Thursday 19 March 2020 14:14, UK
Jon Wells believes all 12 Super League clubs will feel the financial impact of the coronavirus shutdown, regardless of how well-off they are.
Sky Sports rugby league expert Wells is having to deal with the effects of the season being suspended as part of his job as Castleford Tigers' director of rugby.
Speaking to Sky Sports News, the 41-year-old explained how it will be a similar situation for all of the Tigers' Super League rivals regardless of how firm their financial footing is.
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"On the face of it, you would say there are some clubs who are better financially resourced than others - those with their own stadiums and big stadiums which have corporate facilities," Wells said.
"But generally, the clubs who are better financially resourced would have a higher cost base as well. I would say every club in Super League is going to struggle as a result of this.
"I'm aware of working parties within Super League which have been set up and are looking at financial modelling for the future.
"Obviously it's a very fluid situation, all options are on the table and things are likely to change at any time."
I would say every club in Super League is going to struggle as a result of this
Castleford's Mend-A-Hose Jungle home is being kept open with a skeleton staff while others work from home in a bid to help prevent the spread of the virus.
Head coach Daryl Powell and his staff have put together a training programme for the squad to keep them in shape during this period without any matches and Wells conceded it has been a difficult balancing act for all at the club.
"We've tried, as a coaching and an administrative group around the playing group, to keep things as normal as possible in these extraordinary times," Wells said.
"We've been working very hard on putting together a training programme which fulfils the obligations the government are putting on everybody at the moment and still allowing them to maintain a physical and mental balance.
"This is a skeleton stadium at the moment, there are a number of people who have been told to stay at home, all but essential staff are at the club and it's an eerie feeling."
Rugby league matches in the UK at all levels have been suspended until the start of April at the earliest, with Castleford's 28-14 win at home to St Helens on Sunday being the last game played.
Regular meetings are taking place to assess when the various professional and amateur competitions can resume, and Wells remains optimistic the 2020 campaign will be completed with a satisfactory conclusion.
"It's certainly the hope," Wells said. "There are contingencies in place depending on how long this gets pushed back. The official date is April 4, but I think we all know that's a bit of a holding date at the moment.
"The latest I'm hearing is we'll be assessing on a bi-weekly basis, and as Plan A gets ticked off we move to Plan B and C.
"There is some flexibility there and some modelling taking place on how a truncated season would look. In the short-term, I am still confident the season will be finished and that it will be credible, which is important too."
