South Sydney boss Shane Richardson slams Cameron Smith, calls for NRL calm
South Sydney football boss Shane Richardson has hit out at Cameron Smith’s calls to cancel NRL games, instead asking those at the top to remember the people behind the scenes that keep the game alive.
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While iconic South Sydney mascot Reggie the Rabbit has now been locked out of Redfern Oval until further notice, Shane Richardson has labelled Cameron Smith’s call to cancel all NRL games because of coronavirus fears as “irresponsible”.
“I don’t know Cameron’s financial situation but we have players who need to pay their mortgage every single week and we have staff who need to do it too,” Richardson said.
It comes as the Rabbitohs’ long-time football boss revealed tough new measures that have been put in place across the NRL in a bid to try and keep the competition alive for as long as possible.
This includes stopping all non-essential staff from attending training sessions until further notice.
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On top of that, not Reggie, the Rabbitohs regular doorman or even Richardson himself will be attending Friday night’s huge game in Brisbane against Wayne Bennett’s old club, as well as the players’ families.
The Rabbitohs have even ruled out training in Brisbane ahead of the clash.
But instead of spruiking fear, Richardson wants everyone associated with rugby league to support the calls of ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys to do everything in their power to keep the competition alive.
“The reality is what V’landys is saying is true,” Richardson said.
“We have to keep playing footy and if we don’t keep playing footy we are going to be in a lot of trouble.”
As for Smith’s comments that all games should be cancelled, Richardson said: “I don’t know if he carries clout or not but I think it is irresponsible in a sense that it is not a decision that Cameron Smith makes or Shane Richardson makes.
“That is a decision the medical people make.
“I mean, Wayne has come out and talked about things to keep the game going. He understands the importance of keeping the game going.
“And the crucial part of this is that we want to keep the game going because we have a genuine belief that it is a fabric of the society we live in.
“And more importantly it is crucial to a whole range of people’s survival. So don’t talk it down, talk it up.”
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Richardson said his club had put in place strict new safety measures to try and limit any potential spread of the virus.
But Richardson said it was a small price if it ultimately means the football can go on.
These are the new measures across most clubs but there are many more people not directly employed by NRL clubs that are also suffering tremendously.
At grounds like the SCG and ANZ Stadium thousands of casual staff whose financial livelihoods depend directly on the live events are dramatically impacted.
On a big day at the SCG up to 2000 people can be working, doing everything from security to catering, ushers and police.
But with crowd lock outs, all shifts have been cut back to skeleton staff.
Furthermore, it stretches to staff at local pubs, cafes and restaurants. It is similar at all suburban grounds and around Australia.
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“We will get over all this, it is just when,” Richardson said.
“And what we have to try and do is make sure we keep the game sustainable so we can come back bigger and better.
“We are getting some amazing and wonderful reaction from our members who are writing in and saying ‘we don’t want our money back, we want the club to keep going’, and all this sort of stuff.
“I think everybody out there understands the plight of the club.
“No one thinks the club is rich. The big key to it all is the survival of every club and to keep on playing is crucial.
“Don’t jump to conclusions. Worry about what we can do this weekend and worry about what happens next after that.
“If the competition stops it is a very dangerous thing for the game.”