NRL players will be sent home with individual training programs in an effort to maintain some level of fitness before the resumption of the 2020 premiership.
On Tuesday morning, NRL clubs will meet with playing groups and staff to establish a plan to navigate the uncertain future of the game after the premiership was suspended with no return date.
An emergency meeting has been called with all 16 clubs and NRL officials, where they will look for ways to restart the competition.
However, it’s clear a mini pre-season will be necessary for players to be in physical condition to return to the field, regardless of when or how the competition resumes.
Speaking on Fox League on Tuesday morning, Melbourne Storm chief executive Dave Donaghy said players with families based interstate would be allowed to go home and will be given a training program to follow.
“There’s the opportunity for players to go home, spend time with their families,” he said.
“They’ve obviously been given a program to do their best with keeping fit … those TRX machines will get quite a workout over the next period of time, I would imagine.
“It’s uncertain, they train in a certain way, work on a timetable, everything is prepared, everything’s ready to go to the sound of a bell for kick off.
“That’ll be different, it’s taken away from them after two weeks but we’re like everyone else.”
Sydney Roosters coach Trent Robinson said the club would also give players individual programs, but will meet with club physiotherapists on Tuesday to organise rehab treatment for players who are already dealing with injuries.
The NRL premiers have several players on the books who could be impacted in their recovery, including young centre Billy Smith who suffered an ACL injury in the pre-season.
“What happens with his program over the next couple of months to rehab him? The world can’t just stop for his knee, and his progression back to health,” Robinson told Fox League.
“The physios will discuss that. There’s a mental health aspect, we’ve got a clinical psychologist on board so he’ll start getting around to each player to discuss their individual issues.”
Robinson revealed the Roosters were in a meeting to finalise the self-isolation for up to 100 players and families on the Central Coast, starting on Sunday, when the news of the shutdown broke.
Players usually have at least a three-month pre-season before play and while preparations won’t need to be that long at least some notice will be given.
“If the players go into a break right now, we’re going to have to have a mini pre-season,” NRL boss Todd Greenberg told Nine’s 100% Footy.
“We’re going to have to work on that with the RLPA and all our clubs.”
Greenberg also said it was impossible to know when the game would be able to resume, with the sport only set to come back on the advice of a pandemic expert.
