Female players express concerns about the future of the NRLW competition
NRL boss Todd Greenberg has committed to a whole of game approach, including the women’s game, to the resumption of the season.
NRL
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Anxious NRLW players were assured they have not been forgotten by the NRL during the coronavirus shutdown in a video call with Todd Greenberg on Monday.
Rugby League Players’ Association chief executive Clint Newton and NRL boss Greenberg presented a united message to NRLW stars to ease fears their season has been abandoned without consultation.
Both bodies have been criticised for not communicating clearly with the game’s female players over the shutdown, which has caused a financial catastrophe within rugby league.
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Last week, former Jillaroos captain Sam Bremner said players were “gutted” to learn via media reports the NRLW competition could be scrapped and felt as though they had been abandoned by the NRL.
However, Greenberg and Newton committed to fortnightly check-ins with the players and said the NRL was taking a ‘whole of game approach’ to the resumption of the season, which includes the women’s competition.
“The meeting was an opportunity for our members to be provided with an update from the NRL on the current state of the women’s game,” Lina Caccamo, the RLPA’s player operations manager for elite women, said.
“It’s important now more than ever that players are provided with accurate information on a regular basis.
“The RLPA will continue discussions with the NRL regarding the women’s game later this week.” During the call it was reiterated no decision had been made, and that the NRL is working through what a reinstated competition would look like, as well as a model to present to broadcasters.
NRLW did not exist when the last broadcast deal was struck but, in news that was positively received by the playing group on Monday, the competition could be captured as part of their own TV deal from this season onwards. Broadcast dollars would inject desperately needed money into the women’s game and ease costs on clubs, who currently foot the entire bill to fund NRLW teams. This bodes well for the women’s State of Origin to be played in 2020 should the competition return, given the impressive ratings for the match across the past two years.
Appetite has been growing since the NRLW was instated in 2018 and the competition was set to expand this season.
During the NRLW Nines in February, the women’s final between St George Illawarra and Brisbane drew 170,000 viewers on Fox League, while Saturday-round matches drew audiences of 89,000 and 64,000.
In comparison, two A-League games on the same night drew a combined audience of 34,000.
Blues star’s plea: ‘We will play without any money’
Last Friday, St George Illawarra and NSW Blues star Maddie Studdon said money wasn’t the women’s motivation, declaring they will compete for free if it meant they could play football in 2020.
The women’s competition, like all rugby league, is in doubt this season due to the coronavirus pandemic that has shut down communities.
The immediate future of the NRLW copped a hit last week when it emerged that the Roosters and Warriors were leaning towards pulling out of the competition for financial reasons.
Studdon, though, is determined to test every avenue to ensure the women play this season — even if it results in a temporary hit to the players’ hip pocket.
“We are happy to play without any money,” Studdon told The Daily Telegraph.
“But at the end of the day, there are contracts that we’ve signed with money, so that is a part of our game. I understand that the NRL is the pinnacle of everything but the women’s game is just as important.
“We are not asking for the same opportunity with the money; we are just asking for the same opportunity playing the game that we love.”
Studdon’s stance comes as NRLW officials are working tirelessly behind the scenes on different scenarios to ensure the women’s game is played in some capacity this year.
These include, a reduced season, which could include as few as two teams depending on the financial impact of the virus.
And State of Origin, the highest rating female sports broadcast in Australia for the past two years.
Rugby league’s promise: State of Origin is on
They don’t know where, they don’t when, but they worked out how. State of Origin is on.
A high-powered meeting between the NRL, NSWRL and QRL started formulating financial plans for this year’s Origin series.
The NRL season has been suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic but officials are designing a funding model to ensure Origin is ready when rugby league finally returns.
Respected NSWRL chief executive Dave Trodden, chairman George Peponis, QRL managing director Rob Moore and chairman Bruce Hatcher were involved in the 90-minute hook-up along with ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys, NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg and chief financial officer Tony Crawford.
The NRL is absolutely desperate for Origin to be played this year given the three-match series generates about $15 million in revenue along with record television ratings.
“I don’t know where it will be or when it will be,” Trodden told The Daily Telegraph.
“But Origin will go ahead — I’m very optimistic it will go ahead. Origin is the jewel in the crown.
“If rugby league gets back during the course of the year, and everyone is optimistic it will, then Origin has to be part of it because, commercially, the game can’t afford for Origin not to be played.
“We’re planning for that, we’re planning on being part of it. The discussion really concentrated on funding rather than anything football-specific.
“We spoke about all the costs about putting it on — travel costs, accommodation costs, player payments, support staff costs, coaches, trainers, physios.
“It’s problematic at the moment because we don’t know with any certainty what the position is just yet but we’re quite optimistic Origin will go ahead.
“In our budget we need to provide for all the costs associated with that.”
However, no decision was made whether the series would proceed with scheduled games in Adelaide, Brisbane and Sydney.
Debate at the meeting also centred around funding for all levels of rugby league.
“The NRL has been talking to players about their funding model so today they talked to the states (associations) about what their funding model looked like,” Trodden said.
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“We had a lengthy and productive meeting and there is a general acceptance across the NRL and both states that we all need to work together to make sure we get through this. We will reconvene next week having had a chance to think about what sort of funding implications there will be for each of the states about coronavirus.”
Officials at the meeting also discussed funding models to run pathway and junior competitions, including Canterbury Cup, Ron Massey Cup, Sydney Shield, women’s competition, Laurie Daley Cup, Andrew Johns Cup, Harold Matthews, Jersey Flegg, SG Ball, under-16s, 18s, 20s, State of Origin and country football.
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There was debate about ensuring none of the 160,000 juniors across NSW and Queensland would be lost to the game and how to help struggling country clubs.
“The pathways are very important. Ultimately we need to make sure we just don’t preserve the NRL but preserve those 160,000 people as well,” Trodden said.
“We can’t afford to lose any junior teams because ultimately we don’t have a game. If you lose one of those clubs, it’s then very difficult to get them back again. They are a priority.
“In regional areas, it’s the local pub or club that sponsors the local team. While they’re closed they don’t have the capacity to provide funding and that affects regional football. Across the game there is an acceptance that everyone will be supported. That’s what we’re working towards.”