With the 2020 NRL season being handled in a constructive and positive manner during the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a growing belief that the 2021 season could resume back to normality, reports The Australian.
Associate Professor David Heslop played a big contributing factor into the protocols that were set out for the leagues return, and has since met with club chief executives to provide an update of what the future could look like.
With the optimism from Heslop that a vaccine for COVID-19 could become a reality soon enough, the belief is growing that players will no longer have restrictions placed upon them and normal crowds may be able to return in bunches.
Heslop believes the vaccine will eliminate the risks associated with the current protocols.
“The prediction is in January we will have our first doses (of vaccine),” Heslop told The Australian.
“It is my expectation that will be prioritised centrally to high-risk people — ICU workers, frontline doctors and healthcare workers, and other essential services.
“At some point it will become broadly available, probably in the first few months of next year. At that point, once vaccination goes out into the community, the NRL will be able to get its players into the system.
“At that point, the requirement for protocols really diminish and perhaps go away. Best case scenario is that the first few weeks of next season are (under) some form of protocol, then return to effectively a normal season at that point. I have got my fingers crossed. The Apollo protocols are in place to manage the risk. If the risk isn’t there that means the protocols will be gone.
“It would be a very quick return to crowds at that point.”
With the NRL set to lose upwards of $400m over the next couple of seasons because of the pandemic, NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo has been in consistent contact with clubs and the players union to figure out ways in which the losses won't affect the ability of all to earn a living too highly.
With the protocols in place and the players being away from their families and watched with their every move, Heslop believes the concern for the players moving forward won't just be financial, but also mentally.
After the season concludes, players not participating in the State of Origin series will be able to leave the bubble and return home for that very reason.
As a sport we have done exceptionally well,” Heslop said.
“Some of the issues that are emerging now is just this fatigue with the protocols. We have been focused on making sure people are safe but in order to do that, the kind of restrictions we have placed on them are very strong and they have been going on for a long time.
“We are talking about young people with families. The biggest issue for us is that people are becoming fatigued, there are what everyone calls mental health impacts.”
Heslop also added that while on holidays, the players shouldn't be thinking about protocols and should be able to enjoy their time away with their families.
“My view is that any kind of reporting should be minimal if any (while they are on holidays),” Heslop said.
“My advice is that we should be looking at a period where they are not even thinking about the protocols.”