Cowboys committed to NRL restart plan
NORTH Queensland coach Paul Green insists the club is committed to the NRL’s plans to resume its season though he is yet to speak to his players about the possibility of shifting base.
League central will this week ramp up its efforts to get back on the field when discussions continue with broadcasters on a restructured competition.
An ARL Commission meeting is slated for tomorrow before the league meets with the state government on Wednesday.
Teams are expected to reunite for squad sessions by May 4, giving coaches three weeks to prepare for an anticipated relaunch. Due to current social distancing measures and travel restrictions, the Cowboys could be among five teams to be forced into temporarily relocating in NSW.
Green said the uncertainty around the game’s short-term future meant he had yet to talk to his playing group about shifting base.
“There’s so much still up in the air that we haven’t really gone down that path too seriously yet,” Green said on The Sunday Footy Show.
“I will say we’re committed to getting the comp back on and we’ll do whatever we can, but we have to balance that with what’s feasible and healthy for our players.
“We haven’t had serious discussions around that, only because there’s too many questions that can’t be answered at the moment.”
Green predicted game-day flights could become the new norm, but said there were other hurdles to overcome in their preparation.
“I think the challenge is how much time is actually spent at the ground,” he said.
“You don’t want to arrive too early, you don’t want to arrive too late either.”