Clubs need clarity on whether seasons will resume before it's too late

The longer the NSW government delays announcing a potential return to play date for senior community sport, the more the frustration grows within local clubs and leagues.

And the longer the delay proceeds, the less time sports have to get their ducks in a row to ensure a viable season can get up and running.

Coping with the unknown is the most difficult part for players, coaches, volunteers and fans who simply want some closure on whether any winter sport will be played or not.

You get the impression many would prefer if the government officially drew a line through everything this season than remain silent. At least it would be something concrete participants could then get their head around.

On Monday most associations expected the government to announce a definitive return to play framework for all community sport.

But only a return for junior sport was revealed: July 1. While it's a step in the right direction, the thousands of adults who have been cooped up indoors for three months remain without answers.

Most sports have begun returning to training over the last fortnight. It's a massive step as the social aspect of having a kick with your mates has been proven to be more critical to mental health than most envisaged when everyone simply took it for granted.

But it's hard for players to get motivated and be 100 per cent focused until they are given some certainty running all those laps as frost crunches underneath their boots will be worth it.

Until everyone is given an official date, it could all be for nought. It will surely result in less players turning up to training sessions until they're given complete clarity.

Some teams, including soccer's Henwood Park, and Farrer League's The Rock Yerong Creek are yet to start training, and won't do so until the situation becomes clearer.

There is genuine concern within the local community that when the local government finally pulls the trigger, it may be too late to get a season started by July 18, which most codes have circled on their calendars as a virtual 'd-day'.

New South Wales Rugby League boss David Trodden nailed it when he told me this week the government can't expect to give the all-clear a week beforehand, and magically expect things to fall into place.

"If it gets beyond July 18 you have to question the worth of running the competitions," he said.

"The other problem is you need a lead-in time as well, so the government can't be saying to us on July 10 you can start playing on July 18.

"Aside from the physical aspects of preparing a team, this year is a whole lot more complicated than any other year because there's a whole lot of factors around educating people on the COVID-19 protocols before we allow teams to train.

"Teams have to have a COVID-19 officer, and the officer has to ensure the protocols are being performed.

"All of it is common sense and not that onerous, but it's another hurdle clubs have to jump over to get things started.

"It means you can't expect people to get a confirmation date one day, and expect them to play the next day."

The government needs to step up here. If sport is scrapped this year, so be it. If we can squeeze in a season, all the better.

But a call needs to be made to rid everyone of the cloud of uncertainty hanging over their heads.

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