When he was voted in as the Mangoplah-Cookardinia United-Eastlakes president at just 24, he couldn't have predicted how brutal an initiation season 2020 would be.

As COVID-19 threatened to prevent any sport from being played, Cunningham's phone would go off constantly as health and safety protocols changed constantly, almost by the hour.

Most clubs decided the risk was too great to take, somewhat understandable in the midst of a global pandemic, with the Farrer League scrapped completely.

Six teams competed in a whirlwind AFL Riverina Championships season. While it lasted just two months, Cunningham said the hard work by the clubs and AFL Riverina was worthwhile.

After weeks and weeks of being cooped up inside, the competition was a welcome release for a football community desperate for a social outlet.

"The toughest moments were when we thought we were going to get a season, then it was stopped, then we thought we'd got it up and running again and it just kept dragging on," he said.

"We were about to start, then it's knocked back and you have to wait longer, it was hard to keep everyone up and engaged.

"It would have been playing on the players' minds, what are we training for and will we get a season? It was definitely challenging, it dragged on long enough.

"The phone calls, you'd be looking at multiple a day. It was a logistical nightmare, to be honest."

The questions each club had to answer were difficult, and different for each club depending on their location and financial set-up.

Is it safe enough? How will competing or not competing affect our bottom line? Will players, fans, and volunteers come back if we have a year off?

Coolamon, Narrandera, Griffith and Collingullie-Glenfield Park are the four Riverina League teams who opted to do the latter.

The Hoppers withdrew at the final hour and former Demons president Tony Dean was one of the most vocal, citing hesitancy from volunteers as a major obstacle.

Narrandera's location on the highway was a major concern for the club, and they opted to play it safe.

"I spoke to (2020 club president) Mark Savage about it, we weighed up the risk and reward scenario and we thought the risk was too high," Eagles coach Jordan Hedington said.

"I was travelling from Canberra a lot and there was a few hot spots there at times. I said to Mark it's not worth it, if someone gets it in this town it could cripple the town for years.

"I told him I'm coming back next year regardless, you're not going to lose me. So we all had a year off and the club didn't suffer too much financially, I don't think."

The football and netball is one thing, but people in small towns depend on those Saturday afternoons as a chance to catch up with other members of the community, a chance to unwind after a week of work.

"I noticed my first season out there that at 12pm, the town shuts. Everyone goes to the football and netball, half the town is there," Hedington said.

"I haven't spoken to many people about the social part of it, but I imagine it would have been boring. It's a small town Narrandera, take out the footy and there's not too much to do.

"I've noticed at the club on Thursday night (this year) there's dad and granddads everywhere, just people really keen for the footy to be back. The town is buzzing and there's a good vibe out there at the moment."

New Coolamon co-coach Mark Carroll, who parted ways with Turvey Park before the start of last season, said he appreciated the break, but the year showed how crucial football and netball is to small centres.

"Everyone's come back with plenty of numbers. In a small community it's a get-together to socialise, which is really important for a small community," Carroll said.

"It wasn't the worst thing to have a freshen up and the people of Coolamon are probably the same, but taking some time off makes them realise how much they missed it."

Collingullie-Glenfield Park entered a team in the AFL Southern NSW Women's competition for the first time this year, and the crowd which turned up for their first home game showed how keen the football-starved locals were for its return.

"It can't have been easy on the locals and the pub," coach Brett Somerville said.

"Luckily enough the farmers came through pretty well this year, which helped. But the crowd that turned up for the round two women's game out there, it was phenomenal on a Friday night because it was just something different to do.

"That was a sign of how much people wanted to get back to footy."

Cunningham's nerves were getting frayed, but he knows it paled in comparison to the pressure AFL Riverina employees were under looking to satisfy the clubs as well as government health requirements.

"Marc Geppert, Tom Walker, Michael Irons, Chris Flanigan (then RFL president), they were instrumental. I know how many times I was back and forth with them on the phone, and I was one of many people who would have been at them asking questions constantly," Cunningham said.

"On top of that you had the critics putting in their two bobs' worth. You not only had the clubs who wanted to compete, but those who didn't want to play on. I can't thank them enough - running one club was draining enough but for them with 13 plus (to cater for) with such a small work force, it's unbelievable really."

Cunningham said it was up to each club to look after their own interests when making a decision, but said they would go through the ordeal again if it meant salvaging a season.

"Every club had to make their own decision, you can't criticise a club that didn't play or a club that did, we all made a decision on what we thought was best for us," he said.

"We were just going along with the health experts, and if they said it was safe we were going to play.

"If you asked every player they'd go through it again because the enjoyment of people playing sport, especially after being locked down for a period of time, was rewarding.

"There was definitely times it crossed the mind (that it was all too hard), but from day dot we were committed to seeing it through.

"We'd done so much to get to that point, we weren't going to pull the pin because it would be a waste of the work we'd put in previously."

East Wagga-Kooringal coach Matt Hard, a Coolamon premiership coach who still resides there, said last weekend's Farrer League opening round couldn't come quick enough.

"Living in the Coolamon community, it's the main source of involvement out there. The community gets right behind their footy - the loyal supporters, spectators and sponsors. It means a lot to them," he said.

"East Wagga is probably a little bit different being a city club but it's the same thing - a lot of people out there who do a hell of a lot of work behind the scenes and are very busy people, but they enjoy what they do and put a lot of time into their footy club."

CSU coach Travis Cohalan pointed out clubs are important for developing life skills as much as football ones.

"For the boys and all the clubs in the league, it's really important that footy is back on the agenda and they get a chance to get out and play again every week," he said.

"We know how important it is to country communities, but also to young people and for the attributes it teaches them for life."

Everyone in sport is competitive and wants to win, but The Rock-Yerong Creek co-coach Heath Russell said the layoff has put everything into perspective.

"Just the return to footy is probably the most exciting thing," he said.

"Obviously you want to do well, but just to have the community support and everyone excited about the footy is big."

Barellan coach Alex Lawder said enticing players back after enjoying a year off had been a gradual process.

"You have a good session, or a good practice match and guys go back to town and talk to another bloke at the pub. All of a sudden we're seeing a few more guys at training, so it's been a gradual thing over the last few months," he said.

"A lot of blokes were a bit hesitant get back into it after a year off, so it was a tough task to keep building and keep talking.

"But the town's been great, there's a good vibe and it's definitely great to get back into it."

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