That's Alana Thomas' number one priority for her players throughout the coronavirus restrictions as the Melbourne Rebels women's head coach looks to guide the squad through an unprecedented and difficult time.

While it's important to make sure the players are staying in shape and abiding by the exercise regime Thomas is sending out, she wants to be taking care of her girls' mental health first and foremost.

"For me it's just always checking on them and making sure they're OK," Thomas said.

"I want to let them know that this isn't normal for anyone in Australia and around the world. It's OK to not feel great about it."

Formerly an Orange Emu, Thomas moved to Melbourne nine years ago and in addition to working for the Rebels, holds down a day job at the Victorian Institute of Sport.

Thomas recognises that Melbourne is a far cry from the Central West but has adapted to the city life as she closes in on a decade in Victoria.

"I don't mind it... Melbourne's a great city," she said.

"It's got a bit of everything and it's the sporting capital of Australia. I've settled right in and bought a house here."

The setting at the Rebels looks very different right now and even though she can't hit the gym or training paddock with her side, she's giving them plenty of work to do from the confines of their homes.

"It's about being creative," she said.

"It's really weird not being able to see the players face-to-face but I've got running and conditioning programs set up for the players.

"Instead of dumbbells they can fill up two-litre water bottles and to make the movements harder they can fill up backpacks with books.

"I've been thinking outside the box and even though it's an inconvenience, I think the athletes have found it refreshing because it's something new." Predicting when rugby will return is like guessing the length of a piece of string and Thomas doesn't have much an idea when her beloved game will make a comeback and indications are that it will remain inactive until at least the end of June.

"My gut feeling is though that you can write the season off from a club perspective," she said. "You couldn't get a full club season in but to see the girls come back and play each other once over the winter... that would be great."

The Waratahs were recently crowned the Super W champions but Thomas' players are still waiting to kick-off their club-level campaigns.