Eddie McGuire says the NRL is not so affected by border closures as the AFL, with rugby league deciding to play on during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Collingwood president said the NRL did not have clubs in South Australia or Western Australia where borders were closed, which seriously impacted on the AFL.
McGuire pointed out all of the NRL’s clubs except for Melbourne Storm and Warriors were located in either NSW or Queensland.
“Well, look, the NRL it’s a different competition,” McGuire told Triple M.
“We heard from the NRL yesterday. They play in three states but with one team in Melbourne, whereas the AFL, once the borders closed in South Australia and Western Australia it became self-evident that we couldn’t go on with it.
“But also, I think only difference there is that in our meetings yesterday, just as the weekend went on it changed. Last week it was the right decision to play on but as the weekend went on and with the issues with Bondi Beach and in closing down the states, it becomes self-evident again that our competition couldn’t go on.
“But the NRL, good luck to them for having the best go they possibly can.”
McGuire says the AFL will never be the same again after all 18 clubs were put on hold until at least May 31, with AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan admitting it is the “biggest financial crisis” the game has ever faced.
“It’s going to devastate our industry, the football industry in general,” McGuire said.
“It will never be the same again. But we’ll have to rebuild it and we will work through it together side by side to make sure we all get through as best as we possibly can.”