The Canberra Raiders could win the competition named after them, with the weekend of September 27 set to host the grand final.
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A Canberra Raiders Cup format has been finalised, with the four teams - reigning premiers Queanbeyan Blues, Woden Valley Rams, Gungahlin Bulls and the Raiders under-20s - playing each other three times before the top two go straight into a decider.
With the competition to kick off on June 25 that means the grand final will probably be on the final Sunday in September - a few weeks later than normal, but it should allow the cricket season to go fairly unaffected.
Canberra Region Rugby League general manager Mark Vergano said the Canberra Raiders Cup, the George Tooke Shield - with five teams - and women's league tag would definitely go ahead, while reserve grade was looking likely.
Ladies tackle and under-19s were still a work in progress.
The junior competitions are set to start a week before the seniors, with grand finals likely on the same weekend.
"Basically nine rounds and a GF. They play each other three times on the rounds and then straight to the top two go through to a grand final," Vergano said.
While the NRL has only introduced a loan system this season, with Paul Momirovski heading from Wests Tigers to Melbourne Storm in exchange for Harry Grant, something similar has been available in the Canberra Raiders Cup for a number of years.
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It means any players from clubs without teams can change clubs for a season under a "permit" - with the permanent "clearance" put on hold until next year.
"There's some clubs that took the decision to not play, and that's fine, but there are players probably within those clubs that still wish to play rugby league," Vergano said.
"Because of the extraordinary nature of the year ... a way of making sure that we didn't rip the heart out of any club is the player movement would be more on a permit basis rather than a clearance basis.
"That gave comfort to the non-participating club they suddenly wouldn't be left with any players for 2021.
"We want to get players playing after such a lockdown, but we also have to keep one eye on the viability of clubs for 2021 as well."
David Polkinghorne
Covering the Raiders, Cavalry, cycling and racing, plus everything else that involves sport in the ACT, for The Canberra Times. Basically I love sport and watching it is a full-time job. Email: david.polkinghorne@canberratimes.com.au
Covering the Raiders, Cavalry, cycling and racing, plus everything else that involves sport in the ACT, for The Canberra Times. Basically I love sport and watching it is a full-time job. Email: david.polkinghorne@canberratimes.com.au
