Broncos COVID: Why NRL is under fire from rival clubs over handling of investigation into boozy lunch
The NRL’s investigation into the Broncos’ boozy pub lunch has raised eyebrows among rival clubs, with one club boss saying it had muddied the waters around the code’s COVID guidelines.
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Rival clubs fear widespread COVID confusion among players over the NRL’s handling of the investigation into Brisbane Broncos’ pub lunch fiasco.
There is also claims this is another clear case of the powerful Broncos getting preferential treatment from the game’s governing body.
But in the wake of the NRL handing out tough and immediate punishment to Wayne Bennett and Dragons’ Test prop Paul Vaughan for their COVID breaches, perhaps the most serious concern relates what impact the decision not to force the group of up to 10 Brisbane players into a 14-day isolation period will have on rival clubs.
One independent club boss said that it has definitely muddied the waters for other clubs trying to keep their own players and staff on the straight and narrow.
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The worry is players and staff thinking if the Broncos are allowed to get away with a boozy long lunch, why can’t they enjoy the same luxury?
While the NRL is yet to decide if the Brisbane players will cop individual fines, it is also being investigated if this was actually a club sanctioned event, which could have huge ramifications.
It would have been a disaster for the NRL if Saturday’s clash against Canberra was abandoned because that would have broken the TV broadcast agreement.
But the big issue as far as the clubs are concerned relates to consistency, or the lack of it.
While ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys shot down any talk of double standards, it is not the first time rivals have questioned the NRL’s perceived preferential treatment of Bronco-related matters.
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Only last year there was huge uproar when David Fifita escaped any sanction after being jailed for three days in Bali because of what was claimed to be a “lack of conclusive evidence”.
This was despite Fifita paying an unspecified amount out of his own pocket to reach a settlement with the bouncer.
Questioned specifically about the perceived double standards, V’landys responded: “I can assure you that is not the case. It is the appearance but it is not because it has been 14 days (since the initial incident).”
But that is exactly why rivals are privately confused why the Broncos involved were not immediately banished from the bubble the moment the NRL integrity unit became aware of the alleged breach last Friday.
Given the incident occurred on August 1, it was assumed that would have meant the players should have been stood down for at least seven days leading into Saturday’s clash against Canberra.
However, the NRL says that it was in fact the Apollo biosecurity experts who determined isolation wasn’t necessary because there is no community transmission in Queensland.
Bennett and Vaughan were said to be at a much greater risk given the transmission of cases at Sydney restaurants.
The NRL also says the biosecurity experts rule on a case-by-case basis, but it seems clubs were not all aware of that important detail. V’landys also explained that the rules in Queensland allow the players to attend restaurants and cafes, but not pubs.
But that only creates more confusion given the Broncos players were lunching at a pub restaurant with the table covered in beer glasses, while there are claims some players visited the pokies room and bar area, which would be in direct violation to the bubble protocols.
V’landys is doing everything in his power to try to keep the game running and has to be congratulated for that. But this whole shemozzle has created more questions than have been answered so far.
V’landys said it was still too early for the integrity unit to make its determination, and that the Broncos would face their judgment when all the facts were known.
“The integrity department has interviewed all the players, they don’t have to give us the CCTV but we have requested it,” he said. “We can’t prosecute them until we know 100 per cent. You have to remember there is no community infection in Queensland.”
Originally published as Broncos COVID: Why NRL is under fire from rival clubs over handling of investigation into boozy lunch