THE pause button was pressed on football in 2020.
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So, not surprisingly, many Hampden league coaches charged with leading their teams this year are ready to press play in 2021.
Six of the 10 senior coaches - Jarrod Holt (Portland), Gerard FitzGerald (Hamilton Kangaroos), Neville Swayn (Camperdown), Chris McLaren (Koroit), Adam Courtney (Cobden), Adam Dowie (North Warrnambool Eagles) - are locked in.
Others are on the cusp or re-signing.
Stability at the top and locking in leaders is important during an uncertain time.
Searching for a coach becomes one less burden for committees and it allows a club to move forward and consolidate lists, work out player points and organise finances.
For Courtney, who coached Cobden in 2019 before the pandemic robbed him of his second season, re-signing was a logical decision.
"It is a long-term plan at the club to keep building up at the moment and I am definitely there for next year and hopefully beyond," he said.
"The commitment from the players was great (during this year's pre-season) and I expect that to be the same.
"The club and myself and the players, we're all on the same wave length and know what we want the culture to be."
It is anticipated there will be less player movement during the off-season, given the uncertainty surrounding coronavirus restrictions.
It is unknown when border closures will ease.
No one knows when pre-season will start either and if next season will get through unscathed.
Those moving teams appear likely to be those returning to their old stomping grounds.
Tim McIntyre (Koroit) and Jason Rowan (Warrnambool) have already signed with clubs they've previously represented.
Courtney is confident the Bombers will retain the bulk of their list too, saying "the majority of them are all locked in in".
"I don't expect to see as much player movement this year as we have in the past," he said.
Holt, who had returned for his second stint at Portland this year, anticipates restrictions could impact pre-season start dates at a bare minimum.
Usually clubs start in late October or early November.
"I can see it eating into pre-season," he said.
For now, for those eager to lead in 2021, it's a waiting game.
Let's hope Victorian clubs are given a clean run at it, a luxury afforded to many country teams across Australia this year.
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