HE'S one of the Gunnedah Red Devils' most experienced players, but the COVID-19 pandemic is taking its toll on Matthew Hannay.
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The hooker, who hasn't missed a season since 1994, was eager to help his beloved side improve on its 2019 semi-final finish this season.
However, the postponement of the Central North season due to the pandemic, has left the Gunnedah stalwart facing one of the biggest challenges of his career.
"This is the first season since 1994 I will miss and it's only because of the virus," Hannay told the Leader.
"'I'm going out of my brain not playing let me tell you.
"It's horrible."
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Hannay said he would be doing his best to be ready should the season go ahead later this year.
"To be honest, I miss the training more than anything," he said.
"This whole thing means I can't even have a beer with the boys, which is really tough."
Red Devils fans had their collective hearts in their mouth on April 1, when Hannay took to social media to announce his retirement.
"It was just a bit of an April-Fools joke," Hannay said.
"There's no way I'll ever retire.
"I can't finish [my career] by COVID, I'll have to go another year now I reckon."
The future of the Central North season remains up in the air, after Rugby Australia extended the restrictions on games and training until June 1.
If the restrictions were to be lifted on June 1, it is likely Central North will implement a shortened pre-season training period before the resumption of the competition.
"Personally, it wouldn't bother me too much if we had to wait or just jump straight back into playing," Hannay said.
"I think we would all be on a level playing field in that regard.
"I think the players and coaches will be champing at the bit to get back on the park. It's a bit of a tough one, that's for sure."
Hannay said the restrictions caused by the pandemic could lead to one of the most competitive Central North season's in history.
"It's tough to say who the team to beat will be," he said.
"If no one has been able to train together, then those clubs and towns with larger numbers of shift workers, might not be so disadvantaged as they can never get the same people at training all the time.
"However, I think younger teams who can hit the ground running and teams who can find their cohesion immediately will jump ahead.
"It's such a hard thing to predict really, but hopefully we get to find out."
Billy Jupp
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
