ISOLATION training is nothing new for rugby league's elite female players, but Dragons NRLW coach Daniel Lacey says the game can't let women's footy become a casualty of the COVID-19 crisis.
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The NRL remains locked in discussions with government authorities and broadcasters to meet its May 28 resumption target, an effort hampered this week when it was forced to fine high profile players for publicly flouting social distancing protocols.
Leading players opened up a fresh battle front on Thursday in support of Warriors players still yet to confirm they'll travel to Australia for a resumed competition without a pay deal locked in.
It's a further hurdle amid the pandemic that has highlighted the game's precarious financial state in the absence of broadcast revenue, with former chief executive Todd Greenberg the first major casualty after an explosion running costs on his watch.
Getting the season up and running remains the major priority for ARLC chairman Peter V'landys, but he's already forecast major cost-cutting measures in the wake of the crisis, with all clubs expected to follow suit.
It's prompted fears the NRLW, and other women's football initiatives, could be chopped or drastically scaled back, though Lacey hopes that's not the case.
"It'd easy to go down that avenue but, from all reports, I'm not hearing that which is good," Lacey said.
Read more: Women's NRL season set for overhaul in 2020
"I know that could come into the equation but it can't just be the first thing thrown out.
"Everyone understands that the way it was going to look may not be the same but we've got to get some sort of product up this year.
"We don't cost the game a whole lot of money. It's been run on a shoestring budget already, our players give up a lot, work-wise, family-wise to do what they do.
"The girls are realistic to know if the boys are taking a pay-cut they'll be taking some sort of cut.
"We need to be smart about it, but you can't kick us to the kerb now."
Lacey has spent almost a decade coaching women's league, from developing the Illawarra Tarsha Gale Cup pathway through to the elite level.
He says that, while the game's top echelon of players could bounce back from a year away from footy, there's a lot more at stake for the broader women's game than just four end-of-year games.
"You're a little less worried about the really elite girls," Lacey said.
"Your obviously check in on their welfare in regards work, life and all the rest but they've had to be pretty driven and most of them have trained on their own for a long time to get to where they are.
"I'm more worried about the younger ones that aren't quite established, the development players.
"You don't want to see them lost to the game because that pathway's taken away.
"It's a really good product at the moment, it's taken time to develop that.
"Last year we saw a huge leap because the girls are more conditioned to it, training's changed and developed.
"If we want them to stay at that level they can't just all have a year out because of costs.
"We've laid down a lot of ground work to get it to where it is, you can't afford to lose a whole development year."
While he's hopeful of seeing an NRLW competition start this year, Lacey said he understands it will hinge on the men's competition successfully resuming.
"The girls will do whatever it takes to play but we know it's all about the NRL getting up and running," he said.
"We've got our own hurdles but let's hope the boys get started.
"If that's a success I don't see any reason why we can't start working towards our season."
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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.
