EXPERIENCED AFL footballer Matt Suckling hopes the AFL season can resume sooner rather than later and expects most players will do whatever it takes, within reason, for it to happen.
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Friday's National Cabinet meeting is expected to provide a clearer picture of when sport can return, with the AFL expected to reveal its plans next week.
Suckling, a senior player at Western Bulldogs, believes most AFL footballers are champing at the bit to get back into action.
"Yeah for sure. We obviously want to play," Suckling said.
"There's obviously a health and safety issue as well though, but I suppose we're all competitive beasts at heart and we want to get back to playing.
"That first little bit (of the season suspension) we all still trained hard then I think motivation wavered a little bit but now that things are starting to look positive again, you definitely want to get back out and play.
"At the same point, there has got to be a line before the season comes a bit silly. I don't think it's play at all costs but if we can find a good way to do it, then everyone would be keen."
Suckling said that the prospect of no crowds in attendance is something that will take some getting used to but conceded it is a small price to pay if it means AFL can return.
"That's obviously one disappointing thing that was hard round one was playing without crowds," he said.
"Personally, it was different. There was so much unknown at that point, going into that game, we knew there was going to be a break at some stage and it was likely to be pretty soon so it was hard to get up for that game knowing it was probably going to be one and done, and there was no crowd there.
"I'd much prefer having a crowd there but I understand people still want to see footy and we still want to play footy so hopefully we can get it going soon."
Suckling believes AFL's return can provide a significant boost to the mental health of both players and supporters.
"I definitely think from a mental wellbeing perspective for players, and even people in the community, it will be good to get it back," he said.
"I know people love sitting down and watching the footy to give them something to do throughout the week, so if no crowds can come, if we can play most nights of the week, at least there is something rotating on TV."
Suckling is, and believes most players would be, willing to push late into the year to complete a season.
"No one really knows exactly what's going to happen. I think they want the season done before October 31, because that's when contracts run out but I think we've said publicly that we're happy to play up until whenever to get a full season out," he said.
Suckling says the signs he's been getting are that there will is good news on the horizon.
"The last week's definitely been a positive one. We're still obviously waiting to hear from the government and are dictated to by all of the governments and their regulations but it looks like as if, potentially, in the next little bit that we could be training in groups bigger than just two, which will be great to see more guys," he said.
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