3 minute read

The NRL is confident it can continue the 2020 season despite the AFL postponing its competition as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

The NRL will attempt to forge on with the 2020 season despite strict new coronavirus measures which have prompted the AFL to postpone its competition.

The NRL on Sunday insisted games would continue until it was told otherwise by the government, amid financial pitfall concerns over any lost rounds.

The league's push came just hours before new national cabinet rules, which closed non-essential services but did not list any shutdown of outdoor sports.

Armed with the advice of pandemic and biosecurity experts, they were also confident new recommendations against non-essential travel wouldn't affect them due to their use of chartered planes.

Crucially, the NRL also believes it is in a different position to chief rivals the AFL, in that most of its teams are based in NSW and Queensland, rather than in other states which have imposed border restrictions.

"At this stage, our intent is to play on and we remain committed to the continuation of the 2020 season as far as government advice allows it," NRL boss Todd Greenberg said before the cabinet announcement.

"We have, and always will, stringently follow all government health advice and medical protocols to protect the health and safety of the community and our players.

"Our No.1 priority is to protect our players, staff and fans and we will continue to do this by adopting the strictest possible medical protocols.

"However, we understand the pace of the crisis is escalating rapidly and we need to remain flexible and conscious of community expectations."

Also speaking before the new cabinet restrictions, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he trusted the NRL to follow its own health advice.

If the NRL is eventually forced to stop, the league is insistent it has a number of back-up options to ensure the full draw plus finals series are completed.

If games are lost, there are fears of a "catastrophic" financial impact with dire outcomes within months for the league and some clubs.

Regardless, ARL Commission chairman Peter V'landys was confident the NRL would find a way to complete the 25-round season and finals, with the league willing to play until as late as December 20.

"We are prepared for the worst, and we have looked at every contingency. We're ready for whatever they throw at us," V'landys told Triple M on Sunday.

"We've got a four-week window that we can work with during State Of Origin.

"There is a bye round and a (split) round, and we can always extend the season.

"It just really depends when we have to pull the lever to suspend the season.

"The longer we can go, the better it is."

In turn, the NRL has had assurances from consultants that it could keep some teams on the field if a player tests positive to the virus, and have other clubs make up matches later.

The option of a string of Magic Round-style weekends is still on the table, with players locked into one region together to avoid travel.

"There is a whiteboard at NRL head office full of contingencies and how we deal with these contingencies," V'landys said.

"Even a complete lockdown, we have a strategy for that.

"We have been proactive the whole way through and will continue to do so."

V'landys also said conversations had begun around whether players would have to take pay cuts, as per the collective bargaining agreement, if significant revenue was lost.