The NRL has opted to stick with the same themed rounds as the 2022 calendar with the possibility of a Pride Round not being introduced this season.

The NRL launched the first of its specialist rounds on Tuesday with a multicultural event at Belmore. Schools, Canterbury greats and other NRL officials were present for the occasion.

The decision to not introduce a Pride Round this season comes after seven Manly players boycotted the club’s rainbow jersey during the Women in League Round last year. At the time, Manly owner Scott Penn called on the NRL to introduce a league-wide Pride Round, but the club has since confirmed that they will not go it alone with a rainbow strip this year.

The NRL has instead considered the possibility of introducing a Respect Round, an initiative that would be accepting of the views of all. The focus has now shifted to the Multicultural Round, with NRL CEO Andrew Abdo confirming that no changes will be made to the calendar.

“We are dealing with the themed rounds as we go through the season. We’re not expecting to make any changes,” Abdo said.

The NRL’s 2023 calendar will include a Multicultural, Indigenous, Women’s, Anzac and Brain Cancer Round. NRL players were noticeably absent from Tuesday’s Multicultural Round launch as part of their ongoing boycott of NRL events, as collective bargaining agreement talks between the players union and NRL remain ongoing.

Abdo, who is of South African-Lebanese descent, spoke of his pride at the NRL’s multiculturalism.

“Australia is multicultural. Rugby league is multicultural. And it’s something I’m really proud of and feel quite fortunate to be part of,” Abdo said.

The Multicultural Round was introduced last year to reflect the 63 different national heritages represented in the NRL, with more than half of NRL and NRLW players having a parent born overseas, and 45% of players in the men’s game identifying as Pasifika and 10 per cent as Indigenous.

The NRL’s ‘League in Harmony’ program is run in 120 schools across Sydney, and is all about inclusivity and using the language of rugby league and sport to bring people together.

The introduction of a Pride Round, however, remains a difficult topic for the NRL. In an article by Nick Campton for the Sydney Morning Herald, he wrote, “Des Hasler’s quote that the NRL is for everyone should be true, but this week proves the road to reaching that mark is more complicated than we might like.”

The NRL is still yet to agree on several items with the players union, including a proposed transfer system from head office, a term sheet and a longer document, as well as the contracting window for women’s players.

The NRL’s commitment to creating a safe, inclusive environment for everyone will continue to be tested, and the league will be working hard to ensure that a Pride Round is eventually introduced. Until then, the NRL will continue to focus on the themed rounds it has in place and strive to bring people together through the language of rugby league and sport.