AFTER several months of waiting for redemption for last year's grand final loss, the Tamworth Thunderbolts were set to take the court in a season-opener against Newcastle on Saturday.
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However, the Waratah League, like several other sporting codes across the country, has been postponed due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
The move will have massive ramifications for all players, but none are feeling the effects more than Thunderbolts' American import Quayshun Hawkins.
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The reigning league most valuable player said he was unsure what the future would hold if the season didn't go ahead.
"They said the competition was postponed until further notice, so who knows when we'll be back," Hawkins told the Leader.
"It sucks because I definitely was looking forward to competing and seeing where we were at as a team.
"The guys have looked really good at practice and it would have been nice to see if it could transitioned to the actual game."
While upset not to be playing the game he loves the most, Hawkins said he was very understanding of the decision.
"It's definitely a setback but health is very important," he said.
"Hopefully they hey can figure it out and we can continue soon."
Born and bred in South Carolina, Hawkins said he was doing all he could to keep in touch with his family.
"I talk to my family a lot and a lot of things are just closing down right now," he said.
"They were talking about a government shut down, so I'm not sure yet, but it's spreading pretty fast in America."
If the season were to be called off, Hawkins said he was unsure what his visa would allow him to do instead of playing basketball.
"As far as I know I will be stuck here because you can't go in or come out of the country for 60 days," he said.
"As for my visa, I don't even know what's going to happen."
Hawkins said he was open to all possibilities to keep the season going.
"I'd be up for playing in an empty stadium for sure," he said.
"Something is better than nothing."
Billy Jupp
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
