NRL games scheduled for round two will go ahead as planned, albeit without fans, but the game's future beyond that remains in limbo as ARLC chairman Peter Vlandys dubbed the Conronavirus crisis the greatest challenge the game has faced.
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Vlandys and NRL CEO Todd Greenberg fronted the media on Sunday morning after a it was confirmed the Warriors will remain in Australia, basing themselves at Kingscliff, after New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Adern announced unprecedented travel restrictions requiring anyone entering the country to be quarantined for 14 days.
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Remaining round-one matches, including Sunday's Dragons-Tigers clash in Wollongong, will go ahead and remain open to the public before games go behind closed doors from round two.
It maintains a position the game took on Friday following the Council of Australian Governments' directive that all gatherings of more than 500 people be cancelled from Monday.
Vlandys said the NRL may follow the likes of the NBA in suspending its season, but will continue to assess the situation in consultation with newly employed biosecurity and pandemic experts.
"In the interim we will continue round two," Vlandys said.
"At this stage we will play round two and assess the situation. It gives us that time to consider the biosecurity expert advice, the pandemic advice, it gives us time to consult our players, our staff and other participants in our game.
"Any decision we make today may change tomorrow. This situation is fluid and changing by the hour. We'll continue to take the best of expert advice, including what we have done to date, that is the government and chief medical officer's information.
"We've always acted on that advice. All decisions will have the safety and health of our players as the paramount consideration, that includes our staff and any other person involved in our great game."
Going ahead with round two is very much an interim call as the game continues to seek advice on dealing with the pandemic, with Vlandys admitting suspending the competition remains an option.
"We're leaving every option available to us on the table," Vlandys said.
"Because it's changing so quickly we would be silly to go in one direction. We're going to review all options, including isolating players, including suspending the season.
"We need to have the best available information to make the best possible decisions. We'll act in accordance with that advice. If one player, or one ball boy or someone goes down [with the virus] we need to re-assess.
"That's why it's fluid by the hour and that's why we're leaving every option on the table, including suspending the season if need be."
Should that occur, the multi-billion-dollar game will cop a "catastrophic" financial blow, with Vlandys issuing a plea to state and federal governments to ensure the crisis doesn't leave the game ruined.
"I can't stress enough that our game has never faced a challenge like this," Vlandys said.
"The longer it takes, the more pressure [there'll be] on our financial viability. It could have catastrophic affects on us moving forward. Our money will only last so long and, once it's extinguished, we are in big trouble.
"An Australia without rugby league is not Australia. The government has to assist us in this crisis because it's not of our doing. Rugby league's been well managed, we've got some funds, but they'll run out very quickly. We need to keep our clubs viable.
"We will listen and be agile and move in any direction necessary to save our game."
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Mitch Jennings
Sports writer. Sport is my passion, rugby league my first love.
Sports writer. Sport is my passion, rugby league my first love.
