While it's unlikely that Group 10 will get back to playing due to the COVID-19 lockdown, Bathurst Panthers manager Danny Dwyer wants fans at finals matches.
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The Group 10 competition has been sidelined since the lockdown for regional NSW came into force during August, with the final round of the competition being scrapped and Orange CYMS being awarded the minor premiership.
With the NSW Government announcing on Thursday that the Central West will remain in lockdown, it seems unlikely that Group 10 will play finals.
But like many players, clubs and officials, Dwyer is remaining optimistic that some sort of finals series can be played.
But he talked about the need for matchday revenues to make the games viable for clubs.
"I think it would be a bit funny to play semi-final football without crowds but we understand with the restrictions that will be highly unlikely," he said.
"If we play without crowds the clubs don't have gameday revenue and we'd like to still honour the commitment of the players to pay them to play.
"It just becomes a bit difficult, as well for the Group because they can't pick up the revenue as well. The clubs would lose out on the canteen and bar takings as well.
"It's just another thing you have to do when you factor in for your budget for income."
While there's nothing official, it looks unlikely that the 2021 Group 10 season - which was meant to be the last of the competition before its merge with Group 11 - will be completed.
Dwyer said the competition has been at least lucky enough to play some games.
"In a perfect world, with no football last year you'd think it be getting back to normal the following year. But at the end of the day, we've been lucky to play some sort of football," he said.
"To get to this stage of the season, it's probably been a bonus in hindsight. If we could push forward and play the semis, that would be a nice way to finish the season.
"It's hard to know which way we'll go, but I guess the government will decide what we can and can't do."
A decision on the season's future is expected to be announced on Friday.
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