With the NRL season set to be re-launched within the next month, The Sydney Morning Herald is reporting that NRL clubs will be able to have 20 players available for selection an hour before games in case of any positive coronavirus tests.
The NRL have re-activated its workload-balance committee to ensure that the NRL safety protocols are being taken seriously as the competition looks to resume on May 28.
On Thursday, the committee met via video conference and outlined several possibilities that will be negotiated with the Project Apollo team. One of those is extending the squad number from 30 to 32 to ensure the safety and depth of the teams in case of any positive coronavirus cases.
Also being discussed is a cap on the amount of support staff each team can bring to games, with between 12 and 14 members being discussed to minimise the risk of infection. During trainings, that number could increase from anywhere between 14-18 people should each adhere to the safety precautions set out by the NRL.
Brisbane coach Anthony Seibold has been added to the committee to give a coachโs perspective on the situation, while RLPA chief executive Kelly Egan has also been added to the committee.
RLPA representative Simon Roberts has also been added to a group that is led by Kangaroos high-performance manager Troy Thompson and includes Storm football boss Frank Ponissi, Wests Tigers performance manager Andrew Gray, NRL welfare and education manager Paul Heptonstall and NRL chief medical officer Dr Paul Bloomfield.
That group, who report to NRL head of football Graham Annesley and RLPA boss Clint Newton, spoke for a good two and a half hours on Thursday before ultimately getting the proper recommendation of draft numbers.
"Itโs been really pleasing to see the willingness of everyone to help out and co-operate," Thompson said.
"Nobody has an agenda. Itโs important that everyone is on the same page from the coaches, the players, the staff, the NRL and the commission. The big thing is that everyone is speaking into the same microphone, weโve all got the same voice and are saying the same thing.
"A few working groups will be diving into the detail over the next 10 days. A lot hinges on whether teams can travel. We have an anomaly with the Warriors because they are geographically removed from everyone else.
"We have to be able to afford them the same guidelines and consideration as everyone else."
