NRL coronavirus: ARLC chairman Peter V’Landys says Warriors returning to NZ won’t derail competition
The New Zealand Warriors have rejected a plan to stay in Australia for two weeks to beat coronavirus restrictions, but ARLC chairman Peter V’Landys insists the NRL can continue.
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As Melbourne Storm captain Cameron Smith called for the NRL to be suspended for at least two weeks, ARLC chairman Peter V’landys outlined plans to battle through the coronavirus crisis.
The Warriors will remain on the Gold Coast this week for a home game against Canberra but are believed to be planning to leave Australia next Monday.
They would then have to enter a compulsory two-week self-isolation period in New Zealand.
“We’ll have more talks with the Warriors during the week,” V’landys told The Daily Telegraph on Sunday night.
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“They’ve been great. If they did insist on going home we’d look at contingency plans and that could be to continue playing. Nothing is certain but we’d have to consider it.”
Teams that are scheduled to play the Warriors would get a bye.
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NRL CEO Todd Greenberg had asked the Warriors to remain in Australia after their round two match against Canberra (which was shifted from Auckland to the Gold Coast) next Saturday so they could face Manly the following Friday.
The playing group held a vote before rejecting the proposal, instead agreeing to stay for seven days, prompting the NRL to move the Warriors to Kingscliff on the NSW north-coast.
While Greenberg has commended the Warriors for backing the NRL’s plan to play on amid the coronavirus saga, the reality is the playing group has serious concerns about remaining in Australia for an extended period of time.
Both Australia and New Zealand now have rules in place requiring people arriving from overseas to self-isolate.
Warriors CEO Cameron George returned to New Zealand on Sunday and told local media the entire playing group may fly home after the Canberra game.
If that happens, the Warriors could withdraw from this year’s NRL competition.
“It’s a reality and it’s on the table that we get though this weekend, we’ve got to make a decision with the players,” George told New Zealand media.
“What do we do? Do we continue to live this week by week scenario?
“We gave the players the option. If you want to come home, you can. That could change during the course of the week, players might want to come home during the week.
“The reality is that they’ll stick it out for seven days and there’s a massive decision to make one way or another.”
George said players were close to tears breaking news to their partners that they might remain in Australia.
“I give a lot of credit to our playing group and their resilience around these challenging times,” George said.
“I think it will get to a point where are multiple players (catching coronavirus) and to protect everyone they’ll have to cease the competition.
“Whether that’s for a suspended period or the competition is cancelled for 2020.
“If one club gets it, naturally another club’s going to possibly be exposed to that.”
Originally published as NRL coronavirus: ARLC chairman Peter V’Landys says Warriors returning to NZ won’t derail competition