It was announced last Friday the senior and junior AFL Central West competitions had been abandoned for this year due to the ongoing COVID outbreak in Western NSW.

It's disappointing and frustrating for everyone involved, but DJAFL president Merinda Roll said it's particularly difficult for younger junior players who might not be able to fully grasp the situation.

Having the season stop so suddenly - training and games haven't been played since an initial snap lockdown in Dubbo on August 11 - is difficult for some to comprehend and Roll said it was "heartbreaking" considering finals were so close.

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Throw in the fact many of those players have also been forced to isolate in recent weeks due to numerous schools around the region being exposure sites, and they are now being forced to learn from home, and Roll said it's important the club can do all it can to help.

"The kids, through school and sport and the majority of things in the last 18 months have been cancelled," Roll said.

"It must be quite frustrating being a 12-year-old kid and having disruptions to school and then to have the season we had and it came to such an abrupt end.

"For the welfare of these kids we need to keep in touch with them and help them put everything into perspective and look on the bright side of a bad situation."

To do that, Roll and the coaches of the under 12s, under 14s, under 17s, and Youth Girls sides have been having weekly video hook-ups to stay in touch.

In recent weeks Roll has been revealing best and fairest votes for each round once a week but this week the meetings will take on a different role.

"We'll soldier on each week and keep in touch," he said.

"The big thing now is doing these Zoom meetings where the coaches can meet with players and take the abruptness out of the end of the season. Let them vent their anger if they need to and share issues among their teammates.

"They might leave that meeting feeling a little more positive and know it's okay to be sad and disappointed but next season we can make up for that. That's our big thing."

As difficult as it has been in recent weeks, Roll felt the decision to cancel the rest of the season was the correct one.

The number of COVID cases in Dubbo alone is now past 400 while centres likes Bathurst and Orange, which also field junior sides, have recorded cases.

It was tough for Roll to ring coaches and get in contact with families last week when it was confirmed the 2021 season was over, but she admitted there was now a "sense of relief".

Also making the news somewhat more bearable was DJAFL had enjoyed a hugely successful year up to this point.

While no sides finished as minor premiers, the under 12s team was a genuine premiership threat while the under 14s team had also qualified for finals.

The under 17s may not have won a game but showed great development while one of the biggest highlights for the club was the performances of its first Youth Girls team.

On top of that, plenty of individual players shone in 2021.

A record 18 players earned Central West representative selection this season while five players earned a spot in the Greater Western Sydney Giants development squad, and one was part of the Western Region Academy of Sport team.

"Every year we're just getting stronger and stronger with kids representing different pathways and that's what our junior sport is about, to get kids on the park and to get passionate kids further," she said.

"There's so many things to be proud of."

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