NRL players and club staff are to be subject to relaxed COVID-19 protocols after an agreement was reached between the league and the players’ union.
Under the new guidelines, players will be free to attend restaurants and cafes with their families.
Players will be strongly advised to avoid cinemas and bowling alleys but will not be prohibited from visiting them.
The only mandated rule will be players or staff from the same club cannot congregate in indoor settings in groups of more than three.
“This is a big step forward and it’s a huge credit to our player leaders who have continued to be motivated to secure improved outcomes for male and female players,” Rugby League Players’ Association (RLPA) chief executive Clint Newton told AAP.
“Our players can now go to funerals, weddings and birthday parties without seeking permission.
“Having those simple life pleasures restored is really important to our players and it was certainly worth advocating for.”
Those relaxed protocols will be reviewed by the NRL and the RLPA prior to the season commencing and throughout the year.
Players will still have to undergo regular testing and be subject to rules implemented by respective state health authorities.
Canberra Raiders star Jack Wighton was one of several NRL guns to voice their displeasure when the tight COVID-19 protocols were announced last month.
“Thought I was getting the stupid vax so I didn’t have to do another year of this s***” Wighton put on his Instagram story.
The next task on the NRL’s agenda is to plan for a scenario when squads are heavily-impacted by COVID-19 during the season.
The Big Bash League opted to call on local cricketers, while the A-League has introduced a rule that if five players from the previous matchday squad test positive clubs had the option to postpone fixtures.
Given the congestion of the calendar this year — which includes a Rugby League World Cup in England in October and November — the NRL is understood to be hesitant to rearrange fixtures in such a scenario.
“We have an opportunity here for players who are available when you consider their development lists and state cup sides,” Newton said.
“Clubs do have a good player pool to draw from.
“Is there an option, and I’m not suggesting this is something we implement, that would put players in a central list for them to be loaned at short notice?
“These are all things we think we should be exploring together to manage the situation.
“The NRL should not be solely responsible for thinking of every scenario to mitigate risk.
“That’s a responsibility that should be shouldered by all the stakeholders and sharing the load is something we’ve always advocated for.”
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