IF Group 10 Junior Rugby League is given the green light to go ahead this season, for the Eglinton Eels it will mean more than a return to play.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
For the Eels it will be the chance to continue to build their club.
It was 11 years ago that the Eels made their debut in Group 10 Junior Rugby League, adding to Bathurst's presence in the competition as they joined St Pat's and Panthers.
Before season 2020 was put on hold due to the cornoavirus pandemic, Eglinton had assembled a team for every age group from under 6s through to under 10s.
Eels committee member Marc Holman would love for them to get the chance to play, with a July 18 season kick-off the target.
"It would be great for the kids, everyone has been hanging off and waiting for some sort of confirmation on a footy season," Holman said.
"Obviously they still have to re-adjourn and make sure everything is right with the government and social distancing and all that kind of stuff, but all the kids and ourselves on the committee, we're all champing at the bit to get going.
"Numbers are looking pretty promising for the season going ahead, being such a small, little club it's always difficult, so each year you are not sure on numbers.
"But this year was looking another good year for the club - it's a club that's growing slowly as the population of Bathurst continues to grow, but the club is in a really strong position.
"We've got a really good committee and a really good group of people out there."
While the immediate goal for the Eels is to see some sort of rugby league this season - Group 10 JRL is planning to conduct eight rounds while the older age divisions then get a finals series - the Eglinton club also has a bigger aim.
It is to have teams playing in the older grades, with Group 10 JRL running competitions up to under 16s level, as well as the league tag divisions.
"We're going to keep soldiering on, we are going to keep growing and hopefully over the next few years we can get some bit older teams going," Holman said.
"Hopefully this year we can get some kids running around and they can get a bit more exercise back in their lives, at the moment we just have to stay at home and see what happens."
