The Cootamundra Blues were due to hold their end of season presentation night last Saturday night, October 16.
However, NSW Health Public Health Orders enforced restrictions of a capacity of 20 attendees, causing the event to be unfeasible.
The Australian Rules club was scheduled to have the semi-formal awards night at the Cootamundra Country Club with the evening slated to commence at 7pm, however, Blues officials are working towards a new date, potentially in early November.
Cootamundra Blues Club President Todd Basham told The Times despite the disappointing news, the club is close to settling on a revised date for the presentation night.
“Basically, the rules changed when Sydney opened, so we couldn’t have a function more than 20 from last Monday,” Todd said.
“The rules went backwards, if we’d have had it on the Saturday night previous, we would’ve been alright.
“Approximately 60 people were expected to attend.
“We’re looking at a Saturday night in early November, either the 6th or 13th.”
The Coota Blues had a consistent and respectable season, finishing the season in 7th position with five wins and six losses in the AFL Canberra 3rd Grade Men’s competition.
“The season went fairly well, considering we were short on numbers at the start of the season and thought we would struggle with numbers but by the time the season started we had adequate numbers,” Todd said.
“The ANU Griffins were a powerful side and the benchmark for sure.”
As the Blues strive to jump up the ladder in whatever competition they compete in next season, a number of talented players will help take them to new potential heights.
Todd mentioned some standout Coota players who helped the club to finish in their mid-table position, listing a few frontrunners for the Best and Fairest award.
“I think the season’s big standouts players were Phil Bird, Jacob Tiernan and Joe Scott are in the mix.
“A smokey might include Blake Basham.”
Other awards that will be given out on the presentation night include Coaches’ awards, Junior with Most Potential, and Rookie of the Year.
“We’ve got fairly good youngsters in Sam Gash, Harvey Holt, Lachie Webb and Bailey Seinfeld who are all young blokes around that 17–18-year-old mark,” Todd continued.
The Cootamundra Blues are also finalising the renovations on their new clubhouse, preparing to be ready in time for the start of next season.
A plague of white ants caused the majority of the old clubhouse to be affected and damaged, calling on the new clubhouse to be built.
The land the clubhouse sits on is in close proximity to the creek, a moist environment that the ants like.
“The old clubrooms were eaten out by white ants, so the building is mostly steel now so the white ants can’t eat that,” the Club President said.
“We’ve got basically a new rebuild of the clubrooms with updated toilet facilities and kitchen.
“We’re up to the lockup stage. Hopefully, the finishing touches will be applied between now and Christmas, ready for opening next year.”
When asked if the most capped player (290-odd-games) in Cootamundra Blues history, President Todd Basham at 51-years-old would attempt to reach the 300-game milestone, he just laughed.
“I’ve got no ambitions to get to 300, if I wanted to get to 300, I would’ve done it years ago,” he said.
Tim Warren