NRL to resume on May 28 with 20-round format

The NRL has announced plans to resume play on May 28, with the Grand Final set for October 25.

Following talks with clubs, broadcast partners and other stakeholders, Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) chair Peter V'landys said the league would return as a 20-round competition. The original schedule was for 25 rounds prior to the play-offs.

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"Today is a landmark day for rugby league in 2020," V'landys said. "This is a great outcome for our players, fans, partners and stakeholders and I'm extremely appreciative for the cooperation and support from (Nine chief executive) Hugh Marks and (Foxtel chief executive) Patrick Delany.

"Both have always acted in good spirit and have demonstrated how partners work together."

Players are due to return to training on May 4 under strict hygiene regulations, while the New Zealand Warriors will travel to Australia on Sunday before spending 14 days in quarantine in Tamworth.

V'landys added: "It's safer now to play than it was in round two when we were playing. The daily infection rate in New South Wales was 25.79 per cent when the last game was played.

"It has been now less than one per cent in NSW for the last 18 days and is continuing to drop. There has also been a significant improvement in the recovery rate, being 75 per cent in NSW and 83 per cent in Australia.

"Our players will be safer under our protocols than they would be as regular members of the community."

But while the league looked for a way out from the current lockdown, it was forced to act after some players breached regulations over the weekend.

Latrell Mitchell, Josh Addo-Carr, Nathan Cleary and Tyronne Roberts-Davis all face fines after being handed breach notices for bringing the game into disrepute, but will not miss any playing time with proposed one-match bans suspended for the rest of the season. The players have five days to respond before final punishments are set.