CAIRNS NETBALL TEAMS RETURN TO TRAINING TONIGHT

CAIRNS Netball clubs will return to training this evening as they prepare for a shortened season to begin on July 21.

Clubs will train at Cairns Netball’s Martyn St venue across eight separate zones, with 20 players and staff allowed in each zone.

Operations manager Tayna Dearns said while there were a number of boxes to tick to be able to get back on court safely, it was nice to be moving in the right direction.

“Clubs have been allocated training times based on the eight courts that we can use,” she said.

“We’ve had a meeting with all of the clubs around what our safety management plan looks like so they’re all well aware of the rules and regulations, the zones and where they can and can’t go.”

Clubs will be preparing for a return to competition next month.

“At the moment, we can’t play a game because it still has to be all non-contact,” Dearns said.

“We are bound by what the government says in terms of moving to Stage 3, but once Stage 3 is announced, looking at the roadmap and the framework that had come out earlier, that’s where they’re indicating we can start some form of competition.

“So we are planning on that and with Stage 3, at this stage, set to start on July 10, we’ve set out a shortened, revised season starting on July 21.”

The season would wrap up in the last week of October.

“That allows players that are in year 12 to concentrate on their exams,” Dearns said.

“We’re looking at running a shortened summer season following on from that as well. It just gives us a little bit of flexibility.”

She said there was plenty of excitement at netball’s return.

“As long as we can adhere to the hygiene protocols and we don’t have any outbreaks, I think we’ll be able to see a resumption,” Dearns said.