ARLC Chairman Peter V’landys and NRL CEO Todd Greenberg, the NRL has confirmed that all matches in Round two will continue as planned and will be played behind closed doors.
However, both V’landys and Greenberg reiterated the seriousness that the COVID-19 pandemic and the affect that it may have on the game.
“I can’t stress enough that our game has never faced a challenge like this,” V’landys said as he addressed the media.
“The longer it takes, the more pressure on our financial viability. It could have catastrophic effects on us moving forward. Our money will only last so long, and once it has extinguished, we are in big trouble.”
V’landys proceeded to plead to Australia’s government to try and help one of the countries favourite pastimes during this troubling period.
“I will leave you with this. An Australia without Rugby League is not Australia. The government has to assist us in the crisis because it is not of our own doing. Rugby league has been a fabric of our society for hundreds of years.”
Greenberg and V’landys both thanked the New Zealand Warriors for their sacrifice after it was announced that they will stay in Australia after the New Zealand government introduced a travel ban.
They also announced that suspending the season was definitely an option, and made clear that the most important task was to ensure that no player contracts the disease.
“We want to minimise all the risk to our players and to our staff. That is why we have commissioned a bio-security expert to give us the best world’s practice on bio-security, to minimise any chance of a player, ball-boy or anyone else for that matter, contracting the coronavirus.” V’landys continued.
The NRL will continue behind doors as planned, but the future of the 2020 season still hangs in the balance.
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