Rugby league’s ‘Project Apollo’ gets its lift-off

The sport might be the last you would draw up in a world where social distancing has become the norm, but as Ben Burrows writes, its return promised much

The NRL returned on Thursday (Getty Images)

With its passing and pushing, rucking and wrestling rugby league might be the last sport you would draw up in a world where social distancing has become the new normal.

But here we are and, as of Thursday evening in Australia, the National Rugby League is back.

Like almost every other, Australia’s most-watched winter sport has been suspended in the wake of the global pandemic with the 2020 season shut down after just two rounds way back in March.

The sport’s plans to return, nicknamed ‘Project Apollo’, haven’t been without their problems with a number of controversial lockdown breaches from several high-profile players adding fuel to the fire from critics that rugby returning to the field should be the lowest of priorities in a country staring at its first recession in 30 years.

But in characteristically bullish fashion the NRL have ploughed on undeterred with Brisbane and Parramatta’s meeting on Thursday the welcome end to a long and fraught journey.

“I don’t know what people have been watching all these months, it’s very exciting,” prime minister Scott Morrison said upon the resumption. “The world will be switching on, the NRL can take over.”

That’s not to say that this is rugby league as we knew it eight weeks ago, however, far from it.

Matches, for the time being at least, will be played out in just six venues with only North Queensland, Melbourne, Parramatta, West Tigers and Thursday’s hosts, Brisbane, maintaining the advantage of playing at home.

Quite how much advantage that will prove to be remains to be seen with no fans being allowed to be in attendance for the time being, although plans are already afoot for that to change from 1 July despite yet more heavy criticism.

On the field there will only be one referee, for the first time since 2008, while the new ‘six-again’ rule – enforced for ruck infringements – could change how the game is played significantly having only being trialled way back in 2012.

Television viewers were treated to artificial crowd noise to ease the transition back while cardboard cutout supporters will be in place in the stands at other stadiums as the schedule continues through the weekend.

In the action the Eels scored the first try of the resumption through Marata Niukore and never looked back in an impressive 34-6 victory that sees them move top of the early ladder.

The product itself was as fast and fierce as ever with the new rules only serving to speed up what was already one of the world’s most frenzied sports.

Screened in 70 countries, including the United States, France, Papua New Guinea, Uganda and, of course, the UK, the NRL’s return is as important to the global game as it is to Australia.

The sport as a whole, from the governing bodies and teams to those who play for them and support them, needs this to work and on this evidence it will deliver.

It’s a different ball game sure, but one that has been sorely missed.