NRL season relaunch: Chemical weapons expert drafted into NRL border war
The NRL has enlisted a chemical warfare expert to help create a watertight biosecurity plan it hopes will convince Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk relax border restrictions and let the season get back under way.
QLD Coronavirus News
Don't miss out on the headlines from QLD Coronavirus News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The NRL has submitted its strict biosecurity and travel plans to Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk in the hope of being cleared to play in Queensland when the season recommences.
The NRL confirmed its new-look 2020 season will kick off on May 28 after being suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.
While settling on a season length has been the game’s priority, the NRL must also navigate Queensland’s strict border protocols.
Peter V'landys believes the Queensland government will open the borders for the NRL
NRL 2020: Peter V’landys on brutal introduction to rugby league
Border wars: Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk fires back at NRL
As it stands, the Brisbane Broncos, North Queensland Cowboys and Gold Coast Titans will not be allowed to play games in Queensland due to the state’s border closures and may be forced to relocate to NSW.
But ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys is hoping to convince Palaszczuk to grant the code an exemption after last night sending her a 40-page ‘Operational Plan’ outlining the code’s biosecurity and travel plans.
In a perfect world, Queensland’s borders will re-open within the next month and allow the NRL to recommence without any special consideration.
The document outlines how the NRL plans to minimise the risk of players contracting coronavirus and limiting their contact with the public in Queensland and other states.
That includes flying on chartered flights on game day and travelling directly to stadiums.
Teams will no longer stay in hotels and will spend limited time in public spaces.
All players and staff will be temperature-checked daily and be required to follow strict isolation rules at home which are more stringent than current government guidelines.
The NRL has warned players caught breaking the isolation protocols will face heavy sanctions, even to the point of their team being stripped of competition points.
“We have looked at all the data and will put enormous biosecurity measures in place to protect our players,” V’landys said.
“Our players will be safer under our system than they would be in the community.
“We appreciate the Premier of Queensland has more important things to do at the moment than worry about rugby league.
“Our target date is five weeks away. We have plenty of time to show the Premier our plan.
“In five weeks, if this rate of infection continues to decline at such a rapid rate, the Premier will have a much better consideration.”
When the Rabbitohs played the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium in Round 2, South Sydney was bussed from Brisbane Airport to the stadium and spent the afternoon preparing privately.
That minimised the players’ contact with the public before they jetted straight back to Sydney immediately after the game.
Stadium manager Alan Graham said he was prepared to work with the NRL and government to accommodate the game’s safe return.
“We’ve still got five weeks and this whole thing has been going for about that long in terms of the lockdown,” he said.
“We’re very much supportive of trying to help the NRL and all of the codes to get the games back on.
“We’ll work with them all to make sure we can get the scheduling right. We’ll be as flexible as we can be while working within the confines of the rules.
“We’d love to see the teams playing in Queensland. We’ve got to be guided by the rules but we’ve still got the time.
“The Premier has invited the NRL to put a proposal to them and once they do that she can see whether it will be feasible or not.”