Coronavirus: Opening NRL rounds won’t be axed: V’landys

ARL head Peter V’landys has squashed speculation points earned in games played before coronavirus shutdown will be scrapped.

ARLC Chairman Peter V'landys. Picture: Joel Carrett/AAP

ARL Commission chair Peter V’landys has intervened to end any talk that the opening two rounds of the competition could be scrapped as part of the resumption of the premiership.

A handful of clubs were up in arms when it emerged last night that the football innovation committee was considering a proposal that would have expunged the two rounds of the premiership that were played before the competition was shut down.

It has since emerged that V’landys spoke with committee head and fellow commissioner Wayne Pearce this morning and the proposal will not be considered by Project Apollo.

That means teams will keep the competition points that they won before the competition went into hibernation. Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy, Newcastle’s Adam O’Brien and Canberra’s Ricky Stuart were among those who railed against the proposal — all had led their sides to successive wins to open the season.

It is understood there were concerns about the shape the competition could take on resumption had the opening two rounds stood — there is a plan to resume the premiership by splitting the game into two conferences based on their geographical position.

Eight of the nine Sydney clubs would be in one conference and the remaining clubs would be in another as part of a 14-week regular season to be played before finals and the grand final.