Community sport including football, netball, soccer, hockey and the rugby codes has been given a road map towards seasons being started in coming months despite fears of widespread cancellations for 2020.
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Optimism has grown about shortened seasons going ahead after the Australian Institute of Sport released a framework of how sports at the grassroots and professional levels can initially resume training and progress to competition in the COVID-19 landscape last Friday.
A three-tier path to resuming sport has been outlined with team and individual sports already at Level A where players can train on their own before graduating to Level B which allows groups of 10 to train with no physical contact such as tackling or wrestling with a strict edict of "get in, train, get out".
Level C is the resumption of full training and competition, but transition through the various stages will be at the behest of governments which adds a layer of additional complexity locally.
Competitions such the Ovens and Murray Football-Netball League and Albury-Wodonga soccer association have teams based in Victoria and NSW and state responses may be different.
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The Group 9 rugby league competition Albury Thunder plays in already has a revised season start of July 18 in place, but the O and M and AWFA are awaiting direction from their governing bodies on potential start dates.
The AIS guidelines make no mention of crowds being able to attend matches when competition starts with competition officials already expressing "no crowd, no games" positions.
AFLNEB regional manager John O'Donohue said the next update on whether football at the grassroots level could be played this year would be made soon after the release of elite level resumption details next week.
"AFLNEB through AFL Victoria is working with the AFL to review the AIS framework," Mr O'Donohue said.
"Over the past weeks, community football has been preparing a comprehensive return to play road map on which key decisions can be made when appropriate.
"We are working towards releasing a more detailed announcement about community footy's return to play in the middle of May."
AWFA president Mark Leman said this Friday's national cabinet meeting would be critical.
"That is going to be a big one in terms of community sport. It will obviously impact on what FFA does and what the state bodies do," he said.
"We were told we might be able to start mid-June, but I can't see that happening until July.
"We've got plans in place and it will come down to which one we roll out."
As part of the "get in, train, get out" approach to training, the AIS guidelines also encourage players to arrive dressed and ready to train, minimise use of change rooms, bathrooms and communal areas and where possible, shower at home instead of at training venues
Also, post-training Thursday night meals at clubs are also off the table as per the guidelines.
