Brisbane coach Anthony Seibold is confident the NRL will resume next month, saying strict measures adopted at training will ensure players are in “the safest possible environment”.
The NRL has hurdles to clear since boldly announcing the competition will recommence on May 28, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison saying a return during the coronavirus pandemic will be “subject to health advice”.
But Seibold believes clubs would be taking every precaution when training resumes in early May to ensure the NRL’s successful resumption.
“I was part of a meeting with all the head coaches and the biosecurity protocols we put in place will make the training environment the safest possible environment the players and staff can be in,” he told the Broncos website.
“People across the board are getting the message and I’m really confident in the biosecurity measures put in place that they will protect our players and staff and we just need to listen to the government guidelines.”
Seibold said the Broncos would introduce stringent self-isolation measures including locking down part of their headquarters, the Clive Berghofer Centre, at training.
He said players would undergo daily individual health checks and have their temperature monitored.
“There will be forehead temperature checks on arrival to our facility every single day,” Seibold said.
“There will also be a daily coronavirus questionnaire which will be done on our phones, so the players and staff will have to fill that in every morning upon entering the building.”
Seibold was happy with how his players had handled training in self isolation, saying the May 28 resumption could not come soon enough.
“The players and staff have done a tremendous job so far and we need to continue doing what we have done so far,” he said.
“It’s important the players and all of us in the industry need the game back up and running to get blood back in our veins.”