Norwood Redlegs recruit Ryan Bastinac returns to Queensland amid the COVID-19 crisis
A gun Norwood signing has packed his bags and returned interstate with the SANFL season up in the air, but the club is confident he will return when the league is up and running.
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Star Norwood recruit Ryan Bastinac has gone back to Queensland indefinitely but the club is confident the ex-AFL midfielder will return to The Parade if the SANFL season gets underway.
The former Brisbane and North Melbourne onballer signed a two-year deal with the Redlegs in November after he was delisted by the Lions.
However with the SANFL season suspended due to the coronavirus, Bastinac is not receiving income from his job linked to the club or match payments.
Norwood football manager Mark Ross said the 28-year-old told the club the financial strain along with needing to attend to a property in Brisbane meant he needed to move back to Queensland indefinitely.
“We’re very confident Ryan will come back to play when the season gets underway, whether that’s this year or 2021,” Ross said.
“We’re in regular contact with him and he hasn’t given any indication he won’t play.
“He’ll stay up there (Brisbane) as long has he needs to, at the moment it’s indefinite.”
The SANFL season has been postponed until at least May 31 because of COVID-19 although the league is expected to provide a more detailed update on matches and training by the end of April.
Bastinac, who played 164 AFL games from 2010-2019, was one of the league’s most high-profile SANFL recruits in the off-season.
He was rated at No. 4 in The Advertiser ’s top 25 SANFL players for 2020 earlier this month.
The Victorian-born midfielder told The Messenger in November he joined Norwood to reunite with former Kangaroos teammate Brad McKenzie and explore opportunities off-field.