Mackay 'adamant' to return

The Rugby League Mackay and District Board are 'adamant' on seeing footy return to tropical North Queensland in some capacity, but their decision will be dependent on a further easing of restrictions by the Queensland Government.

Meeting on Monday, the RLMD Board declared their main focus would be to return the region's favourite sport by early-August should the current 100-person limit on community sporting venues be relaxed.

"Our main goal to get football back in Mackay this year in some way, shape or form," RLMD chairman Adam Wright said.

"We had separate meetings with the junior and senior clubs on Monday night because even though we're all one entity, the competitions are a little bit different.

"At this stage, we're aiming for an August 1 start date for both juniors and seniors, but this will all depend on whether restrictions are eased further."

Following the release of QRL's Return to Play Handbook, the Board developed three recommendations for their clubs to consider, all dependent on COVID-19 restrictions:

Option 1 - should restrictions remain at 100 people per venue

• Cancellation of regular season

Option 2 - should restrictions ease to 100 people per field

• Season to kick-off with all junior and senior fixtures played at Mackay JRL grounds 
• As many junior age groups as possible starting from Under 17 downwards - teams play on alternating weeks (four games over eight-week period)
• No junior premierships, with competition to cease on September 12/13
• Seniors play ten weeks including two-week finals series
• Senior grand final played on October 10

Option 3 - should restrictions ease to 500 people per venue

• Season to kick-off with all junior fixtures but one played at Mackay JRL grounds (each club to have one home game)
• As many junior age groups as possible starting from Under 17 downwards - teams play on alternating weeks (four games over eight-week period)
• No junior premierships, with competition to cease on September 12/13
• Senior fixtures will be eight 'home and away' rounds with a two-week finals series played at Mackay JRL grounds
• Senior grand final played on October 10

"There was initial discussions around just playing competitive age groups, but we thought that went against the ethos of our whole of game approach to provide an opportunity for every player," Wright said.

"We've pencilled in June 30 as our decision date, so that gives us just under two weeks for the restrictions to be eased further to at least 100 people per field, which we're confident will occur.

"If our proposal gets the green-light, it will give clubs two weeks of non-contact training, followed by three weeks of contact training before getting into it on the first weekend of August."

Wright said most clubs had been receptive to the idea of returning, with some more keener than others.

"Some of our clubs are cautious and some others just want to get back and play footy," Wright said.

"What we've stressed is, if a club has multiple teams and one wants to pull out, we are happy for just that team to withdraw, not the whole club as we don't want to be a burden on clubs during this time.

"If you've got a junior team where all the players, the coaching staff and parents all want to play, make sure you put them into the competition.

"A similar principle will happen with the seniors as well - if there's a club who can't field a women's or under 19 team but can field the rest, you don't need to field that team.

"Obviously we won't just accept a Reserve Grade team, they'll have to field an A Grade team at minimum, but there is going to be leniency with clubs fielding teams under A Grade this season."

Even if restrictions remain status quo prior to RLMD's June 30 decision date, Wright is confident some form of rugby league will be played.

"Whatever happens, I think we're going to get back to football this year," Wright said.

"Even if it's just age group carnivals in September or October when restrictions really get eased if we can't get this eight week competition going, we'll be definitely looking at doing that.

"Worse case scenario, even if we only have four or five clubs wanting to participate as there are certain clubs out there that are adamant that they want to play and we do too.

"If teams want to play and clubs want to play, we're going to play footy this year."