North Queensland Cowboys coach Todd Payten has been placed in a two-week isolation with Cowboys training cancelled after he became a close contact of a COVID-19 case.
The Cowboys were forced to call training off on Wednesday after it emerged Payten had been at the Townsville markets on Sunday, where a known case visited.
Payten is currently awaiting a COVID-19 test result, but will be sidelined for 14 days regardless under Queensland health orders.
Assistant coach Dean Young will take over the role in the interim.
Payten’s case isn’t the only one troubling the Cowboys after they trained together on Monday.
Players Tom Gilbert and Griffin Neame also travelled to Magnetic Island on Saturday, where the known case also visited.
Along with housemate Laitia Moceidreke and strength and conditioning coach Mark Henry, they have all been sent for immediate tests.
The club’s NRL squad and 17 football department staff are unable to return to training until negative test results are received.
But CEO Jeff Reibel said Saturday’s clash with Newcastle was not in jeopardy as long as the results came back negative.
“Whilst Todd will be away all our other coaching staff have stepped up,” Reibel said.
“The weekend’s game subject to all negative tests coming back is not in jeopardy.”
(Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)
None of the instances are considered biosecurity breaches, given the Cowboys were not placed into a bubble until the rest of the competition was on Monday night.
At the time there was also no knowledge that there had been any cases in the Townsville area.
It comes after two Warriors players in Josh Curran and Euan Aitken were placed into isolation after being on the same flight as a confirmed case late last week.
Canterbury have five players in isolation including former Queensland State of Origin prop Dylan Napa after they breached NRL guidelines last week by visiting a Bondi pub before subsequently becoming close contacts of a case.
And Cronulla centre Josh Dugan has been isolated after breaching the bubble over the weekend to dine out at a Potts Point restaurant.
He is not considered a contact of any known case.
© AAP
Reckon you can pick the winning team? Build your own dream team with Draftstars daily fantasy and compete on any match. For great odds on the NRL head on over to PlayUp. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.
Who are the hardest working big men in the NRL?
Parramatta eased the pressure on coach Brad Arthur with an upset 27-20 win over the Cowboys at CommBank Stadium on Saturday night despite an…
Derbies are often rated on intensity rather than quality, and that was very much to the fore at Suncorp for the third Battle of…
1. Sea Eagles see no evil The Manly Sea Eagles are a loveable bunch, which is why they famously don’t have to carry banners…
Cowboys coach Todd Payten recently said he thinks Scott Drinkwater is knocking on the door for State of Origin but his star fullback is…
Every team would love to have a player like Adam Reynolds calling the shots. South Sydney could definitely do with his services. Brisbane's inspirational…
