James Graham: NRL return on 28 May is a 'miracle' boost for community in a tough time
- Published
James Graham has been in the NRL since leaving St Helens for the Bulldogs in 2012
Australia's National Rugby League's return to play is "close to a miracle" and a boost to the wider community, says England prop James Graham.
The league was suspended on 23 March, but has been cleared to start up again under the Australian government's coronavirus guidelines, on 28 May.
Early estimates suggested June could be the earliest the season might resume.
"It's huge every time you get to play our sport," Graham told BBC Sport. "It's borne out of love and passion."
He added: "Despite the low number of cases there is financial devastation, so it's a welcome distraction [for people].
"To be honest, I've likened it to close to a miracle that we can start on 28 May. It's unprecedented that something like this has happened where a season has started, paused and started up again.
"I think there's more of an appreciation of our sport, speaking to the lads a lot of them have never had it taken away from them before."
Graham, 34, has made 184 appearances in the competition, with Canterbury and St George-Illawarra, since moving from St Helens in 2012.
No aches and pains, for now
The break from action means Graham and his peers are feeling unseasonably fresh, compared to the usual aches and pains of the week in, week out grind.
"Normally about now you're counting down the weeks to the bye-week, so it is a bit strange in that sense," Graham added.
"The season has to go a bit longer and we've got to be as prepared as possible."
James Graham missed part of 2019 with a broken leg
In addition, the revised season will be slightly compacted when it recommences, and the impact of that could be felt in terms of quality on the field.
"We're not able to do any contact training until Monday so that might have a bit of an effect," he added.
"It might work in the players' favour in terms of how sore they feel and it might change the way the game is played which might in turn benefit the players."
Behind closed doors
Unlike Super League, which is still pondering how best to prepare for a return to action and the variables around that, the NRL has already played matches in a precautionary environment.
Round two was played entirely behind closed doors at one venue to reduce the risk of contagion, with sterilisation of match balls and a limit to the number of staff on site.
Graham experienced that atmosphere when the Dragons lost to the Penrith Panthers at an empty Jubilee Stadium on 20 March, but it was not a new sensation.
"It's something I've done before when I was a lot younger, playing in front of next to no-one," Graham added.
"It took a bit of getting used to but when you're actually playing, making tackles, running the ball, pushing support, all those little things, you didn't notice it.
"It was when you scored a try, conceded, ran out for half-time or kick-off, those were the moments you looked around and went 'Oh'.
"In the heat of the battle you don't really notice the crowd anyway, when you're in the thick of it and have all these things coming at you, you don't have time to think."
- Published29 May 2019
