Premiership and finals races across the Hunter region were thrown into uncertainty on Thursday with the calling of a seven-day COVID lockdown.
The announcement, and potential for a longer lockdown, left sports administrators scrambling to find options to complete their winter competitions. All games and training are prohibited during the lockdown.
Newcastle Rugby League and Northern NSW Football decided on Thursday to push their premier competitions finals back a week and play this weekend's postponed matches a week after their scheduled final rounds.
Hunter Rugby Union president Glenn Turner said his organisation also had the capacity to push their finals back a week to play their postponed round but they were yet to consult clubs.
The Hunter Rugby Union competition has three rounds to go with Merewether (51), Wanderers (50) and Hamilton (48) battling for the minor title. The top four were close to settled with Maitland (35) eight points clear of Nelson Bay.
The crunch Northern NSW NPL soccer match between Maitland and Broadmeadow at Magic Park on Friday night was among the first top-grade games affected by the lockdown. Second-placed Maitland (37 points) trail leaders Lambton Jaffas by a point with two rounds left.
NNSWF operations manager Liam Bentley said the NPL, Herald Women's Premier League and men's Northern League One would have their finals a week later and play this weekend's matches the weekend after their final rounds.
The Newcastle Rugby League was entering its final round this weekend with Maitland already assured of first spot and the top five locked in, although Central and Macquarie were to battle for third place. After a meeting between Newcastle RL and NSWRL on Thursday, this weekend's round 18 matches were postponed to August 14-15, pushing back the finals by a week.
The restrictions further impact leagues in the AFL, hockey and Newcastle RL, which had already lost Central Coast teams because of lockdown in that region.
The Newcastle netball championship had a washout round to play this weekend before the play-offs, but the top four sides were guaranteed of finals.
The racing codes will continue with essential personnel only trackside. Newcastle hosts a gallops meeting on Saturday, while Newcastle harness racing goes ahead on Friday night, although it is restricted to horses trained inside the lockdown zone. The Gardens greyhound meetings on Friday and Saturday and Maitland's program on Monday will also operate under that rule.
