NRL 2020 returns: Brisbane Broncos v Parramatta Eels in Round 3 – live!

THREE AND A HALF HOURS TO GO!

Once the teams run out to an empty Suncorp Stadium tonight, we’ll witness an NRL game, but it won’t entirely be as we knew it in the pre-Covid era. The impact of the coronavirus has been far-reaching, not only forcing a 10-week suspension, but also acting as the first domino to fall and spark a sequence of events that has resulted in a fundamental change in how the game is run.

So instead of two referees officiating tonight’s game, there will be just one. We’ll have to wait and see how that pans out, but this is the NRL and even more so than usual, the spotlight will be firmly on Gerard Sutton, all alone out there in the middle. To note: Belinda Sharpe, who made history as the first woman to referee an NRL game in July, has been relegated to the touchlines and will be joined by fellow touchie Phil Henderson there.

There is also the small matter of a rule change: the six-again rule will be employed for the first time as of tonight, with six additional tackles awarded for ruck infringements – an attempt to speed up the game. It has only ever been trialled once before – in an Indigenous All-Stars game in 2012 – and quite who the rule stands to benefit has been the subject of much debate in recent weeks. Another one to watch. As Larissa O’Connor wrote today:

“Teams would be well advised to watch the early games this round to gauge how the rule will be enforced, how it may open up attacking opportunities and to what extend it could wear down defending sides, particularly in the latter stages of a game.”

Read more on that here:

FOUR HOURS TO GO!

Strong words from V’landys, but hardly surprising given the stance he has taken in his quest to get the ball rolling again. Yet, as Nick Tedeschi wrote on these pages earlier this week, “For good or ill, V’landys has bulldozed a path for the game’s return and to label him one of the most omnipotent figures in Australia is not hyperbole. He has defied the prime minister and state premiers, taken the fight to broadcasters and unions, unilaterally changed the laws of the game and obliterated rivals along the way.”

Nick goes on: “V’landys was twice chastised by Scott Morrison for declaring the Warriors would be given a travel exemption, yet they set up camp in Tamworth and will play on Saturday. It has been a high-risk gambit. Governments can and will shut the game down the moment there is a health breach. Failure to have the backing of health departments and public officials gives the game zero wiggle room if something goes wrong. A thirst for brinksmanship and risk has its downside and his making, of course, could yet be his breaking.”

Read the full article:

FOUR AND A HALF HOURS TO GO!

Where to begin? Honestly, I don’t know. It’s been an, um, eventful couple of months. How about the latest on the NRL’s idea to get fans back into stadiums by 1 July, a plan that has already been dismissed by the Australian Medical Association president (“absurd and dangerous”) and treated with caution by state governments (“not on the list yet”).

NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian, who said on Monday “certainly we’re not in that space yet”, has doubled down on that view today. “A lot of people are looking forward [to NRL being back on TV]. I’m glad it gives some normality back to NSW,” she said. “[But] I can’t see [crowds returning] by that date.”

Not that the opinion of a state premier is likely to deter Peter V’landys, the ARLC chairman. He reckons he knows best and is adamant a crowd should be allowed back into stadiums – not just by 1 July either.

“There should be [fans allowed at tonight’s game]. I see no reason why there can’t be,” V’landys said on 2GB. “And you have to base it on data, not emotional scare-mongering cliches. That’s what they do. They bring up these cliches that put fear into people.

“They’ve got no data to show. The infection rate is less than half a per cent – how low do we need to get it? I just can’t believe what we’re going through at the moment because our infection rate is less than half a per cent and has been for 40 or 50 days.

“When we stopped playing the game it was 25.5%. There’s a level of risk in anything you do in life. What we have to be doing is assessing the risk and acting accordingly, rather than having this overall blanket policy that is stifling everyone.”

Wow. But there won’t be fans tonight, because health experts have ruled it’s not safe. And even if they were allowed into Suncorp, would it really be worth it? Megan Maurice asked that very question yesterday.