OBVIOUSLY, this is a season like no other. No matter the sport, 2020 has thrown up challenges for officials and players alike.
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For some sports the differences have been profound, and today The Argus will look at the impact the different timeline is having on the local football, Aussie rules and league tag campaigns.
It has been a long, long season for those three codes with preseason beginning as far back as mid-November for some. But, while the campaign would usually be wrapping up around now, finals are still yet to take place.
As a result, those wonderfully warm spring days are now uncomfortably hot match days for players, and they're likely to only get hotter as October approaches.
Coaches of the Greta Branxton Colts, Alex Kowalski, Singleton Strikers, Brendan Slade and Singleton Roosters, Jed Ellis-Cluff were all in agreement the temperature had been getting noticeably higher.
"It's definitely warming up with longer daylight for the club's training sessions that's for sure," said Slade.
"To combat the heat we have lightened up the fitness with more ball work, shape work and finishing drills to be on top of our game come finals."
Kowalski said his staff had thought about the issue prior the restart, and focused on improving the side's fitness back then so the players would be ready when the conditions did change.
He noted there had been other issues caused by the change in season too.
"With change of temperature you also notice a change in the playing surface," he said.
"For example one week we played on field absolutely covered in bindis, I'd hate to be tackled on that field, and then the following week we played in shin-high grass."
Like his counterpart, Ellis-Cluff had predicted heat may become an issue and put an emphasis on fitness earlier in the year; however, he does not believe it will shape finals any differently.
"Generally in finals time fitness plays a big part anyway, so because of that I don't think the heat will really make a difference," he said.
At Greta-Branxton, the coach believes there is only a certain amount the coaching staff can do.
"The major fact in it all comes down to education of the players and their dedication to their team and club," he said. "The players have to know how to treat their body 48 hours before the game, hydration, food, sleep and mental state are the major keys before the whistle is even blown." Competitions are yet to introduce any policies to address the change in weather, although Slade said it is something he wouldn't object to Northern League One having a look at.