It’s official. The escalating COVID-19 outbreak in Sydney means the NRL is shipping up to Queensland.
The Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) met yesterday and made the call, which will see every team except Melbourne in Queensland for at least the next month and most probably longer.
It’s going to be bloody tough on players and officials, who have to say goodbye to their families on three days notice and won’t get the chance to see them for weeks unless the NRL can make it work.
The impacted clubs are in the middle of selecting a crew of 41 people – 30 players and 11 staff – for the duration before flying up on charter flights and playing their home games at one of Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium, Cbus Stadium on the Gold Coast, or Sunshine Coast Stadium.
This is on top of Wednesday’s third State of Origin game being shifted from Newcastle to the Gold Coast, where they’ll be able to play in front of a crowd.
It’s good a decision is made and logistics are in motion, but given the situation in Sydney has been known for a while and was always going to get worse before it got better, why did the NRL go ahead with last weekend’s split Round 17, when only four games were played?
Why put everyone involved at risk of being a close contact or in a position that requires them to isolate for 14 days or, god forbid, contract the virus?
If getting everyone out of town fast was the goal, why wait until Sunday to make the call and then until Wednesday to get everyone out?
Surely Round 17’s four games between non-contending teams (excepting South Sydney) could easily have been rescheduled?
It’s easy to take shots with 20/20 hindsight, and I’m just wondering out loud. But after seeing how Channel Nine reacted to having no NRL on television last year, I’ve can make an educated guess as to why.
With the intricacies of border closures and travel restrictions, it’s probably safe to put money on the Melbourne Storm being back in their Queensland base on the Sunshine Coast before too long. Not that it’ll bother their on-field efforts, because they spent months in Queensland last year on their road to the premiership.
Right now the Victorian government designates Brisbane as a ‘yellow zone’, which means you have to apply for a permit to go to Melbourne.
The Gold Coast and Townsville are green, which means people can come and go as they please. For now.
You can’t enter Victoria if you have visited a red zone, which as of Sunday afternoon was all of New South Wales. So the NRL will need exemptions and ongoing negotiations to keep the Storm at home.
The Storm have two home and two away games in the next month, with Newcastle and Penrith scheduled to come to Melbourne.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
In saying that, if things stay good in Victoria, who’s to say there can’t be a few extra games played down south?
Making this move gives the NRL the best chance of keeping their draw as planned (or as close to) for the last eight weeks of the home-and-away season, but there’s still a chance games will have to change or move weeks.
Already the toadies in the Daily Telegraph are trumpeting that ARLC chair Peter V’landys and NRL CEO Andrew Abdo have ‘saved the NRL again’, but we are a long, long way from that.
It will be interesting to see which way V’landys goes here. There’s a time to crash through and barrel all out of your way, and there’s time to show tact and be diplomatic.
So far he’s taking the diplomatic path.
“These are very difficult decisions,” he’s quoted as saying in a statement by the ARLC.
“I feel for the players who have to leave their homes for a period. We will not keep players in Queensland any longer than they need to be. We hope it is only for a month, but if it needs to be longer, it will be. We’re doing this to protect their livelihoods.”
“This will also have a commercial impact on clubs. I have assured all clubs that the NRL will ensure they remain financially strong during this period. The NRL has found extensive efficiencies and commercial revenue over the last year which ensured the game is financially stronger than it otherwise would have been.”
“I want to thank the Queensland government. I personally have a huge debt of gratitude to the Queensland Premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, for her support of our game.”
The pressure will be immense on the game’s administrators, players – everyone. If another player stuffs up and breaches their protocols, you can guarantee head office will string them up and make sure everyone else can see.
It’s a heightened time in Australia and there’s too much at stake for the NRL to be seen as going softly on any transgressors.
Yesterday’s statement released by the commission says they will monitor data daily and review arrangements on a weekly basis so they can get teams back to Sydney and Canberra “as soon as the commission believes risk to the competition in NSW has subsided”.
If that’s in a month’s time, that will be brilliant news. But Abdo has already indicated the game will be able to stay in Queensland for the rest of the season if need be.
It looks like Queensland might play host to a lot more rugby league than was planned.
Aussieinexile
Roar Rookie
In the US in the Major League Rugby Comp ( Rugby Union) the Massive, the Toronto Arrows have quite frankly unbelievable season. They’ve been living in a hotel since February, been the away team (even when being the home team) and have played out of Life University in Georgia. They have followed protocols and no breaches and giving everything away from home. so I am sure NRL Players can follow this for a few weeks.
Big Daddy
Roar Rookie
The relocation of all players in the bubble is a genuine attempt to keep the comp going. Taking the families is where I see problems occurring. Anna P in her wisdom might say the families of all players may have to quarantine which probably falls in line with COVID protocols . When they return to home states they may also have to quarantine for a further 2 weeks so there is so many possibilities . I know some players may want their families there , some may not because of COVID protocols. I think their may be a lot more to play out with this.
Heyou
Roar Rookie
He would have some competition for the part.
Heyou
Roar Rookie
Why not? If it’s viable one team at least should go for it.
zonecadet
Roar Rookie
And they better be allowed to continue to live and play at home, we've missed waaaay too many home games down here and are so looking forward to hosting the Panthers in a couple of weeks. The NRL better not decide to drag the Cowboys and Storm to SE QLD just for the fun of it.
Heyou
Roar Rookie
Women have careers these days.
Succhi
Roar Rookie
Will be an interesting 2 or so weeks coming up if last year was an indication. Storm settled into the Sunshine Coast, at Twin Waters. Nice place to quarantine. Also got some local houses rented I believe. Warriors did similar but some players struggled and went home. NRL now has up to 3 teams staying in the same hotel and maybe families. Might be fun for a week, but I think it will start to wear thin in week 2 or 3.
farkurnell
Roar Rookie
This NRL season is like no other,for many reasons.I suspect an amended Comp has just begun Which teams will adjust and adapt to the Upheaval- relocating to QLD. Melb and the Qld Clubs have a distinct advantage.The Storm and Warriors are conditioned to life in the Road .Which Sydney Clubs will handle the transition?
Devil's advocate
Guest
Some do work - but it's certainly more as an avocation, not so much to bring in the beans.
Nick
Guest
Brother in law was stuck in WA for quite a while. His wife just got on with running the kids around and working, all by herself. And while there were times when she wondered if his working away was worth it, she and the kids survived
farkurnell
Roar Rookie
I guess he gets the Gig now that Vaughan is not there.Who plays Tinkerbell?
JOHN ALLAN
Guest
Two questions. Wonder how many of their wives/ partners have the necessity to work in view of the salaries their husbands earn? Secondly. What percentage of players can be trusted away from home for an extended period? Perhaps Jai’s “mystery visitor” will be doing brisk business.
Larry1950
Guest
Plenty FIFO workers & their families disrupted because of COVID-19 but they just knuckle down and adjust to keep their pay packet coming in. History tells us if you treat these entitled footy players like adults, about 10% will prove they’re really adolescents. Corey Norman could play the role of Peter Pan, the boy who never grew up.
AGO74
Guest
Wonder if NRL will consider playing current top 4 teams in Brisbane. This is currently panthers, bunnies, eels and roosters (given Storm remain at home). Biggest population obviously and these 4 will likely play the biggest and most important games over next few months. You could potentially get some bigger crowds up at Suncorp than you would if they were in Sydney?? - especially for Eels and bunnies exiles of which there are many and the complete lack of quality football played recently in Brisbane....
Devil's advocate
Guest
AJ is right to call this out. The Tele ripped apart the AFL for doing that exact same thing last year, while praising V'Landys for NOT having to relocate the comp outside NSW. Now he has to move it, and they praise him. Unlike his predecessors who were more interested in poncing about on social issues and being invisible when it comes to the game itself. Yeah, cause V'Landys wasn't vocal at all about Folau? And what about when there is a scandal....he Tai Chi's it off to Abdo in seconds.
AJ Mithen
Expert
Good point TA
Devil's advocate
Guest
I’m surprised with the venues they are all hotels and haven’t tried to get apartment hotels. Small thing in scheme of things but being away for a long time surely you want your own space for kitchen etc. AFL went down the apart-hotel/resort style option last year when all the states were closed off and no one was staying in these places. Alas the NRL doesn't have the same luxury this year, primarily because the 7 other states are open to each other and thus these places are now open for domestic tourists. The AFL had that problem earlier this year when Sydney was a mini hub for a few teams. They actually had incredible difficulty being able to put one team in one hotel and keep it bio-secure.
Little Bo Peep
Guest
I think V Landys and Co have done an exceptional job , everything may not have worked out as planned, but at least he’s attempting to make adjustments for the better of the game , and have kept the game alive. I just hope he starts to address the grass roots issues once there aren’t more pressing things to concern himself with , as that’s IMO , the biggest issue for rugby league at the moment. Unlike his predecessors who were more interested in poncing about on social issues and being invisible when it comes to the game itself. As far as the Tele writers being Toadies , ( never heard that word before, so that’s the new something learned for today ) you’re no different, you just worship a different god.
Paul
Roar Guru
completely agree, especially about the kids. I'm sure it won't take long for the novelty of talking to Daddy on Line to wear off. I'd also be hoping the Clubs reach out to the partner's employers and ask them to be a bit forgiving under the circumstances. Touch wood the NRL can come up with some way of getting the families together, if only for a few days every few weeks. Your suggestion about using the families of the Warriors as a sounding board makes a lot of sense.
AGO74
Guest
I suspect all players, coaches etc have been told in no uncertain terms lest they want a $100k fine to not break the bubble at all before the flight on wednesday. Coles online may be getting a few orders from the players. I'm surprised with the venues they are all hotels and haven't tried to get apartment hotels. Small thing in scheme of things but being away for a long time surely you want your own space for kitchen etc. I can't see the competition coming back here this year. Unlikely but it'd be nice if after a month or so they may be able to play a game or two in Mackay, Toowomba and other regional areas etc.