Macquarie coach Steve Kidd has called for this year's Newcastle Rugby League competition to be scrapped if crowds aren't allowed to attend matches and dismissed suggestions players should play for free.
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Less than a week after NSW Rugby League announced a revised season start date of July 18, Kidd raised concerns about the viability of a 2020 campaign without clubs able to raise revenue from gate takings, bar sales and canteen trade.
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Combined with a potential loss of sponsorship and the ensuing impact on player payments, Kidd reckons clubs such as Macquarie could better pool their resources into next year if goverment restrictions limiting mass gatherings still existed by the proposed kick off.
The current Scorpions mentor, two-time Cessnock coach and former Kurri Kurri player put forward June 1 as the deadline for a call to be made about this season, which remains on hold because of the global coronavirus pandemic.
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"If there's no crowds the comp can't go ahead," Kidd said. "Sponsorship has already been affected and players can't be expected to play for nothing. Another month [from now] is June 1 and if restrictions haven't been lifted by then it's nearly time to pull the pin."
Kidd feels players deserve to be renumerated for featuring in Newcastle RL first-grade fixtures because of the "sacrifices" made in relation to training, employment and family.
Central coach and former Kurri premiership-winner Phil Williams said player payments were important for Newcastle RL because it's "the best competition outside of Sydney and should be treated that way".
Lakes mentor Robbie Payne reckons he "couldn't see a competition going ahead in 2020 without crowds" but "health and safety" remained top priority at the Seagulls amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
Kidd supports the abbreviated 10-round format and October grand final proposed by Newcastle RL.
However, he questioned whether any reduction to the salary cap, set around the $140,000 mark, would be effective or policeable and wants player-point allocations addressed in relation to indivduals dropping back from the already cancelled NSW Cup competition.
Last week Newcastle RL chief executive officer Matt Harris nominated June 30 as the cut off to decide about this year's season.
Meanwhile, officials from Group 3 announced on Saturday the cancllation of their senior rugby league competition for 2020 following a vote by Mid Nort Coast clubs.
An online statement explained the verdict: "The loss of sponsors was the major contributing factor along with the uncertainty regarding COVID-19. We will convene a general meeting to discuss certain issues once restrictions are lifted and we return to some form of normality."
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