Tallangatta league clubs have their say on whether to play without crowds this weekend

Training and games will be back on when restrictions are lifted at 11:59pm on Tuesday but the return to play is far from straightforward.

However, players are prepared to do whatever it takes to ensure their clubs aren't financially burdened.

"I've spoken to our players and if it came to it, everyone, to a man, we're happy to play for nothing to get the season going so there's no issues there," Chiltern coach Luke Brookes said.

"We've got a good bunch of blokes together and they'll do whatever's best for the footy club."

Kiewa-Sandy Creek are taking the same stance.

"I don't even think that's a discussion," coach Adam Mudra said.

"At our football club, and most football clubs, the boys just want to play footy.

"They weren't able to play last year and for many of them, it reinforced the reasons why they're involved in sport.

"The financial piece is such a small piece to the majority of the football population, it wouldn't even need to be a discussion.

"They understand how important sport is for them and for the community.

"They would happily play for no financial gain and it wouldn't even need to be a discussion in so many cases."

Andrew Lawson, president of ladder leaders Yackandandah, concurred.

"The players were certainly willing last time to accommodate that because it was just about getting everyone back out and having a run around," he said.

"Obviously there is a financial hit to those clubs that are going to have the home games.

"We're fortunate that we don't have a home game for the next couple of weeks so it doesn't affect us too much but it's certainly a conversation we'll need to have because our final game's a home game."

Brookes, meanwhile, fears players will walk away from football if this season is not completed.

"You've got to get a result," he said.

"Not having a result last year and then if the same happens this year, blokes will just walk away from the game and work on a Saturday.

"It's pretty disheartening for blokes to have two full pre-seasons, this year play 11 games, last year do a full pre-season and play no games.

"Blokes will just say 'is it worth it?' because who's to say this isn't going to happen again next year?

"Even this year, it was hard to convince some blokes to play.

"They enjoyed last year, working and not pulling up sore of a Sunday.

"If you took away a result, they'd be two wasted seasons so I think we need to get a result this year."

Mudra is torn about how best to proceed.

"I know the playing group is champing at the bit and would overwhelmingly say they want to play," he said.

"The bit that I struggle with is that it's called community sport for a reason and without the community, it feels a bit hollow.

"Knowing what sport means to our playing group, they would play tomorrow.

"But it plays such an important role in our local community.

"For members of our football-netball club to have to drive past and see football and netball going on and not be allowed to go in and watch and be part of it, it goes against the very fabric of community sport.

"That's the bit I struggle with but if it means we get going and in two weeks' time, we can get people there, maybe that's the hit we have to take."

"We got to this position earlier in the year and, as a group, we voted that we would go ahead without crowds," Lawson added.

"I think we'll probably see a similar result again and I'm reasonably comfortable with that.

"I'd prefer to see everyone running around and having a bit of a go and not leaving it too long because it only affects all the players and their fitness.

"Then you get injuries and there's the issue of being holed up in the house, where they want to get out and actually have a bit of a run around.

"I think it's important to keep the season going.

"We've got a meeting tomorrow night, so there will be a vote out of that and I hope that's where we end up, that we're willing to go ahead.

"They're talking about these restrictions being in for two weeks so that means if we don't do it, we're at least another two weeks out.

"I think it's in our best interests to try to make it happen."

Brookes called on the league to cut to the chase.

"I reckon we should just got straight into a finals series," he said.

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"That's what I'm thinking but we'll support the league in whatever they do.

"It's a tough position for them to be in but my personal preference would be let's just get into a finals series in three weeks' time.

"If we can't have spectators for two weeks, that means you'd only get back for round 18 and some clubs aren't going to want to play a one-off game of footy when they haven't played for five or six weeks and there's not much to play for.

"I can't see how some clubs, who are struggling for numbers as it is, are going to get two sides up to go and play away games somewhere for nothing.

"You've got to have crowds. Senior footy can't be getting played without crowds."

Mudra insisted the non-playing members of clubs must be considered in any discussions.

"That's part of the reason why we play," he said.

"It has a huge impact on how football and netball clubs exist.

"It's based on those volunteers and the people who have done such important work to keep footy and netball clubs alive.

"While they might not be in roles currently, to tell a former president of a football club or a committee member they can't come and watch, it just seems wrong to me."

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