Crowds remain the key issue among Castlereagh clubs

The clubs were surveyed last week as to their enthusiasm for some form of competition this year and the answer came back as a unanimous yes across all grades.

However, there will not be the same degree of eagerness to get back on the playing field if spectators are not allowed at games.

Like almost every other competition, the Castlereagh League is likely to be reliant on crowds being allowed to attend matches.

Six of the competition's clubs indicated they would not participate if crowds were not permitted at games.

Castlereagh League officials and clubs are now working on the premise that spectators will be allowed as they move forward to resurrecting the 2020 season.

A best-case scenario plan is now being formulated but the actual format of the 2020 season is still to be decided.

All nine clubs have agreed to playing each other once and that regular season would be followed by a highly-condensed semi final series, which would see the 2020 grand final played on Saturday, September 26.

That would ensure the season is finished before the October long weekend.

The Dunedoo Swans was the one club which stated it would prefer to see a longer season with more semi-finals and a later finish date.

To this end the Swans have been asked to present a proposal for consideration by the other clubs.

With the competition not due to kick off until July 18 there is still plenty of time for all options to be considered, but Castlereagh officials are keen to get things in place in the not too distant future and then hope that crowds are allowed to attend games in what will be a rather unique competition.

Dubbo CYMS is pushing to field a second junior side in the Castlereagh Youth League due to bumper numbers and it remains keen to do so despite the conjecture.

But it is believed the formation of that second side has not yet been cleared by Group 11.