And the NTCA Ground club has no control over the clock as it awaits council approval on a return to play plan with a deadline approaching for committing to a 2020 campaign.

Acting president Dale Coombe said the club is likely to have to decide whether it will commit before any player has returned to training.

"Next Sunday is Football Tasmania's cutoff date to opt out of competition," he said.

"We have to make the decision without even having our players at training. That's a difficult position for any club to be in.

"We're certainly working in the guess zone."

ELSEWHERE IN SPORT:

As Tasmania begins to resume community sport from the coronavirus shutdown, all soccer clubs are required to draw up a return to play plan which must be approved by Football Tasmania and relevant local councils.

But while some clubs were given the green light and resumed training more than a week ago, others are still awaiting approval.

"Our plan was approved by Football Tasmania last Monday but we're still waiting for it to be signed off by Launceston City Council," Coombe said.

"We submitted the required paperwork and have not heard back from the council since, so we're still up in the air.

"There is some indication the grounds will be open next week but at this stage, with the long weekend, Tuesday looks like the earliest we will hear. I thought we would have had approval by the end of last week."

Coombe said contrasting timelines presented an uneven playing field and felt the state body could have imposed an agreed return date.

"Devonport had their paperwork submitted in record time and got approval all within about four or five days and kudos to them and their relationship with Devonport City Council," he said.

"But it was always my fear that a club's ability to be able to complete their plan and a council's ability to endorse it would create an unequal playing field and that has occurred.

"An agreed date for everyone to return would have made it a bit more equitable, but I know it has not been an easy period for anybody."

Coombe sympathised with City of Launceston as it worked through the process required to meet COVID-19 government guidelines.

"Launceston council have a lot of facilities they operate and a considerable number of clubs and organisations they are trying to get started and I'm sure people are working hard to get through that but I just feel the process is taking a long time.

"My fear is more governance and paperwork ahead will add further delay and the longer this drags out we're going to be moving into a position where we most likely won't return to training until next week at best."

City of Launceston was unable to confirm the status of Northern Rangers' submission until Tuesday.

All too familiar with PPEs and hygiene requirements in his day job as a dental prosthesis, Coombe said the return to play requirements are going to impact clubs' volunteer base and finances.

Coronavirus is also having a secondary impact on Northern Rangers by having the temporary testing station at Elphin Sports Centre blocking their primary access off Racecourse Cresent.

"That's a problem for us, especially coming to games," Coombe said. "If that clinic is not moved by July 18, we've got more of a problem. We do have some access off Boland Street but once you add junior club training it would be a nightmare trying to bring people in and out.

"We would want to get our senior club training for a fortnight before we even think about our junior club because we'd want to make sure the process is working before we complicate it with 260-plus juniors and it's easier to make it work with four senior teams first."

Founded in 1999, Rangers were Northern Premier League champions in 2009, 2010 and 2012 and are the reigning Northern champions, after finishing five points ahead of Devonport. A hugely successful 2019 season also saw the club finish runners-up in the women's, reserves and under-18 competitions.

Coombe supported the idea of a 14-round Northern competition but expressed concern about the viability of the reserves league.

Rangers are also due to travel to Glenorchy Knights in the Lakoseljac Cup, Launceston City in the women's statewide cup and Kingborough in the under-20s.

"Assuming we can train, I am confident we would be able to complete a season but it will have its challenges with player numbers, volunteer numbers and finances.

"We're doing this so all these young people can get back to some sort of normality. It would be much easier to walk away and right the whole season off."