Albury won't take their place in the 2020 Group Nine season.
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Following border changes and travel advice from NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, confirmation the Thunder won't be part of the eight-week season came through on Friday afternoon.
Group Nine chairman Peter McDermott didn't believe there was any other choice.
"There is not much anyone can do about it but with the situation down it was basically taken out of our hands," McDermott said.
"With what Premier saying no one should travel in and out of the area you couldn't put their players at risk and couldn't put the other teams at risk or the general public by making them do down there and play.
"It is pretty sad actually as they did a lot of work to get everything up."
Albury were preparing to train on Friday before the decision was made.
However president Rick O'Connell had been expecting the call would come.
"I don't think there were any new cases in Albury but bloody hell Victoria is in a world of hurt," O'Connell said.
"It's making people nervous."
O'Connell said the club are looking to introduce a nines competition later in the year.
Any decision would be made on the player's interest levels.
However he's looking forward to getting rugby league back on the border.
"We will reassess and make sure we are strong for next season," O'Connell said.
"It is a pain but we want football to return to normal so we will follow the rules this year."
McDermott is confident the season can still go ahead.
"It is all full steam ahead and there will be a bye on the dates they play Albury," he said.
McDermott believes it is too late for any realistic alternative with the competition to start next weekend.
"If it had happened two or three weeks ago you might have been able to organise something but it is too short a time frame," he said.
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