahead," he said.
"I've heard blokes in their early 30s who are probably finishing up saying they would play if was only nine rounds but to play nine rounds you've got to hit the ground running, you can't warm up for three or four rounds then start playing well.
"You have to play well from the get go."
READ MORE