| schema:articleBody
| - The Australian National Rugby League has taken a step towards the sport returning by the end of the month after Queensland officials confirmed Friday its teams will be allowed to train and travel. The NRL plans to resume competition from May 28, but that depends in part on states allowing players to cross closed borders. "I said I was as keen as anyone else to see the NRL return and I meant it," Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said. "First round games will be played in Queensland and of course I put in a bid for a local grand final." The league was still waiting on federal border officials to give the New Zealand-based Warriors an exemption from coronavirus lockdowns, allowing the team to fly into the rural town of Tamworth ahead of the game's planned return. Under current plans, the team would complete a 14-day isolation in the town, about five hours drive from Sydney, before the start of the NRL. The league boss welcomed Queensland's decision and said the NRL should be able to return if virus health guidelines are followed. "We've always been working to make it as hassle free for our players as possible and if they abide by these biosecurity measures, that we've got in place, there will be no problem," Australian Rugby League Commission chair Peter V'landys told media on Friday. But after several players were caught breaching social distancing requirements earlier this week, V'landys warned players would have to be responsible to assure the league's return. "It's up to the players -- if there's a slip-up of the players and they do the wrong thing -- that puts the whole rugby league season in doubt," he said. The NRL season was suspended on March 24 after just two rounds amid a government shutdown of all non-essential gatherings in a bid to stem the spread of coronavirus. Under plans thrashed out by the NRL and its broadcast partners this week, the season will be cut from 25 rounds to 20 -- including the two already played -- with a four-week playoff series ending in a Grand Final on October 25. The three-match State of Origin series between New South Wales and Queensland, normally played mid-season, will shift to November for the first time. Prime Minister Scott Morrison -- a vocal supporter of Sydney team the Cronulla Sharks -- said the final decision for the return of the NRL remained with the states. "I know everyone is looking forward to that coming back but it's got to happen in accordance with the health rules," Morrison said in Canberra. "I know they want to get training going soon and hopefully that can be achieved," he added. al/tom
|
![[RDF Data]](/fct/images/sw-rdf-blue.png)
![[cxml]](/fct/images/cxml_doc.png)
![[csv]](/fct/images/csv_doc.png)
![[text]](/fct/images/ntriples_doc.png)
![[turtle]](/fct/images/n3turtle_doc.png)
![[ld+json]](/fct/images/jsonld_doc.png)
![[rdf+json]](/fct/images/json_doc.png)
![[rdf+xml]](/fct/images/xml_doc.png)
![[atom+xml]](/fct/images/atom_doc.png)
![[html]](/fct/images/html_doc.png)