Little did we know but at that moment, the season had ended.

The lockdowns which followed in Victoria and NSW prompted the home-and-away campaign to be shortened and eventually cancelled, leading to a myriad discussions around how to stage a finals series in such restrictive circumstances.

But the challenge proved insurmountable and last Friday, the TDFL and TDNA executives released a joint statement confirming the game was up for 2021.

"It's so sad because we'd only met with the clubs on the Monday night," league president Rex Gray said.

"It was a very flat meeting.

"We had all the presidents on Zoom and everyone seemed washed out, the same as us. They were just waiting, waiting and waiting.

"In the end, I think it was a massive relief to a lot of people. We battled hard but you can only be guided by the government.

"I thought we were going to get through a couple of weeks ago. It looked pretty positive that NSW was going to come out of lockdown on the Saturday morning and when that backfired, that was the stumbling block.

"With what's happening in Victoria now, where do you turn? There are stop signs everywhere.

"I just think we had to do it. It was getting too long in the tooth for all those administrators and the footballers too, because even if we got back on September 11, that would be nine weeks without a game and half of that without training.

"There's recommendations where they would probably need two weeks of training to get up and ready for playing football at its best and to protect them from injuries.

"When you take all of that into account, it just sort of boiled up and that was it."

Behind every media release were hours of discussions.

"In the last five or six weeks, there must have been at least one Zoom meeting every week," Gray said.

"Once we knew what was going on with the government, we started a bit of a chat line with emails and everyone throws their 10 cents' worth in just so we've got some ammunition or facts to present to the clubs the following day.

"Some of that got pretty hostile between the executive members, all in good spirit. People are passionate - they wouldn't be there if they weren't.

"Things got a bit challenging, comments that were made, and that was only in discussion between ourselves.

"That's probably because they're worn out of ideas. They're tired from it as well. They get as many phone calls as I do during the day.

"Sometimes the members of our board get challenged by the clubs where they used to be involved and they don't have the answers.

"But once we make a decision, we all stick together.

"I've got no problem listening to someone say 'why didn't this happen?' because 90 percent of the time, I've got the answer for them.

"Even now, after our release saying we'd cancelled the balance of the year, people are still saying 'what about junior football?' but at this stage, you've got to understand juniors are still locked down. No-one can do anything. Everyone would love to have the kids running around tomorrow because they're full of energy but nothing can happen.

"These are the questions you keep getting asked. It's just frustration sometimes. The people who call are just looking for an answer."

But increasingly, Gray didn't have the answers and juggling his day job as a plasterer alongside the uncertainty surrounding the league became almost impossible.

"The last six weeks have been bloody horrendous," he admitted. "I'm in a partnership with another fella and the last few weeks, my phone has not stopped. I have to charge it at work during the day so thank goodness he's been good to help us out.

"It's always in the back of your mind and being on the border was the most hazardous part.

"If we couldn't have it in Victoria, we looked into going to Lavington and the Albury council were fantastic with it. But you're not allowed Victorian spectators at football, so we got 95% of the way and that stopped it.

"Every time we came to a decision, there was something there to block us."

But the harder things got, the more willing rivals clubs were to work together.

"It brings out the true colors in organizations like these," Gray said. "We explained our financial situation to our clubs a month ago and that's when they all said they'd donate all the profits back to the league so we could keep going again next year.

"There's a bit of a bondship we've made with the clubs. Years ago, it used to be 'stuff you, Jack, I'm alright', a lot of clubs just looking after themselves but now, the way society is, everyone's got to work together otherwise you're not going to survive."

The financial impact of consecutive cancelled seasons can't be underestimated.

"Finals is the only time the league ever makes big money," Gray said. "We need it to survive for the next year so now we've had two years without an income, it's really going to start hitting home.

"We spent a fair bit of money out there (Sandy Creek), to make it what it is and not to have that income for the last two years is really going to decimate us.

"We'll probably have to source a bit of financial help. I'm sure the AFL North East Border and the commission will support us.

"We pay the clubs a dividend of the money we make every year and it pays for their footballs for the following year, among other things, so it's a substantial amount of money."

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But the toll taken has been mental as well as monetary.

"People said 'I bet your last few weeks have been hell' and I tell you what, it wasn't far off," Gray said.

"My wife was fantastic. It does get tough sometimes but she's very understanding. She's followed me through many journeys with football for years and she's been very supportive, as have our kids.

"I've got good friendships around the area and they were always on for a chat."

Gray has served the league as president for 10 years, so have the strains of 2021 made him want to walk away? Quite the opposite.

"To be honest, I said last year I was getting out but the wife and I talked and she said 'you can't go out on that note' so I put my hand up to do it again," Gray said.

"I told them at the start of the year 'this is it' but I'm having second thoughts again.

"What we've got is a good competition of football and an iconic event at Sandy Creek.

"I can't go out this way."

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