Riverina and Farrer League finalists will learn on Monday what the potential path to a premiership will be this year, with every chance there'll be changes to finals.
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AFL Riverina is trying to determine the fairest plan most likely to allow them to complete the seasons and will reveal after the weekend what that looks like (virus-willing).
"We'll be giving an update on what our plan is to play a finals series," AFL Riverina chairman Michael Irons said.
"It's very hard to plan due to so many unknowns and our line of thought at the moment is we need to take the opportunity whilst we can to be able to play a finals series.
"Whether that means an amendment to our format is under consideration."
It's a month since the AFL's community football manager for regional NSW and ACT, Marc Geppert, warned clubs to prepare for the possibility that there would have to be changes to finals.
Geppert issued a reminder that the spectre of COVID-19 was just over the horizon, and said then it would take a 'miracle' to get to the end of the season without interruption.
AFL Riverina intends to announce the structure and the dates by which a season would need to be concluded.
"That will all be canvassed in our update on Monday," Irons said.
Providing the lockdown affecting this region is lifted in coming weeks, Irons indicated the priority will be to bring the seasons to a fitting conclusion, complete with premiers, rather than have a hollow finish to the year.
However, it's highly unlikely finals would resume next weekend, even if the lockdown ended next Friday night.
Experienced East Wagga-Kooringal coach Matt Hard said teams would need at least a week of training to prepare for finals.
He believes the strongest preference is for a full, traditional finals.
"I think everyone - all the sides that finished in the top five - all deserve a shot at finals. That's what we've worked all year for," Hard said.
"Last year, we did two pre-seasons and didn't get a game in. This year, a lot of work's been done not just at our club but all clubs to get where they are.
"There'll have to be a cut-off - whether it's October, or AFL grand final date, I'm not sure - but I still think there's time.
"We've got to remain optimistic and and positive that it will get off the ground."
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