Wauchope Blues co-coach Beau Kettle weighs in on how they can still win the Group 3 rugby league title

But if public health orders are in place that prevent a grand final from allowing spectators, co-coach Beau Kettle said the Blues would do what they had to do.

While they haven't been beaten so far this season and they still need to get there first, Kettle is daring to dream.

"In the grand finals I've played at Wauchope, the atmosphere is electric," he said.

"In the lead-up to the game the whole town is abuzz so to have no crowd there would feel like training. But if we've got to do it that way, then we've got to do it that way."

The Blues are playing for more than a premiership in 2021 - they're playing for former president Ged Roods who passed away suddenly last year.

"With the amount of hard work we've done I'd play it without a crowd just for what we're playing for," Kettle said.

"We sat down at the start of the year with all the boys and said we are playing for one thing this year and it is for Ged. If he was still here he'd want us to do the same thing and play without a crowd.

"If it comes down to that so be it, but it's not ideal."

If you dig a little bit deeper, the Blues are well placed to give each grade a shake - if Covid doesn't get there first.

Following news of a new case in Kempsey on August 18 - the region's first in more than 470 days - doubts now surround whether the winter codes may have run their race.

Regional New South Wales was due to emerge from a snap seven-day lockdown on August 22.

Now it has been extended to at least August 29 and many are starting to hope for the best, but preparing for the worst.

"It's hard to think what's going to happen in the future and who's to say they're not going to extend it again like they have down in Sydney," Kettle said.

The Group 3 finals are pencilled in to start on September 5, so there is still time to complete the season although the Blues could head into a major semi-final having not played a game for a month.

"You want to keep your footy under your belt and all your match fitness because at the moment we can't train as a group," Kettle said.

"If that's the way it works out and we drop straight into the major semi we've got no footy under our belt, but Sharks and Old Bar could play off so they'll have a bit of footy under their belt.

"One game in a month is definitely not ideal and I really hope it doesn't stop all the hard work we've put in."

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