NRL resumption plans news to government
The New Zealand Government has no knowledge of the NRL’s reported attempts to secure border exemptions that will allow the Warriors to travel to Australia, possibly as soon as next month, to reboot its competition.
It was reported by the Sydney Morning Herald yesterday that ‘‘the NRL is still working with New Zealand Government to determine whether the team would be able to travel across the ditch if the players self-isolated for 14 days’’.
As it stands, the Warriors – made up of a mix of Australian and New Zealand citizens – would need exemptions from governments on both sides of the Tasman to enter Australia.
But at his daily Covid-19 press conference, Minister for Sport and Recreation Grant Robertson, when asked about any discussions with the NRL, said: ‘‘They’re not in talks with me, so I don’t have any details on that particular aspect. I imagine they may potentially be talking with Sport NZ.’’
It’s understood Sport NZ is also unaware of it. It’s possible that the NRL organisers had been speaking to Immigration or MBIE, who have been asked for comment.
Warriors chief executive Cameron George said any discussions with any government in New Zealand or Australia would be done by the NRL, not the club.
George was unaware of any government discussions but was not shocked by the report, saying the NRL was doing a lot of work behind the scenes to explore all possibilities to get its competition back up and running.
‘‘The reality is they’re looking into different concepts,’’ George told Stuff.
George said the NRL, which is desperate to restart its competition to secure broadcasting fees, would naturally be exploring all possibilities, including whether a sports team – who was free of the Covid-19 virus – would be given a special exception to travel to Australia from New Zealand.
Under current restrictions, the Warriors would need exemptions from governments on both sides of the Tasman.
George said since Monday’s phone call with the clubs and the NRL, where a July 1 date was proposed for a restart of the competition, there has been no further developments of what the competition
looks like and where games would take place.
‘‘We could get an email tomorrow from the NRL sent through to the 16 clubs telling us all they are proposing
the comp gets under way on 1 July being based in Gladstone and then obviously we’d start to work through what that looks like.’’
George said all options were likely still on the table at NRL headquarters and that the situation remained extremely changeable.
‘‘What the NRL told us on Monday could be very different to what they tell us today or tomorrow because a lot of the information they need to work off is changing rapidly.’’
The newly formed NRL innovation committee, led by ARL commissioner Wayne Pearce, will meet again on April 9 to further discuss plans for a return to play and what that might look like.
‘‘What the NRL told us on Monday could be very different to what they tell us today or tomorrow.’’
Cameron George Warriors CEO