NRL 2020: Unbeaten clubs will not be stripped of points in two-conference competition, Dragons set for Queensland move
The Dragons face the prospect of being moved to Queensland in a revamped competition for 2020, while the rest of NSW clubs stay in Sydney.
NRL
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ARLC chairman Peter V’landys has hosed down fears the first two matches would not be counted to a revamped competition saying any plans to scrap wins is “off the table”.
The NRL innovation committee was due to discuss controversially wiping the opening two rounds as part of a proposal to restart the competition with two eight-team conferences from as early as May 28.
However V’landys put an end to any suggestions the undefeated Eels, Knights, Panthers, Broncos, Raiders and Storm would have their two wins taken away.
“I spoke with Wayne Pearce this morning and we both agreed that it’s not going to come under consideration,” V’landys said.
“The commission has not considered it and it won’t be considering it.”
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Clubs were planning to challenge the decision if they were indeed docked competition points. The likes of Kalyn Ponga, Nathan Brown and Tevita Pangai Jnr were whacked with suspensions from the opening rounds and there could have been a case for the trio to be reinstated if the competition started afresh.
A host of teams including Cronulla, Roosters, Dragons, Canterbury, Warriors and Titans remain winless after two matches.
Project Apollo will meet on Thursday to finalise the competition structure and potential places to house teams inside the bubble. Club bosses will be informed of the plans in an afternoon phone hook-up after the meeting.
Broncos chief executive Paul White applauded the move to keep competition points, saying Brisbane’s back-to-back defeats of the Cowboys and Souths were just reward for a slick pre-season.
“The players and the coaching staff put together a really strong pre-season over a number of months and that was rewarded with two fantastic victories,” he said.
“We were undermanned in Townsville (against North Queensland) but played some great footy to get the result, and similarly we came back home and took on a strong Souths team and got the result there as well.
“They are the kind of wins that you can build a season around, and I know our whole club – the players, staff, members and sponsors – have been buoyed by those results across the uncertain weeks in the wake of the season being suspended.
“We would like to think that those wins continue to stand as part of the 2020 season, that is a given.”
Queensland and Manly skipper Daly Cherry-Evans also endorsed the decision, saying: “It must have been an idea from someone who hasn’t won a game this season.
“As players we worked really hard in the first two rounds so you can’t scrap those results from the record books.”
The conference system is still taking shape amid news St George Illawarra Dragons could be left out of the Sydney clubs’ conference and be forced to join the out-of-town clubs in a Queensland-based ‘northern’ conference.
Under the two conference system, News Corp understands St George Illawarra would be left to join the out-of-Sydney clubs — the Cowboys, Broncos, Titans, Knights, Raiders, Warriors and Storm — in Queensland at a venue still to be determined.
The Sydney clubs would be based at Sydney Olympic Park.
For player welfare reasons, the regular season would be played over only seven weeks because it is considered unreasonable to have players away from their families and loved ones for any longer.
Throw in State of Origin and the finals and it could be only a 14-week season.
“That’s better than us not playing at all,” said one official. “To play each other twice and have players in isolation for 14 weeks is going to create welfare issues.”
BELOW: SEE THE POTENTIAL CONFERENCES AND REVISED SCHEDULE
NRL CONFERENCES
SYDNEY
Roosters
Rabbitohs
Sharks
Sea Eagles
Wests Tigers
Eels
Bulldogs
Panthers
OUTSIDE
Cowboys
Broncos
Titans
Knights
Dragons
Raiders
Warriors
Storm
THE SEASON
7 week regular season
4 week finals
3 weeks Origin
Total: 14 week season