WHILE admitting the two week rain-enforced hiatus in the Newcastle Football Zone 2 competition is frustrating, Southern United coach Jonathon Newman says there is a positive.
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The Ospreys hope to return to football this weekend against North United Wolves in Newcastle.
They haven't played since going down to Newcastle Croatia 4-2 on April 27.
"In some ways a few weeks off is helpful for those carrying injuries/niggles to get over them,'' Newman said.
"We were going to be without first grade skipper Ethan Perry last Saturday, but this second washout gives him a little more time to recover," he said.
"Jake Camilleri and Tommy Elder will not have minded the weekend off.
"Flynn Parker was away, so now he doesn't miss a game.
"I could mention a reasonably lengthy list of players who might be just a little happy that we missed out on playing again, but I'm confident any team we put on the park in any grade is going to be competitive.''
The Wolves sit on the same points as Southern, but are ahead on goal differences.
"North United Wolves performed very strongly last season in all grades and look to have a pretty experienced first grade side,'' Newman said.
"I'm expecting quite a physical encounter but I also feel that technically we are right up there and will acquit ourselves very well.
"We've already learned quite a lot from having to analyse a couple of losses this season which we didn't have to do last year, and we'll be a much better football side by the end of this season because of it.''
The ladder is congested, although somewhat misleading due to the number of postponed games.
However, from the 11 sides at this stage it appears there are eight genuine contenders - including the Ospreys - for the top five.
"I keep saying it - I think when you look at the results of matches that are actually getting played in our competition, it's pretty clear that everyone is evenly matched,'' Newman said.
"The make-up of the five come season's end is anyone's guess.''
North United Wolves performed very strongly last season in all grades and look to have a pretty experienced first grade side.
- Jonathon Newman
Mid Coast Football also has to deal with postponed games in the Northern NSW Women's Premier League.
Last weekend's clash against New Lambton was postponed.
Mid Coast now has four games to catch-up.
Postponed games are frustrating for any team.
However, they present a logistical problems for Mid Coast.
The travel involved makes it virtually impossible to play the matches mid-week, with Mid Coast the only club in the league not from the Newcastle-Hunter.
"That means we have to play on weekends, here on Saturday then Newcastle on Sunday or vice versa,'' coach, Mandi Langlar said.
"That's a lot of travel and it gets tiring.''
Mid Coast draws players from the Great Lakes to the Coffs Harbour area.
In recent weeks the side hasn't been able to train on a field due to ground closures.
"We have players travelling one-and-a-quarter and one-and-a-half hours to train and all we can have a video session,'' Langlar said.
