Raiders president Ross McDermott confirmed the player retention while stating some much-needed positivity was now being felt within the club and around the community.

While admitting there is still a lot that needs to happen for the Group 11 season to go ahead, McDermott was delighted to being talking footy after the NSWRL announced on Wednesday community competitions could start from July 18.

"It's good for the players to see a season is possible," he said.

"We've been trying to keep them motivated and have them self-training at home but it can get tiresome after time.

"But if and when the season starts we're going to have to be really hard with these rules and follow them or we risk [coronavirus] cases and losing the game so there's still a lot to do."

The Group 11 board met on Thursday night to discuss how a modified 2020 season could look and a proposal will be put forward to the seven clubs at another meeting on Monday.

The biggest thing for McDermott, and almost everyone else involved in bush footy, is the issue surrounding crowds at games.

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The money raised on game day through gate taking, the canteen, and things like doubles and raffles plays a massive role in clubs' finances and without that it's unlikely many competitions played in country areas will go ahead.

"If there is that 500-person limit that comes back that would cover most of the games out there but a lot would have to be done for it [the season] to happen," McDermott said.

"But it's still positive. The last three or four months everyone has been hit by bushfires, drought, or floods and now this virus. People are looking for positivity and this is it."

The potential to play this season been welcome news for those few Raiders who have been put off work in recent weeks and months.

"It's frustrating and it's about keeping everyone in the right frame of mind. Not just footy players, the whole community," McDermott said, with group chats and plenty of interaction on the Raiders social media channels helping.

The other big positive for McDermott is the players who had come from interstate, or overseas in the case of Lopeti Mafi, remain employed and in Dubbo.

One other recruit, an outside back who is still currently in New Zealand, will also still come across closer to a season start date once travel between the countries is allowed again.

The Raiders, after a number of disappointing seasons, went on a huge off-season recruitment drive with new captain-coach Alex Ronayne making the move from CYMS and attracting a host of new faces to the club.

"They're all here and ready," McDermott said.

"'Aka' [Ronayne] has been in touch with them regularly and a training package.

"And we've talked to sponsors and accept a lot of businesses are struggling and we've been open about that.

"But we've already got a lot of sponsors and we're ready to start, pending the crowds."

McDermott confirmed the sponsors and money which comes from them is down, which he said is acceptable in the current climate, but the club remains in a healthy position.

The NSWRL's current plan will allow teams to starting training from July 1 and McDermott said his club will look to play one or more inter-club trial games from that date to make sure they are ready for any potential season.