NSW's state-wide lockdown has sparked grave concerns for the immediate future of sport in the capital, with local leagues across the ACT to be severely compromised by the latest health restrictions.
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Most ACT sporting competitions, which were put on hold this weekend in response to Canberra's snap seven-day lockdown, involve clubs from regional NSW including Queanbeyan, Yass, Goulburn and Cooma.
But locking down all of NSW means players from those clubs won't be able to enter the capital, even if Canberra's lockdown is lifted at 5pm on Thursday as hoped.
The seven-day NSW lockdown will prevent the majority of leagues from playing out next weekend's round of matches, while any extension to the timeframe threatens to impinge on fast-approaching winter finals.
Junior AFL finals were set to start this weekend, while most senior sporting leagues were due to enter the post season later this month, or in early September.
Every sporting league is now in limbo, and at the mercy of the Covid delta strain. Canberra recorded just one new positive case on Saturday, while NSW registered a staggering 466 - sparking the statewide lockdown.
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"The priority right now is managing the lockdown and ensuring that people are going out and getting tested," an ACT Health Spokesperson said.
"How we come out of lockdown, and the way this will affect sport and all other activities and businesses, will be worked through at the appropriate time in conjunction with NSW."
Local league administrators had spent the last two days working through potential scenarios as a result of the Canberra lockdown, but many of those plans are now redundant given the developing situation in NSW.
"To use a rugby league analogy we're just going to play what's in front of us," Canberra Region Rugby League boss Mark Vergano said.
"We just have to assess things like most of the other sports and put together some scenario planning around both the ACT and NSW requirements. That was always going to be an issue with us and across the border, and having to align that."
Even prior to the NSW lockdown, local sports were facing serious challenges. After Canberra was plunged into lockdown, NSW residents who visited the Territory were required to quarantine for 14 days - a situation which would've made cross-border sporting fixtures impossible.
Capital Football chief Phil Brown said the next two weeks would be crucial.
"It's an evolving situation that we need to consider across the next week to really get an understanding of how we move forward and finish the competitions," Brown said.
James Buckley
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
