NRL island seems like a tantalising reality dangling before us, teasing us with intrigue.
A hotel owner has formed the idea of the NRL in its entirety locking itself away in his hotel on Tangalooma Island, allowing the players to be shielded from the pandemic sweeping the globe. Once everyone is set up the plan seems to be to fly the teams to Brisbane and Sydney to play games in large empty stadiums.
This is the only way we can get the NRL happening before June and the plan has the potential to see games kick off in six weeks.
First off we should tackle the reality of a plan like this. The players, team staff of 16 NRL clubs, referees, TV broadcast crew, ground staff and their families and at least one TV station outside broadcast unit will all have to agree to lock down on NRL island for six months.
There would need to be at least a two-week quarantine period where all the people suddenly moved to NRL island self-isolate to make sure there are no COVID-19 cases already there. Then, of course, the island has to provide some sort of training facility for 16 clubs. I am not sure how that is possible but obstacles are made to be overcome.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Then there is the issue of sending teams to Brisbane and Sydney to play games. I am not sure if the NRL or this hotel owner understand what quarantine is but they can’t be flying all over the eastern seaboard and still say they are in quarantine.
What they need is a broadcast-ready field on the island itself. Playing games on the island not only saves significant amounts of cash in air travel but it also would be the only ground in the country where you could potentially have a crowd. What is the point of flying a thousand kilometres to play in a large empty stadium when you can just walk down the pebble footpath, past some palm trees and a gold fish pond, and play in front of a few thousand fans? These fans will be the other teams and their families but it will provide some atmosphere. Would it be weird if other teams were cheering?
Anyway, it would be better than music blaring out at an empty stadium for no reason. Understandably these crowds made up of other teams will get very sick of just going to games day after day but sacrifices need to be made for the good of the game.
Having these same high-profile fans turn up to each game, week after week, day after day, will create some tension, one of the other great pluses of NRL island.
Instead of losing money because of all the failed planning the NRL have put in place for most of its existence, this rigorous, realistic plan can keep the gravy train going.
NRL island will save the game.
It may sound absurd to try and attempt such an endeavour but we live in desperate times so it is a real possibility we will get some sort of NRL island in the near future.
Rob
Guest
Imagine if we got the players and officials all parachuting in? What a spectacle that would be for fantastic pre game entertainment. If they land on the roof or miss the ground they're out. Sail between the cross bar for extra points. Seriously a bus can be driven from the Airport to stadium as the virus doesn't live in buses. The hypochondriac big blue girl Freddy has already tested negative so he can drive the blue bus.
Max
Guest
Wouldn't going on a Kangaroos tour for months as in 1908 to 1970s be far harder than what NRL players will need to do in 2020? Today's players also have instant electronic contact with family and friends.
Mark Scarfe
Roar Guru
Thank god cricket got its season in. I need to get to the test in January. I can live without footy but the noble game.....
Statler and Waldorf
Roar Guru
400 in hospital a couple of days ago. No chance that's down to 85 already
Jacko
Guest
Maybe turn it into a "Big Brother" show...Now that would be better thn Footy any day of the week...Maybe put some school girls on the Island too...
Jacko
Guest
How many stadiums have their own private landing strip? You cant go straight to stadiums from a plane...Just play the games inside V' Landy's head as there seems to be a lot of space in there
Jacko
Guest
As he said...85 sick enough to be in hospital....
TIGER
Roar Rookie
Despite what was deleted I read your article as 'tongue in cheek' and not for one second do I believe that this scheme is workable for so many obvious reasons. I say " tell the NRL they're dreamin ''. Let's just accept the situation as it is presently and plan for something that might actually be possible, taking in to account whatever is achievable and what it represents. Let's accept that it will not be a season for the record books but a trophy that will be something else. SOO is the only credible competition that is possible for 2020. If something is created then it will simply be that, something else and nothing more than entertainment for the NRL supporters who will accept anything rather than nothing. 'Not that there is anything wrong with that.'
Big Daddy
Guest
If you look at all the places around the world New Guinea is the place to go. 72 tests and only 1 confirmed case. Send them all up their for 6 months.
Rellum
Roar Guru
You and reading huh? The crowd if you had bothered to read would have been made up of the other people in isolation. No one is going to be flow in. Honestly.
Nat
Roar Guru
Maybe not Hamo due to the large residential population (I suppose Moreton Is is similar actually) but Sth Mole could work using the same facilities and jetting out of Hamo to play. I think Calliope is still a good option due to the remoteness and multiple training facilities in the local area. Both Gladstone and Rocky could hold 2-4 games each week saving costs and travel time.
Statler and Waldorf
Roar Guru
So if 5500 cases and 2000 recovered that leaves 3500 still sick That's a lot more than 85
Beni Iniesta
Guest
85 sick enough to be hospitalised. Yes, there is a number of 5,500 quoted, but you realise over 2,000 have already recovered don't you? Just listen to the Chief Medical Officer. Around 80% of cases don't require hospitalisation either. https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/ Look at the trend of new cases over the last 2 weeks - diagonally down. https://www.health.gov.au/news/health-alerts/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-health-alert/coronavirus-covid-19-current-situation-and-case-numbers
Eden
Guest
300+ NRL players and their wives on one island for 6 months. They’d generate some headlines that push even Covid off the front page.
Adam Bagnall
Roar Guru
Sounds like you have no idea what's going on. What would be the point of isolating players on an island, only to have thousands of fans come in for games? Do they not self isolate? This is as bad as the promotion and relegation articles
Rob
Guest
Do you think Hamilton island is place worth considering also? Airport and golf the players. They could have family permanently on the island. Just get resort owners to have it totally for NRL. Use Lang Park and Townsville for 4 games over 4 days. Between the two Islands it could accommodate the requirements for 5 months I believe.
Rob
Guest
Yeah I believe Origin mode might be the go right now put 2 squads of 30 into lockdown on an island. Get a private plane and go straight to stadiums back to lockdown facilities. 3 games over 6 weeks. 16 teams is not possible and the PM is all for keeping things ticking over. He’s happy for schools and day care to stay open. He’all make it happen.
Rob
Guest
85 in the whole country? You would be lucky to have less than that in a suburb in Sydney now.
Ian_
Roar Rookie
I'm inclined to think this whole island proposal is more about the owner of the hotel looking for publicity than a genuine attempt to restart the NRL competition.
Ian Fraser
Guest
AND think of the inter-code and, especially, international exposure! Major League Baseball over here is apparently contemplating a plan like this (in Vegas) -- but if league appears on the TV when there's essentially nothing else, new people will watch. And -- from a North American POV -- league is the easiest football code to get. Maybe, just maybe, I will acquire neighbours who begin to care....