It's official: there will be no Farrer League in 2020. But some clubs still keen to play a season could yet feature in a combined competition with Riverina League clubs.
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That was the dramatic Friday afternoon announcement from AFL Riverina after a day of upheaval and a week of uncertainty.
Monday now looms as the ultimate D-Day for the prospect of senior football and netball in the region.
AFL Riverina was backed into a tight situation on Friday after Riverina League clubs Griffith and Narrandera took control of their own destiny, ruling themselves out of the 2020 season.
The Rock-Yerong Creek also became the third club to withdraw from the Farrer League, after Barellan and Coleambally.
The decisions left the Riverina League with eight possible starters while the Farrer League was reduced to a six-team competition, at best.
AFL Riverina will attempt to make the most of a deteriorating situation on Monday.
A statement from chairman Michael Irons after the club withdrawals declared:
"The AFL Riverina Board have decided that it is not feasible to operate the Farrer FNL competition for 2020.
"AFL Riverina continues to monitor the situation with COVID-19 and the evolving situation with the Border region."
The statement said the board will meet on Monday to decide whether to proceed with "playing one competition with the Riverina FNL & Farrer FNL clubs that wish to participate".
The other option is to play no competitions at all.
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Farrer League premiers North Wagga will consider their position early next week, with president Brendan Nilsen saying they needed time.
That will be the biggest hurdle with some clubs concerned that a week out from the scheduled start of the season is too late to reorganise into one league.
Late on Friday afternoon, East Wagga-Kooringal cancelled it's Saturday practice match against Coolamon.
Coach Matt Hard said the club would have to weigh up its position over the weekend.
Marrar coach Shane Lenon said he couldn't talk on behalf of the club given the late-breaking news but said personally he's not totally against the suggestion.
"I'd be open to it. I know it's outside the square and something different. And obviously you'd be coming up against some stronger sides. But we've got a very young side so it would be good for their development," Lenon said.
"But like I say, that's only my personal view... the club will have to weigh it up."
However, the development opens up more questions than answers with, officially, still 13 teams open to football across the two leagues.
The status of AFL Riverina junior competitions will also be considered by the board on Monday.
