THE long wait to return to the field for Bathurst Panthers, St Pat's and their Group 10 rivals is set to end on July 18 after NSW Rugby League came to the decision in a meeting on Wednesday morning.
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The board established a plan to work towards a re-start of Rugby League activities from July 2020 to coincide with a common return date for some other winter sports across the state and the commencement of term three in the school year.
NSWRL Chief Executive David Trodden said the decision took into consideration the NSW Public Health (COVID-19 Restrictions on Gathering and Movement) Order 2020, which is currently preventing sport from being conducted and expires at midnight on 29 June 2020 (unless further extended).
"Accordingly, the earliest possible return date is 30 June 2020, unless the NSW Government decides to lift the Public Health order earlier," Trodden said.
"Most winter sports favour working towards a return date of 18 July 2020, at the end of the next school holiday period, with a return to training on 1 July 2020, subject to the status of the public health in the interim.
"The Board and Management of NSWRL have been continuing to closely monitor developments with regards to the COVID-19 pandemic and will continue to strictly follow the Government advice so that we will only return to playing footy when it is deemed safe to do so.
"The NSWRL and everyone in our Rugby League community need to be responsive to the continual changes to the Government advice around risks to public health for the broader community, and if it becomes apparent that a July start date is not feasible, we will adjust and reassess."
