Upper Murray leaders Cudgewa upset with decision to abandon 2021 season

Carey believes a "premature" call was made by league officials at an online meeting with club delegates on Tuesday night and confirmed Cudgewa president Greg Hillier had on Wednesday begun to reach out to rival clubs for feedback on whether the season should continue.

The Blues are clearly the biggest losers from the decision as they sit top of the ladder in senior and reserves football, while three of the club's five netball sides lead their respective competitions, including A and B grade.

"I'm shattered for the players, committee members, volunteers, and the community. Everyone who invests countless hours up there," Carey said.

"This seems to have been going on for nearly two years in regards to pre-season training, missing a year with COVID and pre-season again.

"To get into the season and have the interruptions we've had, but keep continuing on has been a credit to our club and volunteers.

"I don't see where they've got the decision to abandon the season and I don't think anyone going into that meeting last night was thinking that would be the outcome.

"There's two other leagues around here (Ovens and Murray and Tallangatta) with teams on either side of the border continuing this weekend without crowds.

"It's gut-wrenching for the community and everyone up there and it's shattering for the players."

A major concern for the league was the fact the competition's only NSW-based club Tumbarumba has been heavily impacted by recent changes to the border bubble, which excluded four councils, including Wagga, where around 60 per cent of the Roos' players and volunteers live or work.

It's also not as simple to switch games to the NSW side where there's less restrictions on crowds, as Victorian cross-border residents can only enter the northern state for 10 reasons, and while playing sport is permitted, spectating isn't.

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Given the fact a unanimous decision was reached at the delegates meeting, Cudgewa appears unlikely to get its wish.

Upper Murray league president Gordon Nicholas moved the motion for the season to be cancelled, which was carried by all delegates.

"It's been a very hard decision because individually there are players that still want to play and there were still clubs who wanted it to continue, but it was getting really hard with all the cross-border issues and trying to travel to NSW," Upper Murray league operations manager Nadia Edwards said.

"It was a regrettable decision for everyone, but we unanimously agreed on it.

"For Tumbarumba, they have many parents and players from Wagga, so all the new restrictions mean they can't cross into Victoria.

"There were a lot of clubs who had players from Melbourne, so with these rules where you're only supposed to travel where you need to go, that also affected Bullioh and Corryong.

"A tough call had to be made at some point because how long can we keep meeting every night to discuss what we're going to do?"

Carey has grave fears for the future of the competition if this is the final decision.

"As I see it, if they can it this year, that's the league done and dusted. You can't come back from that," he said.

"It's not just our club, yes we're in a great position, but how can you recruit not knowing that you're going to be playing.

"For the integrity of the league and for it to continue on, it's got to be played. To not get a result this late in the season is gut-wrenching."

A decision is yet to be made on whether the league will stage a best and fairest count.

An amalgamated junior competition will be played this weekend, with players split into even teams.

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