MANGOPLAH-Cookardinia United-Eastlakes coach Jeremy Rowe has welcomed AFL Riverina's decision to keep hopes of playing finals alive, but fears a hesitancy to play deep into October could leave them watching other codes in envy.
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AFL Riverina this week extended their initial season deadline of September 19 to October 3, which effectively gives the Riverina and Farrer League one week's leeway to allow for any further delays before seasons are scrapped.
Meanwhile Group Nine Rugby League on Thursday released a multi-stage plan, contingent on what scenarios unfold, which could see them play a grand final as late as October 30.
The Goannas were one of a handful of clubs to officially urge AFL Riverina to extend their deadline. Rowe said the two-week extension was appreciated, but is wary of the lack of wiggle room to work with.
"The fact there is an extension needs to be applauded. We could be sitting here with nothing to look forward to," he said.
"We've got something to work towards, and that's all great. (But) I guess the fact we are limited to the first weekend in October, you can't help but fear you are walking a very fine line.
"We're all listening to the experts, because none of us are. But you've only got to read between the lines to have a really strong understanding that around mid October, there's going to be freedoms that aren't afforded to us right now.
"It's now become factual that with 70 per cent of the doses (expected) by around mid October, we'll be hitting the marks we need to hit.
"I feel Group Nine's model almost guarantees they'll get through a season now, whereas with our model you're skating on incredibly thin ice and that's still a little bit hard to accept and fathom.
"But we get why the dates have been put where they are. You may not agree with something personally, but there's an art to still understanding why something's happened and appreciating the situation other people are in to make those decisions. Our club does understand and appreciate that.
"We hope we get the chance to finish what we started. Every footballer, netballer and everyone involved in the clubs deserves that.
"You cross your fingers and toes it happens, and I suppose you hope your season doesn't get knocked on the head and you attend a full house to watch a Group Nine grand final."
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Turvey Park president Steven Marks said the Bulldogs, who have finals teams in reserve grade and under 17s as well as three netball sides, would have been willing to play deeper into the year.
But he added he understood the need for a cut-off date to be imposed.
"We'd love to try and get a result. We understand the RFL are doing their best to put the comps on, the same as last year," he said.
"I understand you've got to have a cut-off. Turvey was prepared to go as late as the end of October if that was requested, but we're happy to accept the date they've gone with.
"The grounds are going to harden up and people won't have had the collision training for a few weeks, it's like going back to a pre season game where everyone is rusty."
Griffith president Jeff Harris welcomed the clarity of dates to work with.
"We'd been looking forward to some clarity, that's what they've provided so now we've got some defined time lines," he said.
"It gives us that glimmer of hope we can finish the season off. The 17s are unbeaten and it would be great for them to get a resolution with that in mind, and the reserves as well which highlights our depth at the moment.
"It's an easy temptation (to extend the season longer) but there's reality attached to it as well. We've had heat issues at previous grand finals, and the break in between is a significant issue if we haven't played for five or six weeks.
"Resuming and playing to some sort of standard that's reflective of the season is hard."
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