An update from Prime Minister Scott Morrison has thrown a spanner in the works for the NRL season.
Fans could be facing a six-month lockout from grounds with Morrison announcing stricter new restrictions amid the coronavirus crisis.
Morrison said that non-essential indoor gatherings of 100 or more people will be banned in Australia, and it is now up to the AFL and NRL to decide whether their competitions go ahead.
The ban on indoor crowds of more than 100 people could be a mess for football clubs, pubs, restaurants and all public venues.
“Whether it is the AFL, the NRL or any others, that’s a decision for them to make in accordance to rules that have been established,” Morrison said.
“No gatherings of more than 500. No internal gatherings of 100 or more - and there will be others. So they need to make their own decisions with how to manage that.
“We’ll focus on our responsibilities as prime ministers, Chief Ministers and Premiers. And the CEOs of the AFL and the NRL can make the decisions on what is best for their game.
“But they must comply, obviously, with all of the health rules and guidelines being established.”