Warriors CEO Cameron George speaks with Matt Brown on the deal struck between the NRL and the players association.
Rugby league journalist Andrew Webster has ripped into the NRL for claiming the organisation's primary concern during the Covid-19 epidemic has been the players' health and safety.
Although the number of coronavirus cases in Australia continues to rise amid self-isolation restrictions, the NRL revealed on Thursday they are aiming to recommence the 2020 premiership on May 28th.
After the NRL announced the shock comeback, ARLC chair Peter V'landys reassured the public that health and safety was the sport's "absolute priority".
"It is in the best interests of our clubs, our players, our stakeholders and importantly our fans that the competition resumes as quickly and as safely as possible," V'landys said on Thursday.
"We have said right from the start that what we say today may need to change tomorrow.
"We will be flexible, and if the trend changes or if government restrictions change then so will we. The health and safety of our players and the general public remains the absolute priority."
ARLC Chairman Peter V'landys. Photo / Getty
However, speaking on Sports Sunday, Webster called V'landys' comments "rubbish", suggesting the NRL is primarily concerned about avoiding a financial catastrophe. The respected journalist believes the organisation have put the players and general public at risk by prematurely restarting the season.
"I can't cop when we're told that they're putting the health of their players and the wider community first. I think that's rubbish," Webster said on Sunday.
"If you need the money, then come out and say it. If things go as they are, it looks like they'll have less than $20 million in the bank at the end of the year.
"There's other people in the game who think the same, but they're too scared to speak because if you do, then you're anti-rugby league and defeatist and you're running a Channel Nine agenda or whatever.
"I know Peter V'landys talks about the infection rate being down to 1.5 per cent, that's because everyone's at home.
"It's because no one's going out and tackling each other in games of football every weekend.
"I think the big question for me is, if rugby league had more money, would it wait a little bit longer until this thing settled down?"
Webster also slammed the NRL's "reckless" management amid the coronavirus crisis, arguing the May 28 return date is "way too premature".
"I think it's been reckless … (The NRL has) been running around like a headless chook ever since the competition stopped last month, trying to work out how they're going to get the money flowing again.
"When they looked at the finances, they don't have the cash reserves that a game that rakes in billions of dollars in broadcast revenue should have in the bank.
"I think May 28 is way too premature. I would have thought the responsible thing would be to wait until July, that's where the clubs and players are getting paid until."
On Saturday, NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard claimed he had not ticked off any proposals for the NRL's return, asserting the matter is a "health issue" in which he should be consulted.
"We've got to keep everyone safe … If it is possible for a sport, any sport, to operate in a safe way that is a question for health authorities, not politicians," Hazzard said.
"If we could be watching rugby league sitting at home, yeah I'd like it, but we've still got to make sure the teams are safe, the people coaching are safe and the people who make those decisions are the health authorities.
"It's a health issue, and I'm the Health Minister. It's a discussion with the health authorities to see if it whether it can be done safely."
