V’landys warns of risk

NRL details ‘catastrophic’ threat of virus

THE NRL will forge ahead with the season despite the coronavirus pandemic but will ask the Australian government for financial assistance to keep the game alive should they be forced to suspended the competition.

ARLC chairman Peter V’landys and NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg yesterday said the NRL would proceed as planned although they admitted the situation could change at any time.

While Round 2 is scheduled to go ahead without crowds, all options are on the table including isolating players and staff and suspending the season entirely but V’landys warned of the ‘catastrophic’ impact suspending the season would have on rugby league.

“I can’t stress enough our game has never faced a challenge like this,” he said.

“The longer it takes, the more pressure on our financial viability.

“It could have catastrophic effects on us going forward.

“Our money will only last so long and once its extinguished we are in big trouble.”

It paints a bleak future for the game with clubs already expected to suffer a huge financial hit while playing without crowds in the interim. Without insurance or assets to produce income outside of the games themselves, V’landys said the NRL would not take long to collapse if the season was suspended.

“If it’s a total closure, we haven’t got long at all,” he said.

“If it’s one where we can continue to play the game with no spectators, that gives us a much greater flexibility to survive.

“It really depends on what we’re faced with. If one player or ball boy catches the disease and we have to suspend the season, that’s another scenario.

“I spent hours yesterday looking at all our accounts and all I could see was the word ‘catastrophe’ if this continues.”

The NRL has commissioned biosecurity and pandemic experts to advise the governing body and said it would play on until they were told to do otherwise.

North Queensland captain Michael Morgan has already expressed his preference to suspend the season, and Greenberg confirmed no player would be forced to play if they would prefer to isolate.

“No player will be forced to do anything that they don’t want to do,” he said.