While July 18 has been pencilled in for the start of the Group Nine competition, there are plenty of unknowns especially concerning crowds.

Cootamundra have already expressed their concerns about fielding a team with the later start.

The former Bulldogs co-coach has spent the past three seasons at Gundagai, including taking over the captaincy last season, and would like to see clubs wait to see how restrictions change before making an early call.

"We're definitely ahead of the clock as a nation," Berkrey said.

"I think if everyone takes a deep breath and lets a few things play out - we are still seven weeks away from playing - it allows a lot more thing for things to get better."

The first thing Berkrey is hopeful off is getting back to training.

While boot camps sessions of up to 10 people have been allowed for over a fortnight, NSW Rugby League are yet to give the all clear.

Kangaroos did jump the gun, but NSWRL hopes to give clubs an update before Monday haven't eventuated.

"We're not training but we are certainly keen for things to lift so we can get back into the swing of things," Berkrey said.

"We feel like we've got a pretty decent squad through our whole club, not just our first grade side, and we're keen to be able to get let back to training so we can hopefully get our season back under way."

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Group Nine are looking at a top four this season with options for a two or three week finals series.

The shortest version would see two semi-finals, between teams who finished first and fourth on the ladder in one and second and third in the other with the winners to clash in the grand final the following week.

Berkrey would like to see a longer period to act as a reward for teams who finished higher on the ladder.

"I'd like the 1 v 2 in the first week, 3 v 4 play-off and the loser drops out just to give that club a reward for finishing in that top two and winning that first semi," he said.

"Considering if all clubs play there won't be any byes so a week off at that time of year is going to be so valuable to a team.

"I just want to get back on the field whatever system they have."

Gundagai missed out on making it through to the Group Nine grand final for the first time in six seasons after suffering their first loss to Tumut in almost a decade.

Giving up a big lead to go down to their arch rivals still hurts.

"To this day, and probably for a lot longer, it still burns," Berkey said.

"It was a terrible finish for us. We led by 14 points with not long to go and it is never nice to think about that game."

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