Rutherglen were tipped to be one of the teams to beat heading into the Tallangatta and District Netball Association season, but coach Emily Browne admits their main focus now is just staying connected.
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With players forced off courts for the time being due the COVID-19 pandemic, Brown said keeping in touch and staying active is the team's current game plan.
"I keep trying to tell the girls that there's no point bottling anything up and to make sure they call and do a workout or two a week," Browne said.
"It can do so much for mental health, as well as making us feel better.
"It's more about all of us trying to keep in touch full stop at the moment."
As a recipient of two Toni Wilson Medals and claiming last year's TDNA league best and fairest award, there's not too many seasons where Browne hasn't been giving her all on court.
She admits the time spent forced away from netball may make future seasons even sweeter, for not only players, but whole clubs and communities.
"Every country town, even the bigger ones, would all be feeling the effects," Browne said.
"Yeah we all go out and play to win, but we're missing just being able to catch up with everyone every week.
"Being in country towns, we're all pretty good at bouncing back from things and rallying behind one and other.
"You just have to keep the camaraderie going and the small town spirit gets you through.
"It's more or less accepting what's happened and making sure that we're doing all the right things to get back out there as soon as possible."
Rutherglen, like many other netball teams from across the region, had taken part in the pre-season netball competition at J.C King Park in the lead up to the start of the season.
After making the preliminary final last year and picking up some handy recruits in the off-season, the Cats were hoping to go one better this year.
Browne admitted it would be nice to be able to pick up where they left off.
"Hopefully when everything's done and we're right to play, everyone will be ready to have a run around," Browne said.
"If we do get to play then that's great and we'll look to put our best foot forward, but if we don't, I guess we'll just rally and try again next year.
"We'll just take each week as it comes and try to do the right things.
"Hopefully we can play at some point this season."
If the season had of gone ahead as planned, Rutherglen would have already played Wahgunyah and Dederang Mt Beauty in the opening two rounds.
The league's season is still currently on hold until at least May 31.
