OPINION: NRL’s move positive for local games

Sports reporter Emily Clooney evaluates the impact the NRL’s return will have for community sport.

READY TO GO: Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett looks on at training as players prepare for the season reutrn next week.

THE highly anticipated return of the NRL season is less than a week away, and the divide among fans is still lingering.

Some, like myself, are eager to see the game return at the highest level and a sense of normality come back to life.

Others can’t comprehend the ‘double standards’ that will allow 34 athletes to take the field while gathering restrictions remain on day-to-day life.

And for the most part, I can rationalise their arguments but deep down, aren’t you longing to for the chance to watch professional sport again?

Earlier this week, football returned to some countries in Europe – a region far more affected by coronavirus than Australia.

Games were played in empty stadiums to an eerie silence and players warned against making unnecessary contact.

It’s unlikely we’ll see the ‘contact’ rule impact rugby league but the sad reality is, the future of watching live sport in person isn’t any clearer.

While there remains a threat of the virus spreading, we almost have to settle for televised games to get an outlet.

And at the rate Australia is tracking, it’s hard not to feel positive about the future.

The resumption of the NRL season next Thursday night and the AFL season two and a half weeks later can only be seen as a way forward and should give confidence to community leagues jumping at the bit to come back.

I know I’ll be treating it as ‘the first step’ back into sports, and hopefully the opportunity to report on achievements of local athletes in 2020.

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