No decision made on the BRL and the NDRL just yet

BRL and NDRL still waiting on word from the Queensland Rugby League about the direction of where their competitions are going.

Easts Matthew Craven sprints for the try line after escaping a Waves Tigers tackle. He will be looking to play when the season begins later this year.

LEAGUE: The Bundaberg Rugby League is adamant, as much as it would like the season to start in May, that just isn’t going to happen.

The coronavirus crisis has halted the start of the competition to at least the end of the May long weekend after the Queensland Rugby League directed all competitions to stop training and to stop the start of the season due to the virus.

The BRL season was meant to start last weekend.

But now BRL chairman Mike Ireland is not confident the sport will start at the rescheduled start time.

Last week the QRL cancelled all statewide competitions including the Intrust Super Cup, the women’s competition and the under-18 and under-20 competitions as the virus pandemic gets worse and forces tighter restrictions.

Ireland said that would have impacts on the BRL but it isn’t following suit yet.

“No word from the QRL or the Central Division about what is happening,” he said.

“My gut feel is maybe end of June (we start) and maybe if we can go then talk to cricket about pushing their season back to have grand final the last weekend in September.”

That would leave two months of games before finals are held during September.

Each team could play each other twice during that time to allow for two full rounds.

But this is all dependent on the Bundaberg Cricket Association approving the move.

The association does get access to Salter Oval in mid-September when the league season finishes.

“This is only what I would be putting to the (BRL) board,” Ireland said.

“We must also remember we have to get the all clear from the cricket and the division to start.”

Ireland stressed that it was all speculative at this stage with all competitions to return only after the virus crisis was over.

The NDRL said the competition was awaiting further instructions from the QRL about how the competition will be organised this year.

“All we know is that the plan from the QRL is they want community football to go ahead but obviously it’s all dependent on the outcome of the virus,” NDRL secretary Kym McIntosh said.

“At this stage we haven’t been made aware of any outcomes.

“We are asking people to follow us and our clubs on Facebook.

“We are all working hard behind the scenes and there are lots of phone calls and emails coming in and out.”

The QRL is expected to provide an update soon but it wasn’t released before deadline.

Be the first to know at news-mail.com.au