Dubbo City Magpies president Neil Millgate has stated the players and their families support the club's decision to sit out the 2020 season.
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The Magpies were pushing to feature a side in each of the nine age groups in the Dubbo and District Junior Rugby League (DDJRL) competition this year but the decision to pull out of the 2020 competition altogether was confirmed on the weekend.
On Monday, the state government announced community sport for those under 18 can return from July 1 but Minister for Health Brad Hazzard admitted "there's probably going to have to be some limits" around crowds.
With grandparents urged to stay away from matches, suggestions only one parent per child could be allowed, as well as likely changes to gameday protocol, Millgate said there were "too many hurdles".
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Millgate suggested his club would have needed a coronavirus officer, while players would need to turn up to games in their playing kit, and coaches would have needed to undergo regular health checks.
Those changes, which were highlighted as being volunteer-heavy, as well as well as likely crowd restrictions and the risk of spreading coronavirus were the main reasons behind the Magpies' decision.
"It makes it too hard," Millgate said.
"You'll have to have a coronavirus delegate at each club. Where do you get someone to do that?
"There's too many hurdles to jump over. A lot of our volunteers are grandparents so they wouldn't be allowed and there's only one parent allowed so that would make it hard for travel.
"We're just going to start again next year."
A post on the club's Facebook page stated the decision was made "with a lot of thought for players, parents, caregivers, grandparents".
While the decision was made by the executive, Millgate said there had been much consultation with families.
"That's where it's come from," he said.
"A lot of parents said they didn't want to risk it and we said that was fine ... so we said no, not this year."
Millgate said the focus on families and amount of people being at games was a real focus.
"We have grandparents looking after a lot of our kids and now they can't take them [to games]," he said.
"It's about common sense."
He said even the smallest of jobs, like collecting jerseys after a game, would become much more difficult as players are meant to arrive and leave the ground in their kits.
Millgate added while DDJRL officials stated they were sad to see the Magpies go for 2020 there had been support and understanding.
The Magpies didn't feature a side in each of the nine grades last season.
Those who had already registered juniors to play with the Magpies in 2020 will be reimbursed.
"We just hope once this all passes we can kick-off and we'll be right to go again," Millgate said, looking to next year.
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Nick Guthrie
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
