WHAT sports will be played in the Manning this winter should be known in the next few weeks as COVID-19 restrictions start to ease.
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In normal times the majority of winter sports would be looking forward to a mid-season break with the June long weekend.
However, sporting groups are instead working on a starting date for their competitions.
Wingham Rifle Club's open prize shoot would usually take centre stage this weekend.
This time honoured event attracts some of the best riflemen and women from around Australia, but it has been cancelled because of the pandemic.
However, it's not all bad news for rifle club members and the club has been given permission to resume shooting on Saturday.
A practice session has been planned at the 300 metre range from 1pm although this is restricted to club members.
Group Three Rugby League was supposed to start on May 2. However, as reported last week only three clubs have indicated a willingness to play this year, so the code is on hold until 2021.
It's not yet clear if the three clubs, Old Bar, Forster Tuncurry and Macleay Valley, would be able to play in another group by invitation.
Manning Valley Hockey will push towards a July 18 start while Lower North Coast Rugby is hoping to kickoff on July 11.
However, Mid North Coast Rugby chief executive Bob Wilson said this will depend on approval from federal and State governments along with Rugby Australia. There are still doubts as to whether spectators can attend matches and if clubs can run a bar and canteen.
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Football Mid North Coast chairman Mike Parsons said planning has started to get junior and senior competitions going in 2020 but no starting dates have been confirmed.
Northern NSW Football this week announced proposed competition structures for the National Premier League (NPL) and the Herald Women's Premier League. Early rounds in these competitions were played before the season was suspended.
Manning Netball plans to run a truncated season for junior and senior teams, starting next month and finishing before the October long weekend. Group Three Junior Rugby League hopes to kickoff next month.
Mid North Coast Cricket Council president David Burley said he expects the Mid North Coast Premier League to start at the usual time, the first Saturday after the October long weekend, when hopefully things will be closer to normal.
The competition had a disrupted 2019/20 because of bushfires, poor air quality because of smoke from bushfires, rain and finally the coronavirus.
