NRL wants to restart 'ideally by July 1'

Bosses made the prediction after agreeing a recovery plan with clubs as they deal with the impact of the season’s postponement because of Covid-19.

The move protects clubs even if, in a worse case scenario, this season does not resume.

Australian Rugby League Commission chair Peter V’landys and NRL Chief Executive Todd Greenberg said the plan – which included “significant” cost-cutting – was supported by all 16 clubs and provided funding certainty for the remainder of the 2020 season. V’landys said: “We have a consolidated plan and working with the clubs and the players, are united in our efforts to do all we can to protect rugby league.

“We had no option but to stop the competition in the wake of advice from our Biosecurity and Pandemic expert but remain optimistic that the season will restart as quickly as possible, ideally by July 1. If that isn’t possible, then we need to be prepared for all contingencies.

“The crisis has highlighted that the game’s present cost structure is not sustainable and the ARLC will lead by example in substantially reducing its costs now and into the future.”

The revised financial models provide clubs with the capacity to survive the financial year with either a remodelled 20-week competition, including play-offs series and Origin, or a worst case scenario of no football being played again this year.

The NRL will pay a total of $40 million in monthly grant payments to the Clubs between April and October to cover their ongoing operational costs. This is an increase of $6.4m of funding compared to the 2020 budget;

The NRL will reduce its operating costs by 53%, including a 95% reduction in staffing levels during the shutdown period and a 25% cut in executive salaries.

In addition, the NRL has proposed a funding model for player payments to the RLPA which will be provided to its members for consideration.

They are resigned to taking significant pay-cuts, which will impact on ex-Wigan trio Ryan Sutton, George Williams and John Bateman, who are all at Canberra.

Greenberg said although the decisions involved short term pain, the measures would protect the sustainability of the game and set it up for the future.

He said: “We are working together to achieve the best outcome in the short, and long term. We must use this opportunity to reset the game’s costs and overall structure.

“These measures will put the game in the best position to rebound strongly from the pandemic.”

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