With the announcement from Acting Minister for Sport, Geoff Lee last week that senior community sport can recommence from July 1, we have finally had confirmation from SRU that the Shute Shield will kick off on Saturday 18th July, as the NSW Government lifts more COVID-19 restrictions.
The season will comprise of 13 Clubs (Newcastle and Penrith the new additions), competing over 13 rounds followed by 3 weeks of finals, concluding with the Grand Final on 31st October. All 13 Clubs are expected to have 1st Grade, 2nd Grade and 1st Colts teams. Clubs who have extra teams will be able to play and restricted competitions will be facilitated (restricted as not all 13 Clubs will have extra teams). We are expecting the draw to be released next week. The woman’s competition is still to be decided by the SRU but is projected to start in early August.
With regards to spectator attendance, the latest NSW Government announcement allows for sporting venues to permit crowds of up to 25% of stadium capacity to attend fixtures. We will continue to monitor the rapidly changing restrictions and adapt accordingly.
As a club we have done absolutely everything in our power to minimise the risk of COVID-19 transmissions to our community and will continue to do so, we have protocols in place that align with the current restrictions that puts the health and safety of all our players, coaches, volunteers, supporters and sponsors at the forefront.
We encourage you to keep an eye on our social media pages and website for further updates regarding the revised 2020 season.