Lockhart coach Mitch Carroll hopes the Hume league rethinks its decision to scrap the 2020 premiership, or at least wait to see what neighbouring competitions do.
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Carroll is in his first season as coach of Lockhart after a decorated playing and coaching career, predominantly at Ganmain-Grong Grong-Matong and Coleambally.
He had been looking forward to the Hume league season before coronavirus struck, but now fears for the future of the Demons' playing list after the decision was made to abandon the 2020 premiership.
Osborne coach Joel Mackie revealed this week he fears he may lose half his team to neighbouring leagues this year, because of the Hume league's decision.
Carroll agrees and urged Hume officials to reassess the situation.
"It's been a bit interesting. Bob (Mathews) has been relaying things to me from Hume league meetings. They said nothing was decided and then 24 hours later they said the Hume League was done and dusted for 2020," Carroll said.
"We've got a meeting next week about decisions that could be made, or what we could do, but I don't know. It depends, I think, on what other leagues do and if it's going to hurt the Hume League or not, depending on what they do with clearances and contracts.
"A lot of leagues would have players contracted for 2021 but does that still give blokes in 2020 an opportunity to go and play six or eight games for Marrar or Turvey Park or something if the Farrer and Riverina get going, or an O&M club?
"We can't control it all because we've got no pull."
Carroll wishes the Hume league would align with neighbouring competitions.
"Because Hume league has pulled the pin first, it can hurt them more," he said.
"A decision should probably be made as a whole AFL Southern NSW. That would be more fair I think. I don't know if they do or not but maybe the leagues should talk together.
"It was definitely a premature call, when at the start of next month a lot of things are opening back up."
Carroll fully expects some of his Lockhart players to request playing elsewhere in 2020 should neighbouring competitions go ahead.
It is believed star midfielder Jordan Harrington has already been sounded out.
He hopes some guidelines are put in place to protect Hume league clubs for the 2021 season.
"If that happens, I suppose you've just got to have very fine print contracts written up, saying you can go to The Rock for the remainder of 2020, but when 2021 comes they come back," he said.