On the eve of a season that may or may not start this week, the AFL players have pushed back against a league request for a 20 per cent pay cut — an amount that Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett has called the "minimum" that the players should accept. The AFL indicated late on Tuesday that it still could not say for certain whether the season would kick off with Richmond
SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: It’s game over for the 2020 Six Nations, Gallagher Premiership, Pro 14, Top 14 and two European competitions…. so now’s the time to give rugby a reboot I was disappointed at how the Six Nations reacted to the coronavirus threat It will make life much easier going forward if we quit on this season altogether Rugby has been way too cantankerous, knee-jerk and muddled recently The game
Western Bulldogs young gun Aaron Naughton and Hawthorn star Jack Gunston are both in the frame to play in round one despite interrupted pre-seasons. Club sources told The Age on Tuesday that tall forward Naughton (knee) and the versatile Gunston (ankle) were both tracking well to play this weekend after missing substantial chunks of the pre-season following respective surgeries. Bachar Houli has been ruled out with a calf strain.Credit:AAP Both
St George Illawarra veteran James Graham has backed every NRL player to take a pay cut, with the coronavirus crisis set to place the league's finances under severe strain. Hours before NRL CEO Todd Greenberg said there would be the ''potential'' for players to take pay cuts, Graham – one of the game's most outspoken players – predicted there would be no resistance from those who put on the show
Prime Minister Scott Morrison says “the NRL is not high on the list” of funding priorities as the government responds to the coronavirus outbreak. The NRL is facing the prospect of its cash reserves drying up in just three months if the premiership is called off, while ARLC chairman Peter V’Landys claims the game will lose more than $1 million for every weekend that crowds are locked out of stadiums.
Paul McGregor has thrown his support behind the Magic Round style concept that could keep the NRL season alive in the midst of the coronavirus crisis. The governing body is understood to be considering isolating all 16 teams in one city — believed to be in northern Australia — in order to avoid the game’s extinction. Are you an AFL or NRL fan? Compete for $2 million in prize money
Wests Tigers veteran Benji Marshall admits being proud to have defied Father Time for as long as he has following his starring role in his side’s season- opening NRL win. Marshall wound back the clock with a solo try, two try assists, and four goals in the Tigers’ gutsy 24-14 victory over St George Illawarra on Sunday night. Watch the 2020 NRL Telstra Premiership on KAYO. Every game of every
Rugby Football League chief executive Ralph Rimmer says the sport will continue to adhere to Government guidelines and stage matches until the situation changes. Speaking to BBC 5Live ahead of Sunday’s Super League game between Castleford Tigers and St Helens, Rimmer said that the fact there are no current cases of coronavirus at any club differentiates it from sports such as football that have closed down. Rimmer said: “Some messages
Scottish Rugby has launched a new £500,000 fund which will offer financial assistance to grassroots clubs financial problems through the impact of coronavirus. Scottish Rugby suspended all rugby in Scotland on Friday and, with a lack of fixtures and gate receipts, clubs may struggle for cash-flow. Coronavirus latest: The impact on sport The Club Hardship Fund (CHF) is to help clubs through potential uncertainty created by the coronavirus outbreak and
Super Rugby bosses are investigating an emergency redraft of the competition with domestic derbies only which would limit the financial turmoil for teams. Whiteboard plans are in the formative stage but it would mean the Queensland Reds, NSW Waratahs, Melbourne Rebels, ACT Brumbies and Japan’s Sunwolves, currently based in Australia, only playing matches among themselves. Left-field thinking from ruling body SANZAAR is needed to solve the complex issue of a
