Feelings of pride and disappointment are running high among Hanwood's first grade womens' team.
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Just as the axe fell on the competition, the girls in blue had ascended the top of the ladder and were sitting six points clear of their nearest competitors.
Coach Anthony Zucatto was circumspect and said the the team would look forward to playing again next year.
"All we can do is focus on next year, and hopefully we can continue through," he said.
"Everyone is disappointed but there's not much we can do about it."
While the team won't be presented with any silverware for their efforts on the field, Zucatto said the players were happy with what they'd achieved during the season, and the football they had been playing was consistently good.
"The girls have put in the effort, in the last six games before we stopped they were playing beautiful football," he said.
In the last six games before we stopped they were playing beautiful football.
- Anthony Zucatto
"The ways the girls were playing, it would have been very hard to take the minor premiership off them."
While the coach expected Hanwood to bring home the Leonard Cup minor premiership, he said finals football was a different game but was in no doubt that Hanwood would have been a strong chance.
Zucatto credited Football Wagga with keeping the door open for a return to competition for as long as possible.
"They were preparing for it, they went as far as they could," he said.
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However, the chances of returning to complete the season would raise concerns about match fitness of players and hot weather, as well as where the game would be held with other codes likely to be vying for the same ovals.
"We can't have a final series in November," he said.
Zucatto said the team and club's end of year celebrations remained "up in the air" due to COVID restrictions.
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