Tamworth Magpies president Mitch Hanlon has expressed surprise over Central North rugby clubs voting to abandon the season and several Group 4 clubs signalling their intention to do the same.
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Hanlon believes that financially strapped clubs should be able to "cobble something together" to get on the field - if, as expected, the state government soon gives senior community sport the go-ahead to resume.
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Last month Tamworth joined the five other New England Rugby Union clubs in supporting the NERU's July 18 season start date.
At the same time, Central North Rugby Union's nine clubs opted to abandon the 2020 season. While a number of Group 4 clubs have said they would not take part in a 2020 season if crowds were not allowed to attend matches, due to the loss of revenue.
Hanlon said: "We're in the same boat too: we probably won't have crowds. But kids just wanna play footy.
"Our costs aren't probably as high [as rugby league clubs]. We're not paying players. I don't know if that's the issue too [with Group 4 clubs].
"The pubs aren't around, so they can't sponsor them [Group 4 clubs].
"But surely you can cobble something together from [having] no money [and get on the field]."
Tamworth have raised much-needed money by offering people a $250 perpetual membership - raising some $4000.
Hanlon said that if the Magpies could raise enough to compete in the current environment, "anyone could".
"We're not the smartest tools in the shed," he said, adding: "We're scraping around for money all the time."
Hanlon believes that the support the club has received via the perpetual membership offer is an "indication of our rugby community's commitment to the club". "That's how we've solved our financial problem," he said.
"Mind you, that's only kicked the can down the road for a few months. We might have to go back and ask for perpetual, perpetual membership."
Hanlon said Tamworth would live stream all their games this season.
