Yeah, reading between the lines, the AFL is desperately talking to everyone possible. Trying to get someone to agree with them, that they are good to go, and play Round 1. Everyone is telling them
NO!!!!
So they keep delaying the inevitable. It would seem even if they start Round 1, they might be lucky to complete it, let alone move onto Round 2.
Conversely, they are waiting to be told by the government, that they can't play, so they can go to all their partners and say "Well, we wanted to play, and did everything we could!".