Adrian Lam 'prays' Covid-19 doesn't impact on play-offs... as contingency plans confirmed

The RFL has revealed protocols in case the virus impacts on the race to the Grand Final, with seventh-placed Huddersfield on stand-by to step in if any of the six play-offs teams are ruled out.

Lam said: "I pray that no team gets it because for the integrity of the game, the teams have to be the best sides you can field every week.

"We talk about this every day, how we can minimise the risk.

"Where we train at our facility, the protocols we have there are as professional as anywhere in the world I would think.

"If it does happen, it happens."

Wigan's players and staff went through their weekly round of testing today and Lam admits they can only ever reduce the risk, given players' family members may be exposed to the virus at workplaces or schools.

"There are dangers, we've talked about how we can minimise risks there," he said. "With the country going into lockdown, I think that's probably going to help our cause a little bit.

We're ticking all the boxes and fingers crossed we can get through the next three weeks in good shape."

The expanded play-off series gets under way on Thursday when Warrington, who finished third at the end of the regular season, take on sixth-placed Hull.

Fourth-placed Catalans Dragons play fifth-placed Leeds, also at the HJ, in the other elimination play-off 24 hours later, with Wigan and St Helens awaiting the winners in the semi-finals on November 19 and 20.

As part of a contingency plan, the RFL says possible reserve dates have been agreed with Sky Sports.

Clubs can ask for a postponement if they can prove a minimum of seven players are unavailable through positive Covid-19 tests or track and trace protocols, and the decision will be made by the RFL board.

If a club is unable to play either on the scheduled date or any of the reserve dates, which are expected to be next weekend, they will then be replaced by the Giants.

The RFL says if two clubs are unable to play Huddersfield will replace one of them and the other elimination play-off will be a walkover.

Reserve dates have also been set aside in case any of the four clubs who qualify for the semi-finals - Wigan, St Helens and the two elimination play-off winners - are unable to play on the scheduled date.

If a club is unable to play either on the scheduled date or any of the reserve dates, they will be replaced by the highest-ranked loser from the elimination play-offs and, if two clubs are unable to play, both elimination play-off losers will be recalled to the series.

The RFL has revealed the semi-final losers will remain on stand-by in case either of the Grand Finalists are unable to play.

There is no reserve date for the Grand Final as clubs have stipulated that the season must finish on November 27.

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