St Mary’s midfielder Jackson Geary admitted that the recent lack of football had made for a strange adjustment amid the COVID-19 crisis

St Mary’s midfielder Jackson Geary was looking forward to another Bendigo Football Netball League season with Golden Square, however the COVID-19 pandemic has put the 2020 season in doubt.

Midfielder Jackson Geary admitted it was a strange adjustment to not be playing footy at this time of year.

ST Mary’s midfielder Jack Geary was looking forward to another Bendigo Football Netball League season with Golden Square, however the COVID-19 pandemic has put the 2020 season in doubt.

The veteran on-baller has been a consistent standout in both the NTFL and BFNL over the past few years but admitted the lack of football in recent times had made for a strange adjustment.

“It is a bit frustrating. I’m used to playing footy, we all are, that’s what we do this time of year,” Geary said. “We all feel a bit out of the loop in terms of no training or playing together. It is a strange adjustment for me for sure.

“At the moment I’m just trying to keep running and working on bodyweight exercises such as strength and conditioning. I can’t imagine there are many blokes touching the footy at the moment.”

With many footy ovals, particularly in Bendigo, shared with cricket the football leagues are looking in doubt with the shortened seasons of around nine rounds suggested.

The 2018 Michelsen Medal winner is in constant contact with his Golden Square club and squad mates on Facebook.

“It’s hard to tell if we will see any footy action this year, they are talking about a nine or ten- round season,” Geary said.

“As a landscaper I have not personally been put out of work, we’re outside a lot and can manage the social distancing but there are others who may be suffering in this time.

“For the club we have a Facebook group so that we can keep in touch with each other and get around the boys, everyone is in a different situation and I do worry about someone’s mental state.”

Geary was hugely impressed with the season St Mary’s enjoyed, finishing as losing grand finalists a year after taking the wooden spoon.

The 2016 Chaney Medal winner suffered a broken arm around Christmas, leaving him unable to head into finals.

“I was really excited to be a part of the team again,” Geary said.

“At the start of the year our goal was to scrape into the finals and it’s a testament to the club that we came back from the wooden spoon to runners-up.

“The personnel didn’t change much from the year before but the mentality and buy in did and showed what the club is about.”