Some people were not entirely convinced about the safety of those who will be involved with the NRL season pushing through. On the other hand, some fans think of it as a shot of normalcy while the world battles the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, the health and safety of everyone always comes first so it was not much of a surprise when the league announced that it will suspend the competition for a while due to growing concerns of the slow but steady spread of the novel coronavirus.
As fans, we can understand the sentiment over the season suspension. However, there are questions resounding in our heads as we sit in our homes, waiting for everything to be over. One question echoes loudly than the others:
‘Now, what?’
Well, to be quite frank, there’s not much we can do about it. Major sports league across the world have long since shut down their seasons to minimize the risks of the COVID-19. It’s only right to prioritise the wellbeing of society.
That said, we can all just stay put in our homes and hope for the best. Sure, there’s the fantasy league but even that poses questions on how we are going to move forward. Maybe, we can use this time to think of things outside of the sport.
On the other hand, sports fans cannot just shut off their need to be in the know about the league. It’s going to be hard so, why not think about the future and the countless possibilities it has for the competition?
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‘Rugby league will always survive in some way but I can’t guarantee it will in the same way. We’re ready for the worst’, CEO Todd Greenberg said in their announcement last March 23, promptly after the ARL Commission held a meeting at Rugby League Central.
ARLC chairman Peter V’landys also mentioned that they have informed all of the clubs about every possible dates that the season will come back. The NRL has designed multiple scenarios to when the competition will resume.
All the while, NRL players have nothing to worry about in terms of finance. Although salary cuts are likely to happen, V’landys assured that all 16 clubs would remain financially viable.
‘We’re talking about rugby league but we’re talking about a much broader issue in our community’, Greenberg added. ‘We can still pay the players, but the cost base will need to be reset. From players to clubs, central administration. It won’t be easy but we’ll come out the other end’.
Indeed, it will be challenging for everyone. There is a possibility that the league will come back at the beginning of June, July, and August with 1 September as the latest they can resume. This means that a possible grand final will take place just before Christmas.
There’s certainty though that any date later than the first day of spring will not be an option. For the best case scenario, the NRL can be back in June to finish off all 25 rounds of its regular season. This also includes the finals series as well as a decider in December.
However, there are NRL experts that go against these possible scenarios.
While some look forward to the season coming back from the hiatus, there are others that think the possible dates are unrealistic. This is because of their argument wherein if the league does come back for the season, the NRL will need to hold another preseason which will take four weeks.
The future of the NRL and other sports leagues may look unclear right now with the world occupied with something more than sports entertainment. However, all hope is not lost as everyone tries to make a difference in their own way.
While we are locked up in our homes in this world health crisis, be sure to be good to everyone you’re lucky to be with right now. Remember to check on your loved ones and stay safe.