NRL considers Santa clause

NRL war cabinet has been told that club football will be prioritised over international games this year.

Josh Reynolds, right, shares a joke at Tigers training on Wednesday. Picture: Getty Images

The ARL Commission and NRL have told a war cabinet of rugby league’s best and brightest that they remain committed to playing a full season and will consider sacrificing international football and pushing through to Christmas to make it happen.

NRL powerbrokers hosted a teleconference with key club officials on Tuesday at which they outlined their contingency plans to navigate through the coronavirus crisis. Among those on the hook-up were Melbourne chair Bart Campbell, Sydney Roosters’ Nick Politis, South Sydney’s Nick Pappas, Gold Coast executive chairman Dennis Watt, Nine Network commentator Phil Gould and former Roosters half Cooper Cronk.

It is understood they were told the NRL would keep the schedule flexible with a view to playing 24 home-and-away rounds as well as finals and State of Origin before the end of the year. To make that happen, the ARL Commission is likely to scrap international football for the year to place a priority on the club competition.

That would spell the end of the Kangaroos tour. The prospect of playing through to Christmas would also play havoc with next year’s pre-season, including the Nines and All Star events.

It further creates a conundrum for the game given player contracts run until October 31. Players coming off contract at the end of 2020 may be forced to sign short-term deals with clubs to cater for the extended season.

The other issue is players such as Jai Arrow, who are heading to a rival club from November 1 on heftier contracts.

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Arrow, who will join South Sydney in 2021, would be likely to remain with Gold Coast until their commitments were over. That could have implications for his salary given his contract with the Rabbitohs is due to begin on November 1 and caters for a significant bump in his weekly wage.

There would also be problems around ground use if the competition were to run into November and December, given the T20 World Cup will be under way and cricket has priority over the SCG.

The Sydney Roosters play their home games at the ground and this year’s grand final is scheduled to be played there given ANZ Stadium is due to be redeveloped after Souths and Canterbury meet at the venue in late June.

Despite all the issues with playing through until the end of the year, the good far outweighs the bad. Playing the entire season would help protect the game’s deal with broadcasters and ensure the game receives the $13m due each round from the Nine Network and Foxtel.

That, in turn, would ensure player wages were untouched, although there is an acknowledgment from the Rugby League Players Association that it may be forced to negotiate a way forward with the NRL.

The Australian revealed at the weekend that the agreement between the players and governing body includes an “act of God” clause that allows the game to revise player payments should there be a significant drop in revenue.

The union sent a video to players on Wednesday outlining the key issues stemming from the coronavirus and the impact it could have on their benefits.

“There has been a lot of speculation about player payments and salaries,” RLPA head of stakeholder relations Clint Newton said.

“Right now, given the NRL competition is continuing, we are not considering any reduction in player payments.

“However, if the competition were to be paused or suspended for any period of time, we may be forced to consider that.

“The CBA does require the RLPA and the NRL to discuss and agree on any possible reduction based on the revenues being significantly reduced.

“Any reduction in player payments and benefits need to be agreed with us. Player salaries would be the last thing we look to reduce.

“There are other areas we may look to draw upon, such as injury hardship fund, marketing pool, retirement account and representative payments to help offset any downturn in the revenue.

“We can also look at reducing future payments such as the salary cap in ensuing years. We don’t have to necessarily take all the money out in one year or we may look to defer player benefits down the line.

“If the reduction in the revenues are significant, the players will need to share in that. But it’s important to remember that it will be only our portion of that percentage — clubs, states and NRL will also share in any losses.

“Any reduction in player payments will be spread across all players — it will not be absorbed by any one team or any one group of players. It’s important that we stick together on this.

“It’s important to know, after listening to all that, that we are not there at this point. These are simply all considerations we will work through if or when the game may be suspended or paused.”

Newton also confirmed discussions had taken place over relocating all players and clubs to one destination.

“The competition structure and season structure may need to be adjusted,” Newton said.

“The idea of all teams or clusters of teams being relocated to various parts of Australia is one thing that is being considered.

“As you can imagine, that presents a number of logistical ­issues, as well as hardship issues for players because you may be required to spend time away from your family.