Seahawks coach James Mitchell said his latest information was to work towards January 9 with the team to start pre-season training on Tuesday.

Mitchell said the summer competition would be condensed into a six or eight-week period.

"I am assuming in the next couple of weeks we'll hear a bit more detail but we're preparing as if it's our start date," he said.

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The Big V competition - a higher standard - usually begins in March meaning the CBL will need to finish beforehand.

Mitchell said the CBL would be a Victorian-only series in 2020-21.

It was a decision made before South Australia's coronavirus cases rose this week.

"They (the league) were running it without Mount Gambier and Millicent anyway, not because South Australia had gone backwards but originally because Victoria (with its second wave) was a bit iffy," he said.

"They said 'let's just run it with the eight Victorian teams'. It just takes a lot of the complications (such as potential border restrictions) out of it."

Mitchell said he would now take a small squad into the season, given its short time-frame, and would run training twice a week in the lead-up to the season.

"Originally I was looking to have a really big squad and run an under 21 team as well but it's just going to be a bit more streamlined because we've only got six weeks before we need to play," he said.

"It is unfortunate but for any of those guys that miss out, the Big V is only just around the corner, so it's not like they're going to be sitting out for a long time.

"I never want to turn anyone away from basketball but you can't have 30 guys on one team."

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