McCarthy went in early this week for a knee reconstruction after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament in the pre-season.

The Hawks had been excited about the prospect of the former Upper Murray League best-and-fairest.

"He had it done a year-and-a-half or so ago and he done it again in training early on. He had surgery on Monday and he'll do 12 months on the sideline," Hard said.

"To say we're gutted is an understatement because he's an absolute champion fella and had mixed in really well. And he was a player we'd been chasing for two or three years."

The Hawks have had time to come to grips with McCarthy's loss and Hard said this week's cancellation of the Ovens and Murray, Upper Murray, Tallangatta and District, and Hume Leagues won't send the club into a feeding frenzy.

Three weeks out from the July 18 start to the AFL Riverina season, EWK will concentrate on the players who have been putting in a pre-season for a good six months.

"We've got a committed group that have been doing the work since January. We went into the year happy with the players we've brought into the club and we're happy with the juniors coming through - young Piercy, young Bourne, young Hockley," Hard said.

"We're happy with those kids and we'll continue to be happy with those kids because that's the future of the footy club."

The Hawks also welcome back 2016 premiership players Tim Smith and Nathan Scott while former Wagga Tigers premiership captain Nick Ryan and ex-Northern Jets best-and-fairest Alex Rogers joined McCarthy as key arrivals.

"We're rapt that Nick Ryan's on board, we're happy with Alex Rogers and everyone that's come on board. So we'll continue to work hard with the group we've got and try and keep that group together for as long as we can," Hard said.

"Everyone will look at it differently but I don't want to bring people in for nine games, basically.

"Don't get me wrong, a player may come in. Maybe one or two that we think are coming for the right reasons, then yes. But we're not chasing."

The chaos caused by coronavirus has been a stroke of luck at some clubs.

None more so than the Northern Jets, who will have Mitch Maguire back in the club colours, just as he's developed into one of the best midfielders in the North East Australian Football League for Canberra Demons.

Marrar's Rhys Mooney and Adam Whyte return while North Wagga will have Tariku Fitzgerald-Holmes back in Saints colours.

The Saints are set to have a pre-season hit-out with Mangoplah-Cookardinia United-Eastlakes next Saturday. Marrar are aiming for a trial against Collingullie-Glenfield Park while East Wagga-Kooringal could warm-up with a hit-out against Coolamon.