Club hails return to oval action

AN application for three groups of 20 players to train on one oval has been approved by the State Government.

That means it’s now time for Townsville Brothers Football Club to click into gear for the imminent season.

The approval will mean that each training group of 20 must maintain 4sq m per person while adhering to coronavirus social distancing guidelines.

Brothers president and women’s senior coach Steve Mcnaughton said the news came as a huge relief to the club’s committee.

Attempting to manage the High Vista Park facilities to allow all senior and junior teams the chance to prepare was becoming a logistical challenge, but the approval has them in good stead for the 2020 campaign.

He said a rotational system for COVID-19 safety officers would be in place.

“It was difficult to fit them all in, so to have this at a maximum of 60 people on our two main pitches, then have our little pitches around us, is fantastic,” Mcnaughton said.

“It’s a weight off the committee’s shoulders because the management of trying to make sure everyone is doing the right thing and everyone is safe was weighing heavily on them – who are all volunteers.”

Brothers women’s side began training on Wednesday night, with the senior men getting back on the field last night.

Mcnaughton said the session was clunky, as to be expected, particularly as the players began to adjust to the new rules in place.

The current guidelines mean contact training is not allowed, which the club president said meant he had to get creative to provide a strong, productive session.

Inevitably he said defensive work would need to happen prior to the competition resuming to avoid injuries, but the extended lay off had meant returning to fitness was always going to be the first priority.