Ovens and Murray players are bracing themselves to be without football this season after the Farrer league abandoned its competition due to coronavirus concerns.
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With The Rock-Yerong Creek joining Coleambally and Barellan on the sidelines and Griffith and Narrandera withdrawing from the Riverina league in the past 24 hours, a huge cloud hangs over AFL Riverina.
A board meeting will be held on Monday to determine whether any football is played or if the remaining Riverina and Farrer clubs form one competition.
Narrandera, Griffith and The Rock-Yerong Creek cited increasing community health fears and the closure of the Victorian border by the NSW Government earlier this week for bailing out of the 2020 season.
The club exodus comes after Murrumbidgee Local Health District public health director Tracey Oakman echoed NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian's warning against sportspeople travelling from Albury to Wagga.
"It's not really (necessary)," Ms Oakman said.
"In my view, my personal view, it's not a critical service.
"People can play sport in their own community and exercise in their own community, but they should not be travelling broadly.
"I understand there have been some discussions from our Premier about Albury people travelling to Wagga and if it is not necessary we shouldn't be doing this.
"That's the bottom line, if we can strip down movements then we will be actually restricting the spread of COVID-19 potentially and also then putting less people at risk."
The AFL NSW ACT has already ruled out any Victorian-based players from competing in AFL Riverina this season.
Several Albury-based Ovens and Murray and Hume league players have sought advice from officials about playing in practice matches throughout the Riverina this weekend.
A big contingent of Lavington players has also aligned themselves with AFL Canberra clubs.
AFL Riverina will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation over the weekend as well as the evolving situation with the Border closure.
Junior competitions will also be reviewed on Monday.
Joel Mackie, Elliott Powell and Zach Bye (Osborne), Steve Jolliffe, Jydon Neagle and Tim Haines (Collingullie Glenfield Park) and Trent Castles (MCUE) are among the Ovens and Murray players who have signed permits with Riverina league clubs.
The Albury-based players were unable to train on Thursday night.
Brothers Adam and Lachie Flagg were set to return to home Farrer league club Northern Jets.
