The Australian Rugby League Commission has announced it plans to restart the NRL competition on May 28 and is weighing up the merits of two potential season structures.
Following landmark meetings with the NRL’s innovation committee on Thursday, the ARLC has approved plans to get the competition up and running almost 10 weeks after it was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.
State of Origin remaining in a standard three-game format and playing one grand final in Sydney was also endorsed by the ARLC, and there is a preference towards completing the remaining rounds of a regular NRL season rather than playing in conferences.
The announcement comes hours after free-to-air broadcast partners Channel Nine released a scathing statement accusing the NRL of mismanaging funds, and leaving them with an unfulfilled contract.
“Our goal is to give as much certainty as we can in uncertain times. There is clear evidence the curve is flattening,” said ARLC chairman Peter V’landys.
“The NSW Government has done a great job in reducing the infection rate from 22.27 per cent when we suspended the competition to 1.43 per cent today.
“The situation is changing dramatically and we need to get moving.
“It is in the best interests of our clubs, our players, our stakeholders and importantly our fans that the competition resumes as quickly and as safely as possible.
“We have said right from the start that what we say today may need to change tomorrow.
“We will be flexible, and if the trend changes or if government restrictions change then so will we. The health and safety of our players and the general public remains the absolute priority.”
ARL commissioner Wayne Pearce said the changing landscape around government regulations has prevented the committee from confirming a new season structure.
Pearce said the commission is considering two potential season structures, and is moving away from the idea of housing players in isolation ‘bubbles’ in Sydney due to the reduced infection rate in Australia.
“What we’re leaning towards is a competition structure that looks more aligned with what we’re currently got,” he said.
“We’ve currently got support from the NSW Government in terms of if we adhere to public health guidelines and we make sure that our players follow those guidelines, we are able to train and play.
“Provided that we have strict measures around testing of players, and put some other protocols in place that allow us to minimise the risk of infection within the playing group and community.”
Pearce said current border restrictions mean the Warriors would be required to quarantine for 14 days before they were able to train and join the 16-team competition.
“Whether that changes or not is a matter of government policy so we can’t influence that,” he said.
“But things are changing very rapidly.”
westernred
The health department sure didn't care when they let everyone of the boats. Need suing.
westernred
I cant believe these are rugby league people being so reactionary and frightened. Turn your tv off and settle down.
westernred
Any organisation that takes the right steps are allowed to do what the NRL is trying to do. That is; get back to work. My stepdaughter starts back in retail tomorrow. I have been working in a high school right through as has my Mrs. Jockies are still riding horses.
westernred
Well said mate.
Bee bee
Guest
Hope the hibernation doesn’t last too long Big Daddy.... Wingers are no slackers anymore. They do a lot of hard yards up the middle these days. I am sure you would have been a decent winger. Stay safe. :happy:
Rellum
Roar Guru
The NRL is a corporation, talking about it in that sense is completely relevant, This nonsense that sport lives in a bubble from every thing else has to stop.
Gordon
Guest
So if NZers are allowed in to play football you don’t think every other NZer wanting to come over would expect to be allowed in too? Footy players aren’t ‘special’!
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
If you only read some of the shrill comments and not the article you'd swear the NRl were starting up again this weekend and ignoring all the directives from the govt.
Big Daddy
Guest
Dayer, thanks for the thought. I'm hanging in. Last week I had a small scare with a throat infection, but you tend to think the worst at my age and I'm home in hibernation getting bored out of my mind like everyone else. :happy:
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
The Nrl took advice from experts and shut the game down after two rounds and I'm sure they will be taking more advice on this issue. It's becoming clearer every day what we are dealing with and we have to get back to doing things as quickly as feasible to limit the economic and psychological damage. The cost of being overly cautious is significant.
Monorchid
Roar Rookie
Pearce is reported as saying that the NRL has the support of the NSW Department of Health subject to conditions. The Health Departments for Queensland and Victoria don't get a mention. Does this mean that the NRL sees games only being played in NSW? It might not matter if virus controls are still in existence for most of the rest of the year and games are played with no spectators. I assume that the NRL's Committee has some sort of advice/hope that rules about gathering, social distancing, and non-essential travel will have been relaxed or abandoned by the end of May. Otherwise, it's hard to see how a contact sport could be played under any conditions.
Big Daddy
Guest
It's a bit hard to get the NSW government to advise on anything when they can't even control what their ministers are doing.
Stormy
Roar Rookie
Your ideas of a new world order have no place on a forum discussing the return of Rugby League. Try contesting a seat in Parliament - don't try to bring ideology into this topic, it's not the place. Stick to your views on football.
Dayer
Roar Rookie
you do realise that they will be negotiating with the state, federal and the NZL governments. if they say yes to travelling .. then its ON … pending corona spiking. if they say NO then its off. so why are you concerned at this stage. wait and see. cheers
Dayer
Roar Rookie
i support this and i can't handle 6 months without footy, seriously get some perspective :laughing:
Dayer
Roar Rookie
stay home and be safe... it might run its course by MAY 28 so hang in there. regards
Dayer
Roar Rookie
well spoken ... written FT you are absolutely correct. them doom and gloomies should just wait and see..
Bee bee
Guest
That’s only true if the social distancing laws don’t change. They will change. Lots of negativity on here. How about some optimism. Here goes: Australia is doing an incredible job suppressing COVID 19. The NRL has been following government directions and realistically could return in the next few months. Oh. And the NRL is a well run profitable organisation. How many well run businesses are facing the wall right now through no fault of their own. Businesses who are also looking for a way out of this. All whilst taking into account the health and welfare of all. I think people should get behind the NRL. Support it. It’s a great competition just doing its best like any person/business/organisation. I hope every pessimist on here is proved wrong....... and if you honestly research the figures and numbers behind all this...I would bet $ they will be.
Big Daddy
Guest
Bee Bee, thanks for the invitation. My advancing years ( 72 ) but I look 50 probably rule me out of front row, but I'm up for a run on the wing. Gus always says that wingers are good for nothing although I did play there for quite a few years. Everyone is very emotional at the moment and I for one would like to see the game come back sooner than later but we do need to see this current crisis out before resuming. To be honest I don't have a lot of confidence in either the NRL, CH 9 to solve it quickly. Let nature take its course.
Rellum
Roar Guru
Fair enough, I just know many who struggle under the current system so I am passionately wanting us to build a new one when it's over.