NRL 2021: $10-15 million a month to house clubs on the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Brisbane

One NRL boss has delivered a straight-shooting message to anyone complaining about entering luxurious hubs in Queensland to save the competition.

Five-star luxury awaits NRL players in their Queensland hubs.

“If you don’t want to go don’t go. But I don’t think you can go and complain.”

That is the straight-shooting message from one NRL club boss who says players and their families have no reason to grumble about the fact they could be split up for an initial 14-day quarantine period when they arrive in south-east Queensland.

The players are set to fly out on Wednesday to begin what will be at least a month-long stay at relocation hubs based on the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane and Gold Coast.

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Mercure Hotel on the Gold Coast. Picture: Supplied

The NRL has then scheduled Saturday as moving day for the partners and children wanting to join the NRL juggernaut to the Sunshine State.

But the catch is that for the first two weeks they will be staying in a separate luxury hotel while in quarantine.

The families have been told that they will have “flexibility of movement” within those grounds throughout this period, meaning they can move around the resort (although they won’t be allowed to move beyond that).

However, after that initial 14-day quarantine period, they will then be free to live under level one protocols, meaning they will be not stuck in the confines of the NRL ‘bubble’ but free to do exactly as they please like the rest of the Queensland public.

Novotel Twin Waters resort on the Sunshine Coast.

This is because the players won’t be travelling to-and-from NSW during the period the NRL is relocated.

On top of that, the NRL will be footing a massive bill estimated to be in the vicinity of $10-15 million-a-month with food, accommodation and transport all thrown in.

As one club insider said, there aren’t many employers who pay the full freight for families so they can go on long-stay working trip with their partners.

Make no mistake, everyone in the game is absolutely thankful to the playing group.

And there is certainly going to be some separation anxiety and sacrifices made by the families who can’t travel with the teams.

Novotel Hotel in Brisbane’s South Bank.

But any suggestion the NRL is not going above and beyond to make it as comfortable as possible in a bid to keep the game up and running are way off the mark.

“After two weeks we will go back to whatever the government’s restrictions are in Queensland,” the club boss said.

“They will be able to do what other Queenslander do.

“Go to the beach, play a game of golf. That is my understanding.

“So that’s not too bad.”

Sunshine Coast Stadium will host several rounds of NRL action.

Asked if he thought it was unfair to initially separate players from their families, he added: “I would think it is a case of if you want to go, these are the rules that the Queensland Government has set down.

“If you don’t want to go, don’t go. But I don’t think you can go and complain.”

NRL head of football Graham Annesley also explained it would ultimately alleviate constraints on all 16 NRL teams, giving them far greater freedom.

“After the first two weeks we can relax the protocols for even the existing Queensland clubs because, at the moment, they are on level four like everybody else,” Annesley said.

“But because we don’t have to cross borders, once we have got everyone operating out of Queensland, there is no border crossing.

Comp should re locate to NZ. Play right up and down the country. Players/ staff are in a bubble already so no COVID. Reward the Wa’s for their sacrifice. NZ would love it. Think I’m onto something here 🧐

— Shaun Johnson (@Shaun_Johnson90) July 11, 2021

“Once we know all the players and the families are not infected then they will be treated like any other member of the community, and they can basically do whatever they want. It is just the first two weeks that is the problem.”

The NRL was on Monday night still determining exactly where the families will be put up for the quarantine period.

But rest assured, it is expected to be of resort quality accommodation.

There was plenty of chat going on around the game on Monday as to who got lucky and who got the short straw in respect to three locations where the teams will stay.

There will be five teams on the Gold Coast, three in Brisbane and four on the Sunshine Coast.

On the Sunshine Coast, the Knights, Panthers, Roosters and Sea Eagles will be staying in the luxury Novotel Twin Waters.

On the Gold Coast, the Bulldogs, Eels, Rabbitohs, Raiders and Warriors are preparing for an extended stay at the Mercure.

While in Brisbane the Dragons, Sharks and Tigers will be checked into the Novotel at South Bank.

Meanwhile, the NRL was still waiting to confirm the venues for this weekend’s round but the games are expected to stick to the same days scheduled in the original draw.

Originally published as NRL 2021: $10-15 million a month to house clubs on the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Brisbane