The AFL Riverina board met on Monday night and decided to delay the start to the 2020 season by a week and at the same time introduce the AFL Riverina Championships that will be played for this year.

It will begin on Saturday week, July 25, subject to government advice, and be a composite competition made up of Riverina and Farrer League clubs.

Crows president Tim Carroll is pleased to see that there is still a chance of a football season going ahead.

"We just think while the Public Health Orders are saying it is ok to play we are all pretty keen to play," he said.

"We had a trial game on Saturday, and there wasn't anyone there who expressed a concern about the competition going ahead.

"We have a committee meeting tonight (Tuesday), and I'll put it to them again and make sure that we still want to go ahead, but I think they will say yes and that we need to push on."

The draw will be announced later in the week once clubs have announced whether they will participate or not. There were also strict conditions on players who have transferred since June 1, and Carroll was confident it wouldn't have too much of an impact on the players they have signed.

"Liam (Frazer) and Sam (Darley) definitely won't come," he said.

"Most of the blokes that we have signed particularly the locals have been back here doing their uni on line. I don't think it will impact us too much. We have also signed Ben Fulford from Moama, and so we have to look at that situation and see how that fits with regards to where he has been."

Cooper Sharman was another potential pick up, but Carroll said that was a wait and see situation but was hopeful he would be able to play a few games.

In more positive news, the South West Junior competition will also be proceeding with the first games to be played this weekend.

"With less travel, it is probably safer for them to go ahead and I'm glad about that," he said.

"We have good numbers in the juniors again this year and need to give them a bit of football and netball. I always saw them as two different entities as to whether they go ahead or not."

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