A working group of players from all 16 NRL clubs last week agreed that points should be kept from the opening two rounds of the 2020 campaign.
The debate was reignited on Sunday when Sydney Roosters supremo Nick Politis called for all points previously won this season to be scrapped ahead of the planned May 28 resumption.
Officials from Cronulla and the Warriors – whose teams, like the Roosters, have yet to pick up a point – echoed Politis’ call.
However it is understood a Rugby League Players’ Association working group have already agreed their view is the first two rounds of this year’s premiership should count.
Representatives from all clubs discussed the matter in a phone hook-up on Thursday, just hours after the competition’s planned restart was confirmed.
“I don’t think (it would be fair to lose points),” Penrith halfback Nathan Cleary told Nine’s Sunday Footy Show.
“We had a meeting with the RLPA and everyone was on board with keeping the points. I was pretty happy to hear that.
“Obviously (I’m) a little bit biased because we won our first two games.
“You work pretty hard to win games in the NRL so I couldn’t see the justification of taking the points off.”
The Panthers are among six clubs undefeated through the first two rounds, while six lost both matches.
Four teams – Manly, Wests Tigers, North Queensland and South Sydney – have won one and lost one.
The argument for points to be taken off teams from the opening two rounds was initially largely based on the NRL breaking off into a conference system.
But the ‘Project Apollo’ innovations committee chair Wayne Pearce has told AAP the conference plan is now extremely unlikely for the 2020 season.
The most likely scenario now appears to involve each team playing each other once, with a number of additional rounds for rivalry matches to boost television revenue.
A shorter season would disadvantage sides who lost their opening two games, given clubs usually need to win at least half of their matches to make the finals.
However any removal in points from those matches would bring into question suspensions issued in the opening two rounds, as well as fairness for teams who have lost players to injury.
The final format – likely to equate to an 18- or 20-round season with a grand final in late October – will be discussed with broadcasters this week.