The NSWRL has made plain its intention for all grassroots football to recommence on July 18, with current health orders preventing training set to be lifted on June 29 and allow teams a fortnight to prepare.

It would open the door for first grade competitions to get underway but there are fears the economic impacts, particularly those on pubs and clubs, will leave clubs unable to meet the financial demands of putting a first-grade side on the park.

The IDRL is currently in dialogue with its seven clubs about what a viable season could look like and will consider capping league-wide match payments and other measures to reduce financial demands

A July 18 resumption would allow a seven-week regular season that would see all clubs play each other once ahead of a traditional three-week final series that would conclude with a September 20 grand final, just a week later than initially scheduled.

Wests coach Pete McLeod believes that would be the best-case scenario, but says the Devils will look beyond Wollongong if the regular Illawarra competition does not proceed in 2020.

"As soon as we get the clearance from the NSW Rugby League we'll be pushing to play, hopefully in the Illawarra comp because we love our competition, but elsewhere if we need to look at that," McLeod said.

"Speaking to all the players they're just itching to get back training and playing. As soon as we're allowed to play footy, Wests' will be there swinging. We know these are different times, I don't think local footy, or local sport in general, will be the same for a long time.

"Wests Leagues has been going for 70 years and had never been closed for a day, now it's been closed for a month. Our players understand that, it's not the same and it's not going to be.

"The dollars and cents aren't even important to us at the moment, we just need to get back on the field. If we could just play each other once and then have a final series, that constitutes a fair season for me.

"Hopefully that's the case but if there's [another] competition to play in we'll be playing."

Illawarra was this year elevated to major competition status alongside the Newcastle and Ron Massey Cup competitions following last year's NSWRL-CRL merger

With comparable Central Coast and Canberra competitions facing the same financial issues, a Challenge Cup style competition featuring sides from various elite leagues in different pools is one idea on the table.

It would see a broadened elite competition be played, but hypothetically allow clubs who can't meet the financial demands of a season start building towards a 2021 return without scuppering a whole competition.

Collegians coach Nathan Fien is one fan of the idea.

"I'm not sure how it would be arranged or who needs to come together to bring it about but I think it's a fantastic idea," Fien said.

"Obviously seeing the Illawarra comp up and running in some way shape or form this year is the top priority but if some sides can't for whatever reason, I'd definitely like to be a part of something like that.

"Even if we have a shortened competition, and Newcastle or Canberra have theirs, it could be something to look at at the end of the season just to get some extra footy in after missing such a big chunk early in the year.

"We were really excited about the upcoming season, being the premiers you always want the opportunity to defend your title, but we're all in the same boat.

"We'll just have to wait and see what the fallout is and what the structure looks like if they can get it together."

Long-time Thirroul coach Jarrod Costello was also supportive of the concept in theory should a regular season not be a possibility.

"There's a lot of things that need to be balanced to achieve it but I think everyone would like to see some sort of footy played this year," Costello said.

"It'd be an alternative if you don't get a normal season up, there'd be something there to play for and it'd be something a bit different playing against sides you wouldn't normally get to play against.

"It's got to be be balanced with how different clubs can manage, practically, financially and all those sorts of things but its probably something to keep in the back of our minds as an alternative towards the back-end of the year if we can't get a [Illawarra] comp happening."