While the top two sides in the Central Highlands football and netball leagues are preparing themselves for a possible grand final return on October 2 or 3, the remaining six finalists remain in limbo.
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While Premier Daniel Andrews said on Wednesday that a further easing of restrictions in regional Victoria was unlikely before the end of the month, as we have seen in the past, circumstances can change by the day.
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It means some sides outside of the top two remain hopeful of a possible return earlier than hinted at by Andrews, while some are expecting their season to be over.
If play can't start by September 18 or 19, the season for the bottom four sides of the top eight will be over.
If play can't start by September 25 or 26, third and fourth-placed sides will suffer the same fate.
Rokewood-Corindhap co-coach Brad Macgowan told The Courier his side was not sure what to do now that they are free to train.
"I'm sure there'd be mental health benefits to it ... it would be hard to ask our boys to train to that level when it's unlikely they're going to play a game," he said.
"When you've got a final in front of you, you'll do whatever you have to do.
"As a club we don't know what to do."
The side that finished just below the Grasshoppers on the ladder, Dunnstown, originally had some plans in place in case of different announcements from the state government, but were unsure what to do now.
"The fact that we don't even know if we're playing, it's bloody hard," coach Glenn Wilkins said.
"Our boys have just been doing their own thing, they've all been given a program, they've sort of just been working off that.
"I've got to sit down with our leadership group and just get a bit of an idea what they want to do.
"I'd say based on where we're currently at I think we'll probably stick to doing an individual thing until we get an absolute surety that we might be playing footy."
Waubra coach Matt James said if a grand final could be played, it should.
"If I was in the position of Gordon and Hepburn and you've put in so much time and effort, I respect that they would obviously definitely want to go ahead," he said.
"Externally, a lot of people would be saying 'what's the point, it's not a real premiership, blah, blah, blah.
"I'd almost make the argument that it's been really hard for the last 12 months, two years for anyone involved at footy club land.
"I think Gordon and Hepburn are by far the best two teams in the competition this year and if they get to play, whilst it's not normal circumstances, they deserve the chance to have a crack at it."
Buninyong coach Shaun O'Loughlin echoed James' comments.
"There's been 10 or 11 games played and if I was in the position of Gordon and Hepburn, then you'd love the chance to play off in a grand final," he said.
"Everybody who's in Hepburn or Gordon's position would be hoping that they probably still can play.
"We've got netball teams and junior football teams who are also in (this) same position ... I'd love for them to be able to have the opportunity to play off in a grand final."
He added that his side has begun to do some training.
"Our boys want to (train), so we (trained) Friday and (used) it as a bit of a catch up anyway," he said
"Based on that term that it's unlikely to start which means there's still a little bit of chance ..."
Skipton co-coach Sam Willian said his side won't begin training this week, but if restrictions opened and they were free to play, they would be ready to go.
Learmonth A Grade coach Jordan O'Keefe said it was tough for his side to possibly face the idea of no finals.
"I'm disappointed, as everyone will be feeling the disappointment," he said.
"As disjointed as the season has been for everyone, I felt that we probably found a bit of our niche in the last few rounds.
"That's probably the most disappointing part is that they won't get to play finals and it sounds awful to say that because there's so many teams that won't."
He added that they will continue to train in case the club's B Grade side, which finished on top, would play in a grand final.
"That's been the message that was really clear in the last fortnight ... is that even if A Grade do not have the opportunity to play finals ... that they will still train alongside B Grade," he said.
"The response from that's been really positive and it really does just highlight how much people do miss it and just want to be doing something and be active and re-establish those relationships ..."
Beaufort A Grade coach Aimee Kirby confirmed her side had been holding Zoom trainings throughout lockdown and would return to the court for training next week.
Gordon coach Ciane Van Dyken said her group has been training regularly throughout lockdown online and will return to the court for face-to-face training today.
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