CYMS captain-coach Daniel Mortimer is hoping Group 10 can have some form of decider in 2021, even if it is a winner takes all shoot-out in a couple of months.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Growing uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 situation in western NSW means no one is really sure where community sport will be placed when lockdowns are lifted, whenever that may be.
Deputy premier John Barilaro on Monday hinted lockdowns in our area will be longer than the seven days, with case numbers expected to rise further this week.
But Mortimer said he'd love the chance to bring a premiership back to CYMS, at any stage, after having his two-year stint at the club punctuated by the global pandemic.
As it stands, CYMS is on top of the Group 10 premier league ladder heading into the lockdown, with defending premiers Panthers in second.
A play-off for a premiership is a juicy proposition, and one Mortimer says he'd get behind if it meant the season didn't end with this current lockdown.
"I'd love to have the premiers crowned with a game of footy," Mortimer said.
"Obviously, it's only footy. And, we've got people's livelihoods hurting at the moment.
"But, I'm hopeful we can play for the premiership, even if it's just one game."
Mortimer's trying to be optimistic about the prospects of playing finals footy, but understands the magnitude of the situation right now, and doesn't see it getting better before it gets worse.
"My gut feeling isn't good at the moment," he said.
"It won't be a quick route out of this ... I'm quite nervous that this might be it for us."
While it wouldn't feel as special as a traditional premiership, Mortimer knows the club would certainly accept the trophy if it ended up being handed to the first-placed side.
"We wouldn't turn it down," he said.
"There's no more deserving club than us.
There's no more deserving club than us.
- Daniel Mortimer.
"It's been such a tough year, and the boys have put in a huge amount of time and effort to get us to where we are."
If Group 10 is to be shut down until next season, it would likely spell the end to Mortimer's playing career as he originally returned to Orange on a two-year deal.
"My wife and I had plans to come here for two seasons and then move to the Gold Coast ... that's where her family is," he said.
"I'm probably still a month away from making that hard decision. There's no real desire for me to keep playing for the sake of playing.
"My goal was to come back to my junior club and try to put it in good stead for the years to come."
If the final round goes ahead as planned, CYMS will do battle with St Pat's as a win there would ice the minor premiership.
If the green and golds fail to get the job done, and Panthers knock off Hawks, it would be the men in black who claim top spot.
But, all Group 10 pundits can do at this stage is speculate as it's unknown whether the lockdown will be lifted on Sunday.
A grand final is scheduled for mid-September.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark www.centralwesterndaily.com.au
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Instagram
- Catch up on our news headlines at Google News
HAVE YOUR SAY
- Send us a letter to the editor using the form below ...