It follows the league's decision on the weekend to abandon the first week of its finals series - scheduled for next weekend - and pursue a four-team format when the competition resumes following the latest COVID-19 lockdown in Victoria.

The ruling brought an immediate end to the season for those teams that finished fifth.

Other netball clubs affected by the league's decision are Colbinabbin (A-reserve and under-15), Mount Pleasant (B-grade), North Bendigo (B-reserve) and White Hills (under-17).

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Eliades, who will coach the Hawks for the sixth-straight year in 2022, said it was a disappointing end to their campaign, particularly after they had rallied from sixth place in late July to clinch a finals spot on the back of three-straight cut-throat wins.

"It is disappointing - we know we had a job ahead of us to get back into the five and to finish like that, well it's a little bit sad actually," she said.

"But I guess that's just a realisation of where we are at as a community.

"It's sad for our A-grade girls, their season is now over and they will disperse to their own lives, whereas more importantly, it comes at a time when you want people to try and come together in any way they can.

"But it is what it is, there's nothing we can do about it."

Eliades empathised with teams and coaches from other leagues who could soon face the same prospect of the Hawks should the lockdown extend past its scheduled end on September 2.

An up-and-down season for Huntly featured seven wins and six losses, the Hawks' best wins coming against third-placed White Hills in June and North Bendigo last weekend.

The win over the Demons was the Hawks' first in Eliades' five years at the club, while their victory against the Bulldogs ultimately determined fifth spot.

The reappointed coach said despite their stop-start season coming to a premature end, there had been positives to emerge this year.

"The camaraderie in our netball squad, across the board, was excellent. We've had a great year on and off the court," she said.

"What I have liked is how the girls have really supported each other and that has come across on the court as well. They have just been there for each other and the club itself has really got around us.

"On the court, I feel our depth across the grades is really starting to build and we've managed to re-sign all but one of our coaches and we have already filled that one vacancy.

"Although, with what has happened the last two years, it seems like we are starting all over again from scratch.

"A sad thing about not playing (on Saturday) was Jenna Baker and Anna Sier were going to play their 200th games for the club and we were going to have a send-off for our president.

"It would have been a great day."

The Hawks will still have two teams playing finals, with their B-grade qualifying in third position and B-reserve finishing fourth.

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