Warriors seek family for NRL vigil
The NRL is determined to have the Warriors involved when the competition restarts – and the Auckland club is certainly keen to be there – but both parties still have some major hurdles to overcome.
While the NRL has announced plans to resume the season on May 28, the Warriors’ primary concern is being allowed into Australia with the club yet to secure travel exemptions from the New Zealand and Australia governments.
Despite reports saying the NRL was working with both governments to clear the team to travel, a spokesperson for New Zealand Sport and Recreation Minister Grant Robertson said on Wednesday that they had not received a formal request for support from the competition’s governing body.
However, Warriors chief executive Cameron George believes receiving clearance from Australian officials, as opposed to flying out of New Zealand, is a more pressing concern for the club.
He says the NRL is working with government agencies across the Tasman to resolve the issue.
‘‘I don’t think the issue sits on this side of the Tasman, to be fair,’’ George said.
‘‘I think we’re able to get out of the country – in fact trying to find a flight might be our biggest challenge – it’s more so where you go to and who lets you in. I think major discussions are happening on the Australian side of the Tasman more so than this side of us leaving the country.
‘‘From my perspective, common sense tells me 30 people leaving the country is not going to expose or grow the risk of coronavirus in New Zealand, it’s just where we go.’’
A statement from the NRL said it would continue to work with governments in Queensland, Victoria
and New Zealand about what restrictions may look like at the end of May.
As they did before the NRL was suspended last month, the Warriors face the prospect of spending the entirety of the competition in Australia, but it remains unclear if their families would be able to join them.
The Warriors will investigate having families join staff and players for the length of their looming NRL vigil.
However, like most things for the Kiwi club at the moment, they don’t know if such a plan is viable as they brace for up to half a year on Australian soil if a restructured competition runs its full course.
Current Australian border restrictions mean the squad would at least be required to quarantine for 14 days before they were able to train and join the 16-team competition, while other requirements to relocate were still being worked out.
George said the NRL is investigating ways to expedite the arrival process given the extraordinary circumstances.
It would mean the Warriors don’t need to leave Auckland earlier than they have to and players could have partners or even families alongside if they wished.
‘‘They’re very real options that will be on the table in any given competition that can resume,’’ George said. ‘‘It will rest upon what exemption or assistance we can get to get through borders and then what flows on from that, what policies we have to adopt when we get into Australia.
‘‘We are community leaders and we don’t expect any sort of special treatment but I’ll leave that to the NRL and we’ll work through that.’’
Following a CEOs phone hook-up on Thursday, George addressed 55 club members via video conference and instructed the players to sleep on the latest developments before consulting with the leadership group, who George was to meet yesterday.
But he was encouraged by their initial reaction.
‘‘What I did see and hear was that players are willing to look at every opportunity they can to be a part of the competition,’’ he said. ‘‘I know the NRL share in that desire as well, which is really pleasing.
‘‘But the most pressing thing for me as a club and what’s always been at the forefront in every decision we’ve had to make is to ensure that players and their families have all the information and they can make the best decision to protect themselves from any unfortunate situation that virus.’’
The proposed May 28 start date means the competition could be up and running almost 10 weeks after it was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Australian Rugby League Commission (ALRC) is yet to settle on a structure for the season and is weighing up two proposals, with a preference towards completing the remaining rounds of a regular season rather than playing in conferences.
State of Origin remaining in a standard three-game format and playing one grand final in Sydney was also endorsed by the ARLC.
However, the Commission still needs to come to an agreement with its broadcast partners before signing off on the proposal. And the stage is set for tense negotiations after one of those partners, Nine, accused the NRL of mismanaging funds, and leaving them with an unfulfilled contract. could occur with this