Although the potential return date would only two weeks into the previously scheduled Blowes Clothing Cup season, it feels as though the lockout could stretch longer than that.

So, in an abbreviated season where teams might only play each other twice or even once, what should each squad be focusing on?

According to Emus' head coach Pete Bromley, teams with minimal turnover will be at an advantage.

"It comes down to experience and the combinations you've developed in previous years," Bromley said.

"We haven't had a huge amount of guys retire or move away so we've still got that solid core from prior seasons. It's important to have familiarity within the playing group."

Much of the 2020 season preparation from here in on will be out of the coach's control and Bromley said it's up to his guys to make sure they're good to go when round one comes calling.

"We had three months of preseason so we don't want guys going backwards," he said.

"It's up to the individual, you don't really want blokes packed into a gym doing sessions so they need to keep themselves fit on their own.

The Emus had planned to boost their match fitness before the regular season with three trials matches scheduled against Mossman, Northern Saints and Old Ingations but after pulling the pin on Saturday's match and canning the others, their first taste of action will likely be in round one - whenever that may be.

Competitions will spend the lockout period trying to devise plans for their season structure and for the Blowes Clothing Cup, it'll hopefully be as simple as playing each other once or twice instead of three times around.

It's hard to find positives in situations like this but Bromley picked out a silver lining, saying the field will be 'in good nick' when Endeavour Oval reopens for business.