The seven Riverina League clubs still keen to play football this year insist playing a season remains worthwhile after five more clubs withdrew following a series of club meetings on Tuesday night.
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AFL Riverina announced on Tuesday their intention to play an AFL Riverina Championship featuring Riverina and Farrer League clubs.
However all Farrer teams have now withdrawn after Temora, Northern Jets, Marrar and defending premiers North Wagga all voted to sit out 2020.
Collingullie-Glenfield Park joined fellow Riverina League outfits Narrandera and Griffith in withdrawing after their meeting on Tuesday.
Clubs had until close of business on Wednesday to confirm their intentions, and The Daily Advertiser understands the other seven Riverina League clubs remain committed to playing.
"There's too many uncertainties I think. We have a duty of care to them (players) and also our volunteers," Demons president Tony Dean said.
"And we've got a duty of care to AFL Riverina in terms of fielding a full complement of sides, both football and netball.
"With possibly more restrictions to come moving forward, I don't know if we could guarantee that commitment."
Turvey Park president Steven Marks said the Bulldogs are comfortable with their decision to press ahead after AFL Riverina opted to delay the season by a week until next weekend.
"We're a definite yes. It wasn't a unanimous vote at the committee meeting, but it certainly was heavily in favour of playing," he said.
"Now we have to round up the players, and they'll all be given their option. We won't hold anyone back from deciding not to play, we just don't know our final numbers now so that will be the next job.
"You only had to be at the footy (trial match against CSU) on the weekend and see the looks on our players' faces just to have a game of footy. It would convince anyone if we can get out there and play, we should."
Marks is fully aware the NSW government could step in and force the postponement of the season at any time, but said the club is happy to press ahead.
"Even if the season got underway and there was a halt to proceedings and they called it off, seeing our guys playing even two or three games would be enough for us," he said.
"That justifies moving on with it. I think they'd be satisfied and understand the competition may be called off.
"It's the game they love and they just want to play. Our community is our footy club, and we don't want our community breaking up.
"We're doing everything possible to keep our players together and we're not naive, we know there could be a few (who won't play), but they'll be welcome back as soon as they think it's safe to play."
Leeton-Whitton coach Daniel Muir confirmed the Crows want to play and said they have trust in the powers-that-be should they rule it's safe to play.
"We're chips in and full steam ahead unless the government says otherwise," he said.
"A month or so ago if you said the season was going to come to an end it wouldn't have been as hard. But we've come back to training and recruited and the guys have worked really hard, they want some sort of reward now.
"The league is going through the right channels and protocols to make sure we're doing everything right for a season to go ahead. I trust they're doing their due diligence and we've put faith in them."
Muir said a seven-team league is definitely worthwhile playing.
"Ideally we'd like the ten, for clubs to pull out is pretty disappointing, but if the seven teams go ahead I'm more than happy to still play footy," he said.
"Any footy is better than none. There's still people going to the footy and getting out of the house, which is important."
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