But even as the COVID-19 pandemic stopped a season in its tracks, those behind the scenes at Benalla All Blacks haven't settled for sitting still as they forge ahead towards the 2021 season.
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“Hopefully next year there will be some sort of normality, so we can have crowds, and some functions and get people back mixing again,” club president Doug Aiton said.
“Nobody knows for sure what is going to happen, but we're looking forward. That’s all we can do.
“We need to prepare like it’s a normal season, then if that doesn’t eventuate, you look at what comes out of it.
“But if you're not prepared, you won’t be ready.”
Fresh off re-signing football coaches Nich Spencer and Matt Kilpatrick, the club has also begun its search for its next netball leaders.
“Nich did a fantastic job early in the year, and unfortunately we didn't have a chance to see him coach this year. We're more than happy to have him back as coach,” Aiton said.
“With netball, we’ve already asked our coaches from this year, but for personal or work matters, they aren't able to come back on.
“So if anyone around would like to coach, we’ve got positions available, put in a submission and hopefully we can find some qualified coaches.”
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One such normality the club does hope to see return to the clubhouse soon though is Bingo night, which has been running since 1986.
“With restrictions, it's not possible to have 40 in the hall at four square metres apart,” Aiton said.
“We don't want to upset our regulars by turning people away, so we'll wait a bit longer until things become a bit more normal, and then hopefully we'll get that up and running.”
In the background, there has been an abundance of work happening around the grounds, with some longtime clubman tending to the pavilion gardens and ground.
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Club secretary Ray Gallagher said preliminary works to upgrade the irrigation system have also been conducted, with all gal and PVC pipes, as well as sprinkler heads and solenoids located.
Subsequently, a drone survey has accurately mapped the system and surface contours to inform the club for future works.
And thanks to a WorkSafe grant, the club has also purchased a new deep fryer, while a Benalla Rural City Community Infrastructure grant has been secured to go towards a new stove oven and the sanding and polishing of the clubroom floor.
The club also thanked its sponsors, past, present and future for all their support.
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