NRL broadcasters agree on May 28 restart

I would dearly love to see the NRL competition start up again but my big concerned is the setting of scrums. It goes against all social distancing & I suggest that the scrums be replaced for the rest of the season by just using the hand over rule??

And another thing, if anyone mentions again that the footy players lives will be at risk, I will put my hand through their device and give them an uppercut. These blokes are in their 20-30's with supreme aerobic fitness. Even if they had existing conditions such as diabetes or asthma, as long as it is under control, the risk of mortality from COVID-19 to them is next to nil. Their demographic, along with 0-9 year olds, have virtually next to zero chance of dying from the disease. Put em on Rugba League island and GAME ON!!!

It's a tough one alright. I reckon this would have a 50:50 split in the general populace. And even if you ask the medical experts, there may be 50:50 split as well. These are the experts whom everyone (including the government) hang their hats on - more likely a good scapegoat for the government and allows them to wash their hands of any decision. Exhibit A: Palaczek's recent comments. I actually didn't mind the idea of putting them all together in a remote island - if the Worriers were willing to make that sacrifice, why shouldn't the rest of them. It's only for 4-6 months for goodness sakes.

It's a tough decision for sure, and I am not against the NRL returning, we have to get things going again at some point. I am just wondering how arrogant this bloke is to come out with tripe quotes like that. It's this kind of mindset that will haunt the government in years to come when people start coming out and saying it was all a big overreaction, instead of realising just how incredibly lucky we were. The big problem with this disease is that not everyone who is infected shows symptoms. All it takes is for a few carriers to be allowed back into crowds for everything to blow up again. If we flatten the curve completely, then keep all external borders closed for an extended period we should be pretty safe. As soon as we start allowing people into the country again all bets are off. Unless they come on a cruise ship of course, those things are pretty safe :thumbup:

@ Dogs Boddy, So the question has to be asked 'how flat does the curve have to be' before we start or make steps to get back to normal? Do you agree we can't continue as is indefinitely? When should we get back or make steps to get back to normal? 2 months? 6 months? 6 years? I am only guessing that if NY and Europe had a bell curve as flat as ours, they may well be thinking mission accomplished and try and make steps to go back to normal. Keep in mind also that a lot of businesses and shops are still open, elective surgery will start in NSW from next week I believe, restaurants and cafe's still provide takeaways with some actually killing it. Accounting firms, financial planning firms, lawyers, removalists, teachers, engineers, , IT's, banks, GP's etc just off the top of my head are still operating and have never closed down. The red bandana pirate asks why the NRL should get special dispensation to start. The NRL should ask why they should be shut down when 80% of businesses are still operating and have never shut down in the first place?

“The risk is minimal to zero. So why shouldn’t we start playing? Why are we going to rob our fans and players, because of scaremongering and alarmist rhetoric?” Go and ask the good folks in New York about the alarmist rhetoric. There are well known risks to lifting restrictions too early, and we don't want to go down that path.

So far we have agreement on the start date. What about the length of the season? Nine wants a quickie so it won't interfere with the T20 WC. Foxtel would probably want a further 17 rounds plus finals. Which way will it go? Obviously, the NRL and Foxtel would want the longer season.

Jimmy people tend to listen to you when you don't dictate. I have the daily hospitalisations and new cases which is a direct indicator of what the future looks like. When it says very little (zero to 5) over a 4 week period and a 0.05% rate I am optimistic. Jimmy, I have no problems with you stating your opinion mate, but please don't advise me on the subject of data.

He is an "expert" on everything. Just ask him.

I am not saying you cant read the data. I am saying you dont have it. Dont bring the US into it. Thats irrelevant. This is Australia. We have done well . Leave it to the people who have got us this far. I think the NRL is looking very good for a May 28 start, and so i am agreeing with you in that respect, but I have seen all sorts of people from the Moo ron on the ABC to the Actuaries Association to Andrew Mohl in the Fin Review all putting their two Bobs worth in without having all the facts. It just doesn't help anyone.

The red bandana pirate can go lay an egg and suck on it. He is irrelevant.

I would have no problems shaking hand with anyone now, that is how strong I believe in the recent data. btw, 94% of deaths are linked to secondary diseases. If you do not have another disease and have fresh air and regular sunlight, data suggests you will be ok.

Jimmy, I analyse data for a living and have done for some time inputting into multi million$ decisions. When a graph trends from a LOT to virtually zero over several 5 days moving averages it is telling you that we will be back to near normal in a month. That is a fact, nothing to do with medicine. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases is the key player on the USA task Force and like PVL's original expert, and the WHO, they did not read the data correctly. WHO was guided by China who influenced the world, but the quality of the data is all heading in the right direction now.

There is a great chance the game will fire up again by the end of May. The critics are demanding that the NRL stop planning ahead for that day based on the small chance that it won't go ahead. If Valandys got up on a soap box and proclaimed that the NRL would not consider starting again this year he would probably develop national treasure status in the eyes of most Australians. I'm glad the NRL are doing their best to get going and not listening to the errant mob.

Fitzsimons is the worst of all. Albo. A know nothing, with opinions which vary from being laughably wrong to dangerously wrong. The mind boggles that there is a market for that.

Spot on Scott. Every day now we see another dozen eggs being added to the pile, for those many faces of the doubters and "half empties " here at the Roar, and those regularly proven wrong "doyens" in the media. Fitzsimons in particular, might finally find a use for that red rag .

Hi Scott i agree and disagree with the above. Firstly I agree V'landys is doing exactly the right things to be able to restart the competition. He seems to be slowly getting the ducks lined up for a May 28 start. He is doing exactly what every business owner in the country is either doing or should be doing, planning for an imminent restart. What I disagree is with the inference that you don't need to be an epidemiologist to understand the data. While that may strictly be true , the fact is the health bureaucracy has more data than you or anyone else has. It's where all the arguments for easing of restrictions or for a tightening of restrictions fall down. You and indeed those on the the other side who want the season abandoned or put off till God knows when, know little in comparison. The health department and national cabinent has done a good job so far . Let them continue. Me, I have no idea if we will get away as planned but maybe , just maybe a restart is starting to look like a 10/9 on favourite and nothing would please me more if it gets up.

Hi Scott NRL hater Peter FitzSimons bagged Commish Chair Peter V'landys today for re-starting the competition on May 28. Gee what a surprise! With the lack of footy analytics for me to study in recent months, I put together a CORVID-19 model, and while monitoring global trends, my focus was on Australia and NZ. Most administrations initially received poor advice from their Pandemic experts (remember WHO?). You do not have to be an epidemiologist to understand how to analyse a data chart. PVL will be very conscious that he has almost 5 weeks for the NRL to be a showcase to world sport (wow, how good) and within the NRL he has available to him some brilliant Data Scientists who no doubt will be advising him what I have been seeing for the last few weeks. * New cases and hospitalizations are between zero and not many in every state and in NZ. The daily data fully supports May 28 in my model and well done to PVL. If we waited for the thumbs up from Peter Fitzsimons, our game would be in the same state as his beloved Rugby Union, and so would the economy.