The National Rugby League are planning to restart the competition on May 28, despite the probability that most of the population will still be required to practice social distancing or self-isolation.
The NRL’s innovations committee, fronted by former Balmain Tigers legend and now ARL Commissioner Wayne Pearce, seems short on detail but quite certain of the benefits of restarting.
Pearce spoke of the “support” they had received from both the New South Wales and Queensland governments, yet the next day, these governments seemed less enthusiastic than had been intimated.
Neither state’s health minister had spoken with the NRL, with both indicating it was not particularly high on their list of priorities.
Just how many people would be happy with an NRL restart? The announcement hasn’t been met with anything approaching even tepid enthusiasm. Every instinct tells you this is a terrible idea.
In a time when no more than two people can meet in public in NSW and still need to be 1.5 metres apart, when kids are being home-schooled, when simple grocery shopping trips become military operations, when police are fining people for being too far from home – when all that is happening, how is it somehow okay for players to train in squads of about 30, tackle, scrummage, hit, sweat and possibly bleed on each other?
Not only that, but show it all on TV to a general population that can’t visit their own parents or grandparents?
“You stay away Jake.” (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
How many fans enjoyed watching games in empty stadiums? In European football competitions, if a club has spectator trouble, they are punished by having to play games behind closed doors. There’s a reason playing in front of no fans is seen as a punishment.
No matter how they try to spin it, any major sport which is played in front of no live crowd is not the same. It’s like peering through a gap in a fence to watch a team train.
However, the spectacle is a distant second to the ethical. If the NRL restarts in the next six weeks, it won’t be long before the AFL, A-League and Super Rugby look to get in on the act.
How does a parent explain to a young child, itching to go out and play with their friends or missing the major portion of their own competition, that it’s wrong to meet up with playmates but it’s perfectly fine for their sporting heroes to do it?
Professional sport often claims their players are role models. Right now, surely the best form of role-modelling is to do what we are all being asked to do, rather than the exact opposite.
There are also the resources, time and logistics of running a competition. State governments are flat-out trying to keep the general population safe and solvent, why should their time be distracted liaising with sporting codes, who would need to have almost all of the current restrictions relaxed in order to proceed?
And what of testing? Every participating player would need to be tested for COVID-19, and there are not an infinite number of testing kits.
Re-starting major competitions assumes that there is a greater importance attached to professional competitions than for the semi-professional, amateur, grassroots and informal layers of sports participation across the country.
It’s okay for the pros but not the rest of us? That doesn’t really gel with the latest marketing campaign of ‘We’re all in this together’.
Of course, much of the push to play is tied into the massive amount of money paid to televise games, so it’s about money and jobs.
Well it’s also about money and jobs for cafe and restaurant owners, small business operators, tourism companies, chain stores, fashion outlets, hairdressers…
This has hit everyone, professional sportspeople included. That status shouldn’t be a leave pass to have the rules not apply.
I miss sport. I miss playing it, watching it, coaching it, being involved in it in any form. As a fan, I could not watch a game where players put their health at risk for reasons other than that generally associated with their sport, especially not when everyone else is doing the right thing.
Either we are all in this together or we aren’t. That’s the choice professional sport has to make.
Rob
Guest
They didn't fly around to play NRL and AFL games during the Spanish flu. The borders were shut, the royal Easter Show was cancelled in 1919, Theatres, dance halls and churches were shut. The government was heavily criticised for removing restriction as a second wave of Spanish Flu killed double the first wave of infections. But yes Rugby League and VFL played on probably because there was no such thing as the department of Health until it was formed in 1921 as a result of the pandemic I believe?
Rob
Guest
I really think insulting the Health experts for being in a good position is as dumb as it gets. Has it occurred to you that the good position we have been fortunate to be in today is because the government closed the borders and stopped travel and business that have people congregating on mass? It's why the virus is not killing people. The death rate % per of population has been declining for a century. People are living longer than ever so comparing those stats is somewhat objective especially over a 4 week period. Interestingly the government announced travel restrictions mid March and by the end of March motor vehicle accident have halved. Usually 3 people die and 87 are seriously injured every day in Australia in motor vehicles. That's a big difference in ICU patients in the last month and probably a reflection of isolation requirements due to Covid-19. Maybe we should stay at home a bit more? Do you think the ICU are less full because they have double the capacity and stopped elective surgeries also? Maybe the simple effect of people washing hands their hands regularly and improving their hygiene has helped stop people ending up in hospitals. No real sporting injuries occurring I would think in the last month? I'm guessing all these things has helped your numbers. I'll bet anything you like that the amount of Covid-19 spread in Australia would have dramatically increased if the Government had not heeded the Medical advice and the death rate would be significantly higher as well. Maybe 10 or 20 times 63 dead and that would completely screw the "So many people dying?" argument.
Nick
Roar Guru
You realise football was cancelled during the wars, right?
Nick
Roar Guru
At no time, what? Construct a sentence, and I'll give you an answer.
westernred
At no time. You are the one saying this. He continues to say he will follow whatever rules are put in place by any and all authorities.
Officer59
Roar Rookie
Perhaps then look after your other priorities in life & let others look after theirs! Like I said you have your opinion, others have theirs. If people feel they need the NRL to help them thru this dramaq then so be it.
Tiger_MBK
Roar Rookie
Watching the AFL/ NRL rounds where there were no crowds was an empty, unsatisfying experience for me. I even found it hard to get excited about my own team. I wouldn't mind if there were a couple of "ramp-up" rounds without crowds on resumption but if we face the prospect of the bulk of the season with no spectators, I'd say don't bother, come back next year.
Nick
Roar Guru
How myopic. I live overseas so don't have an opinion then? Your logic is how the virus was able to spread. "Oh, that thing in China? It's in China? Why should I care?"
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Seriously the league haters and others who are no doubt genuine in their beliefs, need to settle down.The NRL has nominated a date (as you generally do planning ahead )in order to financially survive, it is not set in stone. V'Landys has said time and time again ,if the situation changes then and the advice from the medical experts is not to go ahead, they won't. The media has gone into their usual hell for leather lather, and proudly skewered the NRL for daring to "ignore "medical advice or words to that effect.The Herald and the FitzSimons of this world are leading the charge of the brigade.The inference that the NRL shows no care for the welfare of their players, is laughable. Other codes are in the throes of organising early tentative dates for recommencement ASAP. The protests for them doing so, is like listening to an ant breaking wind. I would be the first to castigate the NRL if they ignored medical advice, and went ahead .
Guess
Guest
Why do you care then what nrl is doing?
Nick
Roar Guru
I live overseas with limited access to football already. I can go without it comfortably. Life has other priorities
Mick Jeffrey
Roar Rookie
The same experts have also based their ASSUMPTIONS (not projections) on a worst case scenario which unless there's a dramatic change in the next few weeks is clearly not going to happen in the medium term. Personally what they're recommending is only going to give credence to the conspiracy theorists who believe this is a front for total government control (I don't wish to get overly political, but it appears that these stories are gaining more and more traction in the world of social media, which as we know is as powerful as 9 and Fox are to the league), and they'd be stupid not to be at least open to a consideration (which is not necessarily the green light, which they would realistically need to give at the start of May to satisfy quarantine requirements and fit the proposed timeframe) for approval.
Officer59
Roar Rookie
Everyone has an opinion mate..........DS has his & you have yours. If you don't agree or don't like that the NRL is trying to kick off then don't watch or read about it. I'm sure plenty of the unemployed would love to be able to watch NRL on the weekends & take their minds away from this whole situation of COVID-19 & isolation. Something to look forward to is good for the mental side of things. Also your comment "Seriously, can you not go a few months without football"......why are you on here reading about it? Seems you can't go without also......just sayin'.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
It seems this virus has rattled a lot of people into a negative mindset and the good news which is appearing just about every day seems to be going thru to the keeper. I'm expecting the season to kick off in May or June and I wouldn't be surprised if there are crowds before the end of the season.
Cugel
Roar Rookie
Yeah, 6 weeks from now the NRL gets permission to play - what an outrage! this is the worst thing ever! A few weeks later the AFL gets same, hooray footy's back, everybody rejoice.
Greg
Roar Pro
im surprised also. The first is those that believe crowdless games are soulless and consequently not a product they want to watch. The second is people who mistake the NRL looking for a workable solution to keep their business going is somehow arrogance not desperation. But mostly I put it down to bitterness. People saying I lost my job why should these people keep their job. Especially when they only look at the salaries of the high profile players and not the lesser paid players and support staff.
Greg
Roar Pro
Glad you took my response as intended, as a difference of opinion and not an attack on you or your opinion. I certainly understand your perspective and definitely dont expect to see any sport back anytime soon. Its just, as i outlined, that i feel it could and should be done.
Fraser
Roar Rookie
Regarding the COVID-19 testing, I'm not convinced that every player and member of staff would need to be tested. Surely, if they go into the 14 day period of self-isolation they will be free to play under the assumption that even if they had the virus it's run its course. This is the same protocol for anyone who may have been exposed to the virus, returning travellers, etc.
Nick
Roar Guru
Nat, "it shut based on the advice of their own experts" and "now they have to work with the health authorities to create a safe environment to start up again" massively contradict each other. If the NRL shut down based on it's own advice, then why would they need to work with the health authorities? Answer - because they didn't shut down because of their own advice. They shut down when government policy made it impossible (and then a week later) illegal to continue. So, it's really now moot whether the NRL did before/after the govt would have made them too. The letter does explain if guidelines are met, they are free to recommence. That's true, but deliberately vague. The letter is saying that the police aren't changing the laws, that's up to other people. The letter offers no assistance at all as to how the NRL will be able to overcome the fact 1.5m rule is still law, or why playing a football match is safer than sitting on a park bench by yourself.
Nat
Roar Guru
Mate, you should never have a go at any medical experts for giving worst case scenario. If they came out saying, we'll have the curve flattened in a few weeks it would never have been taken as seriously.