Tuggeranong Valley find COVID-19 silver lining in AFL Canberra opener

That's where the Queanbeyan product had signed as player-coach after winning the Narrandera Eagles' best and fairest last season. But 2020 is full of "should haves".

Like how Adam Kinasch and Alex Paech should have been playing in the NEAFL for the Canberra Demons against the GWS Giants this week.

But the coronavirus pandemic put a stop to all that. The NEAFL was scrapped and may not return, and the Riverina league was cancelled to leave Hedington searching for a new home.

Five days out from the Tuggeranong Valley's first senior men's game he found what he was looking for, applying for a last gasp clearance to line up in the club's AFL Canberra season opener.

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Tuggeranong's new trio made an immediate impact in a 10.13 (73) to 5.8 (38) round one triumph over the Gungahlin Jets at Googong's Rockley Oval on Sunday.

It was a dream opening after the region's four clubs merged into one to spell the end of the Hawks, who had won one senior men's game in two years, and start afresh under a new banner.

Hedington's addition off half-back was a timely one after Tuggeranong lost Damien Bowles to a hamstring injury in pre-season 2.0 before the season began.

Couple that with a pair of Demons in the forward line and a sprinkling of Marist College exports fresh off an under 18s premiership and new coach Jim Rice has plenty to build on following a stint as an assistant at Ainslie.

"Where the club is at in the fact we merged all the Tuggeranong football clubs into one, it has provided an environment for guys they can really thrive in," Rice said.

"They're able to contribute to the community as well, and that's really important to us, as well as what we can produce on the field.

"Being able to be successful in both of those areas was important in recruiting those guys, because not only are they good players, but they're teachers as well.

"They continue to play well and teach the guys around them what it takes to be successful, and what it looks like. They can show you as well as teach you."

The clash in Googong capped off a bizarre week for football in the region with all senior games moved across the border to NSW venues in case ACT government restrictions delayed the start of competitions.

But clubs are set to return to their usual home grounds from round two pending an update from the ACT chief health officer, after rival codes got their seasons off the ground in Canberra.

The next step for Tuggeranong is the Eastlake Demons under lights at Football Park on Friday night.

"The confidence it brings for a group that hasn't had a lot of success over the years is good," Rice said.

"Success breeds success. It's a matter of them understanding what it takes and being able to reproduce it weekly. That's a learning experience for all of us."

AT A GLANCE

AFL Canberra round one:

QUEANBEYAN TIGERS 6.0 8.5 10.7 14.8 (92) bt EASTLAKE DEMONS 1.4 4.5 5.7 8.8 (56)

BELCONNEN MAGPIES 5.2 7.8 9.12 11.15 (81) bt AINSLIE TRICOLOURS 1.2 3.4 7.4 10.6 (66)

TUGGERANONG VALLEY 10.13 (73) bt GUNGAHLIN JETS 5.8 (38)