The draw for the 2020 Christie and Hood Castlereagh Rugby League competition has been finalised in a salvaged format as a result of the COVID-19 ravaged season.
Each of the nine clubs will play each other once with the competition set to kick off mid July.
League secretary Bryson Luff reports the competition draw was completed in a recent Zoom meeting involving all clubs.
“Every club has indicated that all their players, across the three grades, are keen to get back to training and to begin playing, but neither of these can happen just at the moment despite some easing of restrictions beginning to occur,” Mr Luff said.
“The proposed July kick off date is at the advice of NSWRL, with players allowed to begin training as a group only a couple of weeks earlier.”
Mr Luff said further advice from NSWRL is expected next week which will be based on the government’s medical advice available at that time.
He said obviously everyone would like to be back on the playing field but the Castlereagh League officials can only work and plan with the current advice they have received.
“A crucial element to any competition this year will be the allowing of spectators to attend games,” Mr Luff said.
“With the majority of clubs indicating that they would not be playing in front of empty stands it is simply a case of no crowd equals no Castlereagh League in season 2020.”
