Wednesday 22 April 2020 14:35, UK
The Rugby League Players' Association has issued a statement in response to the Australian Rugby League commissioner's comments that the NRL will 'definitely' return on May 28.
After two days of meetings and ahead of further talks with the NRL clubs, ARL commissioner Wayne Pearce on Wednesday said while the finer details of the competition structure were still being finalised, but "everyone is supportive of what we're doing. Everyone is unified into getting back on the field".
"We reaffirmed that May 28 is the starting date for the competition. We also confirmed that teams will be able to train from May 4," he said.
However, Rugby League Players' Association CEO Clint Newton issued a statement that said while players remain committed to working towards a May 28 resumption, further clarity is required before it can be considered a definitive date.
"The return to training and playing dates for the NRL competition remain unconfirmed at this stage as players require clarity on a range of areas," Newton said.
"While we remain optimistic and committed to working through a thorough process which will see players return go training and playing, our priorities that we have continually outlined over the past few weeks have not changed, nor has our desire to get the competition back up and running.
"We have communicated with our player representatives earlier today and reaffirmed this position with the Innovation Committee and the NRL this evening following inconsistent media comments."
The NRL competition was suspended last month after two rounds were played in empty stadiums because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Strict international and domestic travel restrictions and social distancing policies meant group practice sessions at all clubs were cancelled and teams from New Zealand and Queensland state went into lockdown. Sports leagues and events around the world have been cancelled or postponed during the pandemic, although baseball leagues in Taiwan and South Korea have either just resumed or are about to start.
Pearce said government authorities he had been dealing with supported the resumption of the league, although there's still no clarity on whether the Broncos, Titans and Cowboys from Queensland state and the Warriors from New Zealand will have to relocate to short-term bases closer to Sydney to be involved in the competition.
Pearce said meetings on Wednesday of Project Apollo - the league's innovation committee - provided better clarity on the medical process and protocols that need to be put in place for games to go ahead.
"We feel like we owe it to not just the players and coaches but the thousands of staff members at various clubs and associated industries that are out on the unemployment lines, too," Pearce said.
He said the competition standings from the first two rounds will be carried into the next phase of the season.
It has been a tumultuous week for the NRL, with Todd Greenberg quitting as chief executive after the league's governing body was criticised by its main broadcaster for wasteful spending.
In a statement Monday, Greenberg said he was resigning by mutual agreement, after reflecting on the needs of the game.
