The NRL season will still continue as planned despite the threat of the coronavirus – but that could change at any moment.
League CEO Todd Greenberg and Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V’landys announced in a press conference on Sunday morning that Round 2 of the season will be played behind closed doors, with a decision on the rest of the season to be made in the coming days.
But V’landys said the ongoing coronavirus crisis could force a rethink on the situation.
“This can change by the hour. All decisions we will make will have the safety and health of our players as paramount,” he said.
“It’s one of the toughest challenges for us to stay viable in the history of the game.
“We are going to review all options including isolating players or suspending the season. We’ve commissioned a pandemic expert and we are going to act on their advice.
“The paramount consideration is the players’ safety.”
With the decision to play matches without a crowd expected to hugely impact the financial state of the league, V’landys has called on the Australian government to provide aid.
“I spent all day yesterday looking into our accounts and all I thought was catastrophic,” he said.
“It’s very bleak, we don’t want to put dollar amounts on it at this stage. We need to be diligent. We will be going to government.
“We are asking for an economic stimulus [from the government]. Rugby League and every other sport should be in consideration.
“We are asking the government to invest not only in the economic situation but the social benefits of rugby league.”
Following the New Zealand government’s announcement on Saturday that anyone entering the country after this weekend must self-isolate for 14 days, the New Zealand Warriors will remain in Australia for the foreseeable future.
The team are expected to be based in Kingscliff on the border between Queensland and NSW for now, with their Round 2 match against the Canberra Raiders reportedly moved from Auckland to the Gold Coast.
However, players Peta Hiku and Patrick Herbert have returned to New Zealand for family reasons. Hiku’s partner is eight months pregnant, while Herbert also has a young child.
Greenberg praised the Warriors for their decision to remain in the country.
“The Warriors deserve a lot of credit, for the greater good of the competition they understand their obligations,” he said.
“If that means bringing families across we’ll assess that.”
Micko
Roar Rookie
Wealthy private businesses always become socialist and want taxpayer handouts when the hit hits the fan!
Micko
Roar Rookie
The comp is fine, it's the NZ government lockdown that's the problem.
Micko
Roar Rookie
Well that's their problem. It's an Australian sports league, so if they're not prepared to do the right thing and base themselves in Australia, you can't blame the NRL.
Micko
Roar Rookie
Plus WA,NT, SA, Tas., & Victoria survive fine. (The Storm only survive because the NRL rig it so they always have a good side.)
Nick
Roar Guru
Actually, Adam That came into effect on Sunday night. The warriors absolutely could have made it back before the new rule came into effect.
Fix the scrums
Guest
The health system and other community projects need more money from the government than Rugby League. League is a business and it has wasted a hell of a lot of money over the years. Tax payers won't like it if league gets more handouts over other sports and most importantly health services. It was a bad look over the weekend for the game to play to crowds in stadiums. Very distasteful and irresponsible. There is a major health crisis going on and the NRL only appears to be thinking of the money. Very disappointed in the NRLs handling of this most important issue. Stop begging for money, show some backbone and do the hard yards like the rest of Australia.
Footy Nut
Guest
Only in NSW & Qld is the care factor! No way should taxpayers be bailing out sporting codes. For starters you don't make them exempt from tax unlike the rest of the world. You might as well bail out the private sector as well. It was honestly pathetic to watch with the grovelling! Its a shame they cannot ask the Chinese government for a handout as it came from there!
Kevin
Guest
Does anyone know for a fact if the tv revenue is in danger should they not meet the 8 games per week ? I don’t know if I buy the severe money shortage with no crowds , how much are they making of 10,000 after rent and sundries are paid out So I can understand why it’s in their interest to keep the thing ticking over , so that income keeps rolling in for all involved I’d rather work than not ! & I wonder if the players union Has been approached about heavily dropping salaries if the revenue is depleted
Bruce
Guest
$110m net surplus since 2012, including a cool $30m from last year (p125 of their publicly available last financial report for any interested parties) and don’t have enough operational cashflow to last 3 months? What have they spent it all on???
GWSingapore
Roar Rookie
You cannot beat the NRL. One week boasting of record profits, the next the hands out or the public purse. Surely the competition has to be suspended. What if a player tests positive? Do his team mates and opponents that day go into immediate voluntary isolation pending tests? The competition will then collapse anyways.
peter ostle
Guest
The nrl want the government to make the decision for them: what leadership. The $$ rules The nrl is a business, the government have already announced a business package to aid the economy, but the nrl is asking for more it seems due to being more 'australian' than other businesses. The virus and how to deal with it is a test of leadership, and like some leaders in Australia and elsewhere - at national, state, sporting, business level - some leaders are being exposed as not having the qualities needed at this moment.
Big Daddy
Guest
You have to ask yourself the question . Round 1 and the NRL are talking government handout. Maybe they should come clean and tell us the real financial situation. If funds are low and salary cap has to be reduced maybe flows onto lower contracts. Will NRL official's reduce their salaries.
Kanggas2
Roar Rookie
Agree
Diamond Jackie
Roar Rookie
I get it. But handouts / stimulus should be given directly to families or small business , not sporting codes.
jamesb
Roar Guru
I'd be very surprised if ANZ Stadium gets a rebuild. The stadium money should be redirected towards the hospitals.
Richie
Roar Rookie
“The paramount consideration is the players’ safety.” It is obviously not. Can the comp! Players have families too. This is poor administration.
Mango Jack
Roar Guru
"An Australia without rugby league is not Australia". What a bizzare and idiotic statement. We seem to survive OK during the 5 months a year when there is no rugby league played.
Superspud
Roar Rookie
Not just player. Anyone from the ball boy to the chairman. It's only a matter of time.
Sylvester
Guest
There's no way the Warriors are going to spend more than a week in Australia. They'll have to default future games, making a mockery of the comp.
Caractacus
Guest
If it’s like the EPL then the NRL will be suspended the moment that the first player tests positive for the virus. In England the Premier League took the preemptive decision against government advice which I agree with.....and I’m a frustrated Liverpool fan.