NZ Warriors have reportedly been granted an exemption to travel to Australia to play out the remainder of the 2020 NRL season.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald and Channel 9, the Warriors will be allowed into the country to begin preparations as early as Sunday.
The decision represents a huge step toward ensuring the club's inclusion, when the competition resumes on May 28. Teams have been cleared to return to training from May 4.
On Tuesday, the league will meet with the New South Wales state government to gain approval for the Warriors to self-quarantine at Tamworth in central NSW, which is essentially the final stage in securing their 2020 return.
"We appreciate the federal government in giving us an exemption to allow the Warriors to come into the country," V'landys told the SMH.
"We are now working with the NSW state government to get approval that will allow them to train, while in isolation."
If that request is denied, they'll have to enter a hotel for self-isolation, meaning the start of the competition could be further delayed.
But given the Warriors already set a precedent for such a move last month, V'Landys is confident the request should be approved.
"They had five players come over to replace the players that went back to New Zealand on compassionate grounds, and they were allowed to stay in a facility and train similarly with what we wish to do now," V'Landys added.
The NRL expects a definitive answer before Wednesday.
