Coleambally co-coach Curtis Steele remains as keen as ever to play a short season this year, despite the waiting game dragging on.
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AFL Riverina has set June 30 as D-day for a decision on senior competitions, and is hoping for a July 18 start to the season.
There won't be solid support unless there are guarantees around crowds and canteens, and there are fears the drawn-out process is draining enthusiasm.
But Steele said he's excited about a potential shortened season.
"Definitely. If we can get a half-season going it'd be really good," Steele said.
"We recruited well and we were pretty excited to see how this year was going to pan out. Then all this started happening so, definitely, if we can get half a season in, we'll be all for it... They just need to make the decision so we can get the ball rolling."
AFL Riverina will meet with clubs in three weeks and then make a final call at the end of the month.
Steele said time is critical, pointing out farming communities won't be able to push back too far into October. A nine-week competition starting on July 18 followed by a traditional finals series would culminate in an October 10 grand final.
The Blues had a low-key return to training in Coleambally last week under co-coach Luke Hillier while their Griffith-based players will train separately during the small-groups protocols.
"It's good to get our fitness up but it's more social, getting everyone to stick together and have a chat so we're not losing touch with anyone," Steele said.
"We're not really pushing to get everyone there - it's just groups of 10. So we're not forcing it at the moment because we don't know what's going on yet. It's one of those things."
At Barellan, Two Blues coach Sean Browning said they won't start training while it is limited to small groups under strict guidelines, and said a return to play has to allow for social gatherings as opposed to social distancing.
"I think if we get a short season from early July (it would be good) but there'd have to be no restrictions," Browning said.
"For where we're playing, in the country, if we can't go about our business as normal - locals coming to watch, and we can have a beer after the game - I can't see much sense."
The dramatically-reduced salary cap is a concern for the Two Blues, who'll seek dispensation after a $25,000 limit was adopted by AFL Riverina.
Browning said player welfare also needs to be considered, to make sure players are fit enough to return without risking injury.
He said individual training will be the extent of his players' preparation until social distancing rules are relaxed.
"We're doing our own thing (individual training) until they pull the trigger. We've got people who travel to play, from Leeton, Griffith, or Canberra. And the local boys live 15 or 20k's out on the farm anyway so I don't think we'd gain anything dragging them down to training now," Browning said.
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