Junior sport has been given the green light from the NSW government to resume from July 1, but senior sport has been left in the cold yet again.
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The announcement made on Tuesday also confirmed gyms and indoor centres will be able to open from July 13, but no date was set for an announcement on senior sport.
Junior leagues will be forced to juggle social distancing laws and smaller crowd sizes when the start date but major competitions all look set to resume.
Rugby league juniors will continue on path for a July 18 return date, with full contact training for Group 10's 2500 juniors to begin on July 1 to give clubs three weeks of training as a team before competition resumes.
NSWRL CEO David Trodden said the announcement was a "really positive outcome" for not just the rugby league community but the broader community.
"It is really important though that we all remain vigilant and adhere to the COVID-19 guidelines that have been set so we can all enjoy the return of sport for the long-term," Trodden said.
Group 10 Junior Rugby League president Martin Power was delighted his competition had been given the all-clear.
"It would have been very difficult for us if it [season start] was delayed further," Power said.
"It is good news, the devil will be in the detail now I guess. We have to wait and see what all the protocols will be, but at least it is promising news at this stage.
"I'd still say it will be 18th of July though that we start, by the time we have training and do all the compliance and that sort of stuff, but that's good news.
Orange District Football Association president Tony Mileto said it was "exciting" for a start date to be confirmed, and confirmed kick-off would be July 1.
"We've had an endless amount of questions about a start date and it's nice to actually have one," Mileto said.
He said the major challenges would be reminding parents on the sidelines about social distancing guidelines, but it was something the ODFA had already discussed.
"There is fairly significant pressure in regards to safe distancing and we''ll express to clubs that we need volunteers at every game," Mileto said.
"It's a privilege we're able to start junior sport again and we need to be responsible."
Team registrations would be due on June 8 for the ODFA's 2000 juniors to give the league time to sort out a training roster and game fixture, but said being forced to train in groups of 10 would exacerbate the need for more lighting at Jack Brabham Park.
Western Region Academy of Sport executive director Candice Boggs was also thrilled with the announcement with easing restrictions on indoor facilities "fantastic".
"I'd say 98 percent of our athletes are under 18," she said.
"To have access to facilities now, that is going to be a big relief to the kids that have been sitting at home and our coaches as well, they are so keen to get back out and start working with the kids."
"They've been doing well, but I know they're itching to get back out on the court, or the bike or the course."
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