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Just for context, I’m an Aussie based in Madrid. My kids haven’t left our flat since we locked down 32 days ago.
So far, my adopted country has lost nearly 20,000 citizens to coronavirus, so I don’t take this crisis lightly, not by any means. That said, following my teams – Tigers and Broncos – for the first two rounds was a real boon. It was a daily reminder of what normal used to look like.
I signed up to the NRL streaming service, I rationed myself to one match each evening after the kids went to bed. Then the competition stopped.
NRL clubs and players are arrogant, ignorant and selfish for initially continuing to play and now trying to start up again: Nope, I don’t buy that.
For both pragmatic reasons and warm fuzzy emotional ones, any professional sports that safely can get back onto the field, should do so.
This pandemic is an economic wrecking ball. Every million dollars that sports can generate for themselves and their associated stake holders, is a million bucks that won’t have to be found by the taxpayer, borrowed at interest or sourced from deep-pockets with perhaps their own agenda for the game.
In warm and fuzzy terms, as I mentioned in the opening, I’m 32 days into a lock down; not the ‘light’ version you have over there. We only leave the flat to do the shopping, that’s it.
I read books, play with the kids, Facetime with friends. But when the footy stopped, I couldn’t pretend anymore.
Lock down suddenly felt a lot less like an interminable long weekend and exactly like what it is. So that’s it, that’s my warm and fuzzy.
One positive and one ugly note: The NRL seems to have avoided the bloodletting Australian rugby is inflicting upon itself. Also, Peter V’landys and co. appeared to show real leadership in keeping the competition running for as long as appeared rational.
Pete V’landys (Mark Evans/Getty Images)
Two rounds in and everything changed. After a few false starts, players, coaches, clubs and CEOs seemed to quickly find a common page and stay on it. Fair enough. So that’s the positive.
Now for the ugly. The one universal in this pandemic is the unpredictability. That makes risk assessment and relaxing of restrictions fraught with danger.
Understandably then, trying to get the NRL up and running again is wickedly complicated. Hence, I have all the patience in the world for thought bubbles, start dates only pencilled in and conflicting narratives. And yet, with all the good will in the world, some ideas just stink.
Rugby union players are likely to face a much longer stand down than in the NRL. Given the horrendous nature of the crisis here in Europe and the international nature of Super Rugby, they are dealing with an altogether more complicated scenario.
And here comes the ugly. Michael Chammas in the SMH sees this as an opportunity to recruit idle players like Quade Cooper, Israel Folau and Sonny Bill Williams.
How on earth is this the time to go inking deals with a raft of high-profile code hoppers? Normally I love the concept.
I was chuffed that Ben Teo did so well in rugby and was gutted that Benji Marshall didn’t. The idea of Quade playing league is awesome.
Would it work? Who knows! But I know I’d be watching. However, now is not the time. Everyone in the game is either on half pay or no pay.
And when the ARLC chairman is spruiking government financial aid, something I support by the way, you don’t go scouting idle All Blacks to see if they want a crack at an NRL grand-final.
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