FEARS FOR CLUBS Greenberg has big worry

Meninga’s hopes for UK tour

NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg believes teams propped up by their respective leagues clubs will be the hardest hit by the coronavirus crisis.

That list includes some of the code’s most storied franchises, led by Parramatta, Canterbury and Penrith.

There were initial fears that privately-owned clubs such as Manly and Gold Coast could suffer the most from the enforced suspension of the season.

But Greenberg had a different take on Fox League Mornings yesterday.

“I actually think those with the licensed clubs attached to them, despite them being some of our biggest clubs, are the most vulnerable,” Greenberg said.

“(Manly and Gold Coast) have access to private ownership, and so ultimately if it gets really dire, private ownership has the ability to help in its own way.

“But some of those licensed clubs, the big ones I’m talking about, who’ve been big parts of rugby league since its inception through to the NSWRL, they’re all in all sorts of financial stress now because they’re physically not open and can’t trade.”

Canberra yesterday became the latest club to stand down their administration staff, with only those who had leave up their sleeve still being paid.

The Raiders football department will work through until the end of next month, but CEO Don Furner said they would then likely to be asked to go on leave.

Furner painted a grim picture of the Raiders’ financial position, with the club closing the door on their new headquarters and all seven of their venues shut indefinitely. “I’ve never hidden the fact our business is underpinned by the licensed clubs, of which we have seven,” Furner said.

It comes after coaches Brad Arthur, Dean Pay, Paul Green, Adam O’Brien, Ivan Cleary and John Morris have already been stood down by their clubs.

They are just some of hundreds of combined staff across each club, and associating leagues establishments, to be sent home.

Some have even been forced into lining up for government handouts.

The Panthers alone own five licensed clubs and are bracing for a reported $40 million loss brought on by the shutdown of each of their premises.

It is believed 400 staff at Canterbury Leagues Club have also been stood down.

“They’ve had to lay off, on top of their football club’s stuff, hundreds and hundreds of staff that work in their leagues clubs,” Greenberg said.

“I have great concerns about how quickly we can get that back open.”

Despite the dire circumstances, Greenberg said the governing body remains determined to ensure all 16 clubs will survive the death knell.

NRL players, meanwhile, have been asked to take a pay cut of up to 87 per cent as the league begins to brace for the doomsday scenario of a lost season.

The Rugby League Players Association board was to meet last night to discuss their response.

Both the league and the players’ union are due to convene again today, when it’s hoped a deal will be finalised to give the game a clearer picture of its future.

KANGAROOS coach Mal Meninga hasn’t given up hope on the end-of-year tour to Great Britain despite the coronavirus pandemic wreaking havoc on the sport.

Australia were due to go on their first full tour of Great Britain since 2003 in October and November, with matches also set to be played against English Super League sides.

But that now looks highly unlikely given the global pandemic.

Europe has been hardest hit by the virus and is now considered the new epicentre with large parts of the continent virtually shut down.

The NRL is also expected to run into the southern summer if it gets back on the field, with a grand final day of December 13 now the most likely scenario.

However, Meninga said he was still hopeful the tour could go ahead, particularly if the NRL couldn’t get back on the field by the September deadline but conditions improve.

“We’ve still got maybe the window in October and November to play some rugby league,” Meninga (pictured) told Fox League Live.

“If the competition can’t get up and going in September but we’re recovering all around the world and we’re recovering here, and the players are training. I’m the eternal optimist, always have been and always will be.

“I’m hoping we may even have an Origin series through October and maybe a Test series through November to lift the spirits of players and fans and our commercial partners as well.”

Meninga said he believed English authorities also wanted the games to go ahead if possible.

Scott Bailey