week was a big one for the Dubbo Demons.
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Not only did they, and every other club in Central West AFL, welcome the long-awaited update on senior sport returning but the club also received funding to install much-needed covered interchange and coach benches at its home ground, South Dubbo Oval.
The $15,000 was confirmed by Dubbo MP Dugald Saunders on Tuesday as part of the Local Sports Grant program.
The good news kept coming on Wednesday when the state government announced senior sport can resume from July 1, with the final details of a 2020 CWAFL season expected in the coming days.
"The announcement earlier this week that that senior sport would be starting again in July has everyone really excited right now," president Joe Knagge said.
"We've been training, this is the second week, we're still stuck to the small groups across the men and women's senior sides and they're all very keen."
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Training will move up a notch this week as groups of 20 are now allowed together.
The 2020 CWAFL season is likely to be 10 weeks. It is set to start on July 18 with the grand final played out prior to the October long weekend.
It may be one of only a handful of regional competitions to go ahead this year after both the Group 11 and Group 10 seasons were cancelled last week.
"It'll be interesting to see what happens," Knagge said of the changed sporting landscape.
"Depending on the rules around spectators and so forth, but as things continue to open up I'd expect to see a lot more people than normal at South Dubbo Oval."
The funding and improvement to facilities makes that prospect even more exciting.
While the covered benches will be welcomed by the players and coaches more work is expected at South Dubbo Oval.
"It's part of the continual improvements up at the ground during the off season," Knagge said.
"A tender's been out for the refurbishment for the amenities block, so there's a big investment happening there."
The work is expected to be done prior to next year and boost what will already be major club celebrations.
"We've got out 40 year anniversary next year so all of the new facilities and having them ready for next year, we're really expecting a lot of people up here to support the club," Knagge said.
"People who have been around for years coming back as well and it will make that anniversary bigger and better."
Most importantly of all, a "more professional ground" and competition this year will help the club continue to grow.
The Demons' women's side returns to the park in 2020 after not taking the field last year while there's also hopes a second men's team can be developed in the coming years to be part of the new-look tiered CWAFL competition.
Knagge has long been involved with the Demons and has been pleased by the development of the club and remains confident it will continue.
"We've been concentrating on our juniors and they keep getting better and better," Knagge said.
"There's more numbers and having the women back is very important. We won the [women's] premiership two years ago and we're looking for big things this year.
"The girls are really fit and trying hard at training and I think we're quietly confident."
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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.
