Corona impact on NRL...?

[TrueTiger]

Doubts over the NRL’s intention to restart the competition in May have been highlighted by the deputy chief medical officer, Paul Kelly, who expressed his concern over the risks of returning to action too soon.

Earlier, Brad Hazzard, NSW’s health minister, said he had not been consulted on league’s plan to resume play in seven weeks’ time, which was announced on Thursday following meetings of the league’s innovation committee and the ARL Commission.

Channel Nine, the competition’s broadcasting rights co-holder, has also claimed it had been left out of talks over the resumption proposal.

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Speaking on Friday, Kelly said he did not believe the NRL should be considered “a law unto themselves” and that the league and its players, like the rest of country, have an important role to play in attempts to control the Covid-19 outbreak.

Kelly also said a return to the field of play on 28 May could be too soon given how rapidly the virus can be spread.

“I don’t think they [the NRL] are a law unto themselves,” Kelly said. “Some of the players and coaches may think so, but they’re part of society and they have a part – as we have all done – to support not only safety for themselves but for all of us.

“We all have a place in this and if we loosen the social distancing measures at the moment it can have an implication down the track.

“What we know about this virus, if we don’t have these social distancing measures, [is that] one person can lead to 400 other cases within a month. We just cannot afford at this stage to be considering that happening.”

Given their age and health, and that games would be played behind closed doors, Kelly said the cohort of players were of less concern than those around them in a more vulnerable age group – a group that includes the likes of coaches Wayne Bennett and Ricky Stuart.

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“For them [the players], it may not be a big problem,” he said. “There are other people around the teams – Wayne Bennett is in his 70s, he would be in a vulnerable group; Ricky Stuart with the mighty Raiders, he would potentially be in a vulnerable group – so thinking about the team, not just the players but the support around them, is important.

“They’re making their plans for the road out [of the shutdown] and I encourage them to do so in other sports. But whether May is the time will remain to be seen and definitely they’ll need to get some permission to do that.”

Exact details over the format of the competition if and when it resumes remain unclear, although an exit strategy is likely to involve a NSW hub centred around Sydney.

But Hazzard said on Friday he had not been involved in talks about a restart – nor had he even spoken with league officials since before the suspension of the season after just two rounds.

“The NRL came to see me about a month, or five weeks, ago. There have been no further discussions,” Hazzard said. “The only meeting I’ve had that I can tell you about is around about a month ago, with Todd Greenberg and Peter V’Landys to talk about the issue.

“But that was before they actually made a decision to shut the game down. So, I haven’t had any discussions with them at this stage.”

Hazzard said he would, however, be open to talks, although a balance would have to be struck between the benefits of the league returning and the safety implications of that.

“If the NRL want to go ahead, [I’m] happy to have the chat and make sure, with medical advice, as to whether or not it’s appropriate,” Hazzard said.

“Whether it’s the right balance, I’m happy to talk to the NRL, because as health minister, I also know that we need to have a sense of balance about our life, a sense of mental health and I know a lot of people enjoy seeing sport.

“So we can have that conversation with them. I’m not giving any indication one way or the other.”

A big fat bloated pollie making sure every knows he's in charge. What a champion.

Exactly what I was thinking as I read through the column.

You two are busting to get the NRL back on apparently...I love footy as well but the safety of the whole community should come first,I think that's what the health expert is refering to..

 

[GNR4LIFE]

If the Health minister can’t express his opinion, who can?

 

[crazycat]

I think the NRL needs to get smarter with the restart.
Don't do a 13 man competition, do a 11 man. Have 3 reserves and only have them come on for injuries.
I think it would be more rugby league then the 9's you would only miss a 5/8 and a lock. But you would decrease the possibility of infection by about 20%.

 

[gallagher]

Doubts over the NRL’s intention to restart the competition in May have been highlighted by the deputy chief medical officer, Paul Kelly, who expressed his concern over the risks of returning to action too soon.

Earlier, Brad Hazzard, NSW’s health minister, said he had not been consulted on league’s plan to resume play in seven weeks’ time, which was announced on Thursday following meetings of the league’s innovation committee and the ARL Commission.

Channel Nine, the competition’s broadcasting rights co-holder, has also claimed it had been left out of talks over the resumption proposal.

Advertisement
Speaking on Friday, Kelly said he did not believe the NRL should be considered “a law unto themselves” and that the league and its players, like the rest of country, have an important role to play in attempts to control the Covid-19 outbreak.

Kelly also said a return to the field of play on 28 May could be too soon given how rapidly the virus can be spread.

“I don’t think they [the NRL] are a law unto themselves,” Kelly said. “Some of the players and coaches may think so, but they’re part of society and they have a part – as we have all done – to support not only safety for themselves but for all of us.

“We all have a place in this and if we loosen the social distancing measures at the moment it can have an implication down the track.

“What we know about this virus, if we don’t have these social distancing measures, [is that] one person can lead to 400 other cases within a month. We just cannot afford at this stage to be considering that happening.”

Given their age and health, and that games would be played behind closed doors, Kelly said the cohort of players were of less concern than those around them in a more vulnerable age group – a group that includes the likes of coaches Wayne Bennett and Ricky Stuart.

Advertisement
“For them [the players], it may not be a big problem,” he said. “There are other people around the teams – Wayne Bennett is in his 70s, he would be in a vulnerable group; Ricky Stuart with the mighty Raiders, he would potentially be in a vulnerable group – so thinking about the team, not just the players but the support around them, is important.

“They’re making their plans for the road out [of the shutdown] and I encourage them to do so in other sports. But whether May is the time will remain to be seen and definitely they’ll need to get some permission to do that.”

Exact details over the format of the competition if and when it resumes remain unclear, although an exit strategy is likely to involve a NSW hub centred around Sydney.

But Hazzard said on Friday he had not been involved in talks about a restart – nor had he even spoken with league officials since before the suspension of the season after just two rounds.

“The NRL came to see me about a month, or five weeks, ago. There have been no further discussions,” Hazzard said. “The only meeting I’ve had that I can tell you about is around about a month ago, with Todd Greenberg and Peter V’Landys to talk about the issue.

“But that was before they actually made a decision to shut the game down. So, I haven’t had any discussions with them at this stage.”

Hazzard said he would, however, be open to talks, although a balance would have to be struck between the benefits of the league returning and the safety implications of that.

“If the NRL want to go ahead, [I’m] happy to have the chat and make sure, with medical advice, as to whether or not it’s appropriate,” Hazzard said.

“Whether it’s the right balance, I’m happy to talk to the NRL, because as health minister, I also know that we need to have a sense of balance about our life, a sense of mental health and I know a lot of people enjoy seeing sport.

“So we can have that conversation with them. I’m not giving any indication one way or the other.”

A big fat bloated pollie making sure every knows he's in charge. What a champion.

Exactly what I was thinking as I read through the column.

You two are busting to get the NRL back on apparently...I love footy as well but the safety of the whole community should come first,I think that's what the health expert is refering to..

Maybe the expert should have kept cruise passengers on the boat.

 

[JD Tiger]

I think the NRL needs to get smarter with the restart.
Don't do a 13 man competition, do a 11 man. Have 3 reserves and only have them come on for injuries.
I think it would be more rugby league then the 9's you would only miss a 5/8 and a lock. But you would decrease the possibility of infection by about 20%.

How do you figure that would decrease the possibility of infection by 20%?

 

[cochise]

I've heard a lot about this bubble.... What was it all about the whole NRL (players ref's officials admins coaching etc etc) in some sort of massive Sci fi transparent bio-dome somewhere.
I'm sure that's not it but it's the image my mind conjures up when I. Read it

Basically the plan was to lock 8 teams up at Olympic park and the other 8 up at Penrith Panthers. Players would only be allowed out of the bubble to travel to games by shuttle bus. All staff at the hotels they were using would have had to go into lockdown as well!

 

[GNR4LIFE]

Would have thought health workers are more important to lock away in a bubble, opposed to footy players.

 

[cochise]

Would have thought health workers are more important to lock away in a bubble, opposed to footy players.

You don't watch the news much?

 

[Tiger_Steve]

Doubts over the NRL’s intention to restart the competition in May have been highlighted by the deputy chief medical officer, Paul Kelly, who expressed his concern over the risks of returning to action too soon.

Earlier, Brad Hazzard, NSW’s health minister, said he had not been consulted on league’s plan to resume play in seven weeks’ time, which was announced on Thursday following meetings of the league’s innovation committee and the ARL Commission.

Channel Nine, the competition’s broadcasting rights co-holder, has also claimed it had been left out of talks over the resumption proposal.

Advertisement
Speaking on Friday, Kelly said he did not believe the NRL should be considered “a law unto themselves” and that the league and its players, like the rest of country, have an important role to play in attempts to control the Covid-19 outbreak.

Kelly also said a return to the field of play on 28 May could be too soon given how rapidly the virus can be spread.

“I don’t think they [the NRL] are a law unto themselves,” Kelly said. “Some of the players and coaches may think so, but they’re part of society and they have a part – as we have all done – to support not only safety for themselves but for all of us.

“We all have a place in this and if we loosen the social distancing measures at the moment it can have an implication down the track.

“What we know about this virus, if we don’t have these social distancing measures, [is that] one person can lead to 400 other cases within a month. We just cannot afford at this stage to be considering that happening.”

Given their age and health, and that games would be played behind closed doors, Kelly said the cohort of players were of less concern than those around them in a more vulnerable age group – a group that includes the likes of coaches Wayne Bennett and Ricky Stuart.

Advertisement
“For them [the players], it may not be a big problem,” he said. “There are other people around the teams – Wayne Bennett is in his 70s, he would be in a vulnerable group; Ricky Stuart with the mighty Raiders, he would potentially be in a vulnerable group – so thinking about the team, not just the players but the support around them, is important.

“They’re making their plans for the road out [of the shutdown] and I encourage them to do so in other sports. But whether May is the time will remain to be seen and definitely they’ll need to get some permission to do that.”

Exact details over the format of the competition if and when it resumes remain unclear, although an exit strategy is likely to involve a NSW hub centred around Sydney.

But Hazzard said on Friday he had not been involved in talks about a restart – nor had he even spoken with league officials since before the suspension of the season after just two rounds.

“The NRL came to see me about a month, or five weeks, ago. There have been no further discussions,” Hazzard said. “The only meeting I’ve had that I can tell you about is around about a month ago, with Todd Greenberg and Peter V’Landys to talk about the issue.

“But that was before they actually made a decision to shut the game down. So, I haven’t had any discussions with them at this stage.”

Hazzard said he would, however, be open to talks, although a balance would have to be struck between the benefits of the league returning and the safety implications of that.

“If the NRL want to go ahead, [I’m] happy to have the chat and make sure, with medical advice, as to whether or not it’s appropriate,” Hazzard said.

“Whether it’s the right balance, I’m happy to talk to the NRL, because as health minister, I also know that we need to have a sense of balance about our life, a sense of mental health and I know a lot of people enjoy seeing sport.

“So we can have that conversation with them. I’m not giving any indication one way or the other.”

A big fat bloated pollie making sure every knows he's in charge. What a champion.

Exactly what I was thinking as I read through the column.

You two are busting to get the NRL back on apparently...I love footy as well but the safety of the whole community should come first,I think that's what the health expert is refering to..

Yes - I do want the footy back IF it’s safe to do so. I see no reason why the NRL shouldn’t be doing everything within its power to get the game going if they can do it in a way that’s supported by experts.
Ministers aren’t experts. The state health minister should be sacked. The Ruby Princess debacle, on his watch, is unforgivable. His language in the article seemed to indicate he wanted to regain some credibility by standing up to a powerful group - namely the NRL. This bloke should stop grandstanding and work out how he can undo the mess his ministry has created.
NRL being played in a safe environment would lift the spirits of hundreds if thousands of people.
So, yes, I want the footy back but my thinking on this issue is deeper than that.

 

[gallagher]

Doubts over the NRL’s intention to restart the competition in May have been highlighted by the deputy chief medical officer, Paul Kelly, who expressed his concern over the risks of returning to action too soon.

Earlier, Brad Hazzard, NSW’s health minister, said he had not been consulted on league’s plan to resume play in seven weeks’ time, which was announced on Thursday following meetings of the league’s innovation committee and the ARL Commission.

Channel Nine, the competition’s broadcasting rights co-holder, has also claimed it had been left out of talks over the resumption proposal.

Advertisement
Speaking on Friday, Kelly said he did not believe the NRL should be considered “a law unto themselves” and that the league and its players, like the rest of country, have an important role to play in attempts to control the Covid-19 outbreak.

Kelly also said a return to the field of play on 28 May could be too soon given how rapidly the virus can be spread.

“I don’t think they [the NRL] are a law unto themselves,” Kelly said. “Some of the players and coaches may think so, but they’re part of society and they have a part – as we have all done – to support not only safety for themselves but for all of us.

“We all have a place in this and if we loosen the social distancing measures at the moment it can have an implication down the track.

“What we know about this virus, if we don’t have these social distancing measures, [is that] one person can lead to 400 other cases within a month. We just cannot afford at this stage to be considering that happening.”

Given their age and health, and that games would be played behind closed doors, Kelly said the cohort of players were of less concern than those around them in a more vulnerable age group – a group that includes the likes of coaches Wayne Bennett and Ricky Stuart.

Advertisement
“For them [the players], it may not be a big problem,” he said. “There are other people around the teams – Wayne Bennett is in his 70s, he would be in a vulnerable group; Ricky Stuart with the mighty Raiders, he would potentially be in a vulnerable group – so thinking about the team, not just the players but the support around them, is important.

“They’re making their plans for the road out [of the shutdown] and I encourage them to do so in other sports. But whether May is the time will remain to be seen and definitely they’ll need to get some permission to do that.”

Exact details over the format of the competition if and when it resumes remain unclear, although an exit strategy is likely to involve a NSW hub centred around Sydney.

But Hazzard said on Friday he had not been involved in talks about a restart – nor had he even spoken with league officials since before the suspension of the season after just two rounds.

“The NRL came to see me about a month, or five weeks, ago. There have been no further discussions,” Hazzard said. “The only meeting I’ve had that I can tell you about is around about a month ago, with Todd Greenberg and Peter V’Landys to talk about the issue.

“But that was before they actually made a decision to shut the game down. So, I haven’t had any discussions with them at this stage.”

Hazzard said he would, however, be open to talks, although a balance would have to be struck between the benefits of the league returning and the safety implications of that.

“If the NRL want to go ahead, [I’m] happy to have the chat and make sure, with medical advice, as to whether or not it’s appropriate,” Hazzard said.

“Whether it’s the right balance, I’m happy to talk to the NRL, because as health minister, I also know that we need to have a sense of balance about our life, a sense of mental health and I know a lot of people enjoy seeing sport.

“So we can have that conversation with them. I’m not giving any indication one way or the other.”

A big fat bloated pollie making sure every knows he's in charge. What a champion.

Exactly what I was thinking as I read through the column.

You two are busting to get the NRL back on apparently...I love footy as well but the safety of the whole community should come first,I think that's what the health expert is refering to..

Yes - I do want the footy back IF it’s safe to do so. I see no reason why the NRL shouldn’t be doing everything within its power to get the game going if they can do it in a way that’s supported by experts.
Ministers aren’t experts. The state health minister should be sacked. The Ruby Princess debacle, on his watch, is unforgivable. His language in the article seemed to indicate he wanted to regain some credibility by standing up to a powerful group - namely the NRL. This bloke should stop grandstanding and work out how he can undo the mess his ministry has created.
NRL being played in a safe environment would lift the spirits of hundreds if thousands of people.
So, yes, I want the footy back but my thinking on this issue is deeper than that.

It's worth noting that this 'expert' allowed us to play 2 rounds aswell and still wasnt the one to shut us down. Most pollies have been petty good through this but some olds habits die hard.

 

[Tiger_Steve]

Doubts over the NRL’s intention to restart the competition in May have been highlighted by the deputy chief medical officer, Paul Kelly, who expressed his concern over the risks of returning to action too soon.

Earlier, Brad Hazzard, NSW’s health minister, said he had not been consulted on league’s plan to resume play in seven weeks’ time, which was announced on Thursday following meetings of the league’s innovation committee and the ARL Commission.

Channel Nine, the competition’s broadcasting rights co-holder, has also claimed it had been left out of talks over the resumption proposal.

Advertisement
Speaking on Friday, Kelly said he did not believe the NRL should be considered “a law unto themselves” and that the league and its players, like the rest of country, have an important role to play in attempts to control the Covid-19 outbreak.

Kelly also said a return to the field of play on 28 May could be too soon given how rapidly the virus can be spread.

“I don’t think they [the NRL] are a law unto themselves,” Kelly said. “Some of the players and coaches may think so, but they’re part of society and they have a part – as we have all done – to support not only safety for themselves but for all of us.

“We all have a place in this and if we loosen the social distancing measures at the moment it can have an implication down the track.

“What we know about this virus, if we don’t have these social distancing measures, [is that] one person can lead to 400 other cases within a month. We just cannot afford at this stage to be considering that happening.”

Given their age and health, and that games would be played behind closed doors, Kelly said the cohort of players were of less concern than those around them in a more vulnerable age group – a group that includes the likes of coaches Wayne Bennett and Ricky Stuart.

Advertisement
“For them [the players], it may not be a big problem,” he said. “There are other people around the teams – Wayne Bennett is in his 70s, he would be in a vulnerable group; Ricky Stuart with the mighty Raiders, he would potentially be in a vulnerable group – so thinking about the team, not just the players but the support around them, is important.

“They’re making their plans for the road out [of the shutdown] and I encourage them to do so in other sports. But whether May is the time will remain to be seen and definitely they’ll need to get some permission to do that.”

Exact details over the format of the competition if and when it resumes remain unclear, although an exit strategy is likely to involve a NSW hub centred around Sydney.

But Hazzard said on Friday he had not been involved in talks about a restart – nor had he even spoken with league officials since before the suspension of the season after just two rounds.

“The NRL came to see me about a month, or five weeks, ago. There have been no further discussions,” Hazzard said. “The only meeting I’ve had that I can tell you about is around about a month ago, with Todd Greenberg and Peter V’Landys to talk about the issue.

“But that was before they actually made a decision to shut the game down. So, I haven’t had any discussions with them at this stage.”

Hazzard said he would, however, be open to talks, although a balance would have to be struck between the benefits of the league returning and the safety implications of that.

“If the NRL want to go ahead, [I’m] happy to have the chat and make sure, with medical advice, as to whether or not it’s appropriate,” Hazzard said.

“Whether it’s the right balance, I’m happy to talk to the NRL, because as health minister, I also know that we need to have a sense of balance about our life, a sense of mental health and I know a lot of people enjoy seeing sport.

“So we can have that conversation with them. I’m not giving any indication one way or the other.”

A big fat bloated pollie making sure every knows he's in charge. What a champion.

Exactly what I was thinking as I read through the column.

You two are busting to get the NRL back on apparently...I love footy as well but the safety of the whole community should come first,I think that's what the health expert is refering to..

Yes - I do want the footy back IF it’s safe to do so. I see no reason why the NRL shouldn’t be doing everything within its power to get the game going if they can do it in a way that’s supported by experts.
Ministers aren’t experts. The state health minister should be sacked. The Ruby Princess debacle, on his watch, is unforgivable. His language in the article seemed to indicate he wanted to regain some credibility by standing up to a powerful group - namely the NRL. This bloke should stop grandstanding and work out how he can undo the mess his ministry has created.
NRL being played in a safe environment would lift the spirits of hundreds if thousands of people.
So, yes, I want the footy back but my thinking on this issue is deeper than that.

It's worth noting that this 'expert' allowed us to play 2 rounds aswell and still wasnt the one to shut us down. Most pollies have been petty good through this but some olds habits die hard.

Yes I should note that most of our pollies are doing an outstanding job imo

 

[cochise]

Doubts over the NRL’s intention to restart the competition in May have been highlighted by the deputy chief medical officer, Paul Kelly, who expressed his concern over the risks of returning to action too soon.

Earlier, Brad Hazzard, NSW’s health minister, said he had not been consulted on league’s plan to resume play in seven weeks’ time, which was announced on Thursday following meetings of the league’s innovation committee and the ARL Commission.

Channel Nine, the competition’s broadcasting rights co-holder, has also claimed it had been left out of talks over the resumption proposal.

Advertisement
Speaking on Friday, Kelly said he did not believe the NRL should be considered “a law unto themselves” and that the league and its players, like the rest of country, have an important role to play in attempts to control the Covid-19 outbreak.

Kelly also said a return to the field of play on 28 May could be too soon given how rapidly the virus can be spread.

“I don’t think they [the NRL] are a law unto themselves,” Kelly said. “Some of the players and coaches may think so, but they’re part of society and they have a part – as we have all done – to support not only safety for themselves but for all of us.

“We all have a place in this and if we loosen the social distancing measures at the moment it can have an implication down the track.

“What we know about this virus, if we don’t have these social distancing measures, [is that] one person can lead to 400 other cases within a month. We just cannot afford at this stage to be considering that happening.”

Given their age and health, and that games would be played behind closed doors, Kelly said the cohort of players were of less concern than those around them in a more vulnerable age group – a group that includes the likes of coaches Wayne Bennett and Ricky Stuart.

Advertisement
“For them [the players], it may not be a big problem,” he said. “There are other people around the teams – Wayne Bennett is in his 70s, he would be in a vulnerable group; Ricky Stuart with the mighty Raiders, he would potentially be in a vulnerable group – so thinking about the team, not just the players but the support around them, is important.

“They’re making their plans for the road out [of the shutdown] and I encourage them to do so in other sports. But whether May is the time will remain to be seen and definitely they’ll need to get some permission to do that.”

Exact details over the format of the competition if and when it resumes remain unclear, although an exit strategy is likely to involve a NSW hub centred around Sydney.

But Hazzard said on Friday he had not been involved in talks about a restart – nor had he even spoken with league officials since before the suspension of the season after just two rounds.

“The NRL came to see me about a month, or five weeks, ago. There have been no further discussions,” Hazzard said. “The only meeting I’ve had that I can tell you about is around about a month ago, with Todd Greenberg and Peter V’Landys to talk about the issue.

“But that was before they actually made a decision to shut the game down. So, I haven’t had any discussions with them at this stage.”

Hazzard said he would, however, be open to talks, although a balance would have to be struck between the benefits of the league returning and the safety implications of that.

“If the NRL want to go ahead, [I’m] happy to have the chat and make sure, with medical advice, as to whether or not it’s appropriate,” Hazzard said.

“Whether it’s the right balance, I’m happy to talk to the NRL, because as health minister, I also know that we need to have a sense of balance about our life, a sense of mental health and I know a lot of people enjoy seeing sport.

“So we can have that conversation with them. I’m not giving any indication one way or the other.”

A big fat bloated pollie making sure every knows he's in charge. What a champion.

Exactly what I was thinking as I read through the column.

You two are busting to get the NRL back on apparently...I love footy as well but the safety of the whole community should come first,I think that's what the health expert is refering to..

Yes - I do want the footy back IF it’s safe to do so. I see no reason why the NRL shouldn’t be doing everything within its power to get the game going if they can do it in a way that’s supported by experts.
Ministers aren’t experts. The state health minister should be sacked. The Ruby Princess debacle, on his watch, is unforgivable. His language in the article seemed to indicate he wanted to regain some credibility by standing up to a powerful group - namely the NRL. This bloke should stop grandstanding and work out how he can undo the mess his ministry has created.
NRL being played in a safe environment would lift the spirits of hundreds if thousands of people.
So, yes, I want the footy back but my thinking on this issue is deeper than that.

Perfectly said mate!

 

[happy_tiger]

South Korea reporting patients getting CV twice now ....thought they were saying that couldn't happen as your body built up anitbodies to the virus

 

[WT2K]

South Korea reporting patients getting CV twice now ....thought they were saying that couldn't happen as your body built up anitbodies to the virus

😳

 

[cochise]

South Korea reporting patients getting CV twice now ....thought they were saying that couldn't happen as your body built up anitbodies to the virus

There were reports this afternoon that the antibodies in recovered patients weren't high enough in number to give immunity, if this turns out to be the case it puts as in a difficult place as a vaccine would require the development of those same antibodies!

 

[jadtiger]

South Korea reporting patients getting CV twice now ....thought they were saying that couldn't happen as your body built up anitbodies to the virus

China reported at least 1 woman catching it twice months ago so i would not be suprised if that happens,however since it has not been a common occurance i would imagine it would be fairly rare

 

[cochise]

https://www.smh.com.au/national/scientists-at-odds-after-study-finds-coronavirus-antibody-anomaly-20200410-p54iwm.html

Reading this article I guess there is still more research into the antibody response with covid 19.

 

[Strider]

Remember a vaccine in one year would be miraculous. 2-3 years would be very fast.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

Remember a vaccine in one year would be miraculous. 2-3 years would be very fast.

And the Premier recently stated that social distancing will be in effect until a vaccine is discovered. If they follow through with that, idk what that means for the game, and crowds.

 

[WT2K]

Brent Read - Weekend Australian

ARL Commission chair Peter V’landys spoke to the NSW Health Minister on Friday morning to remind him that NRL had been given the all-clear to resume in its heartland.

As for the country’s deputy chief medical officer, there was a reminder for him and everyone else that the game’s resumption date is still seven weeks away and the statistics are falling in favour of rugby league — and society for that matter.

“I appreciate how busy the health minister and medical officers are,” V’landys said

“They would not be aware that we have dealt with the relevant authorities and have the necessary authorisation.

“It’s in the NSW public health order that we are exempt. We also received a letter last Wednesday from relevant government authority confirming we can train and play.

“This is the mistake everyone has made. It is seven weeks away. In that seven weeks there will be some form of relaxation of the social distancing measures.

“Rugby league, like it or not is a workplace. Other workplaces are continuing to operate. The risk now is minimal.

“There is more chance of you getting hit by a car walking across the road than there is of you getting the coronavirus if you are in an area that has one per cent (infection rate).

“In reality, we could start tomorrow in NSW because we have permission to (do so). We’re not going to. That is why we decided to give it six or seven weeks.

“In six or seven weeks’ time I reckon the infection rate will be 0.5 per cent. When we stopped playing it was 22.5.

“The pandemic expert said it would get to 30 or 40 per cent. We could have played through all this because at this stage there hasn’t been one positive NRL player.”

V’landys remains bullish about rugby league’s return despite relevant health authorities taking aim at the code’s public plans to resume its competition on May 28.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard got in the act on Friday morning when he suggested he hadn’t heard from the NRL for four or five weeks.

The NRL responded by pointing out that it had been advised to liaise with the offices of the sports minister and premier, and that the state government had exempted “sporting events”.

Then the nation’s deputy chief medical officer Paul Kelly rounded on rugby league. Within the space of hours, two governmental grenades had been launched at the code.

All this as the sport reels from a blistering attack orchestrated by its broadcast partner – the Nine Network – on head office.

Kelly warned the risk extended well beyond the players.

“There’s other people around the teams — (South Sydney coach) Wayne Bennett is in his 70s, he would be in a vulnerable group,” Kelly said.

“(Canberra coach) Ricky Stuart with the mighty Raiders, he would potentially be in a vulnerable group.

“(The NRL are) making their plans for the road and I encourage them to do so in other sports. But whether May is the time will remain to be seen and definitely they’ll need to get some permission to do that.”

Asked whether rugby league was a law unto itself, Kelly said: “Some of the players and coaches may think so but they’re part of society and they have a part … to support not only safety for themselves but for all of us.

“To be really frank about this, we all have a place in this and if we loosen the social distancing measures at the moment it can have an implication down the track.”

The NRL has a big week ahead. It will meet the broadcasters early next week to discuss the schedule and attempt to strike a deal on finances.

There are talks to be had with the players’ union as well but everything hinges around talks with Foxtel and Nine.

“Society needs some level of getting back to normality,” V’landys said.

“We’re not New York. We are not Spain. It is nothing like it is there. The reason everyone is frightened and reacting the way they are is because they are looking at those overseas jurisdictions.

“We’re not like that. The most important thing out of this is getting an outcome where we get the game back, the players get paid and we survive all this.

“All this white noise, I ignore it. If we can start, the amount of people who will be watching our game will probably be the biggest audience we have had.

“It also puts us up there as a leader in the community. You have to give people hope.”