NRL 2020: Broncos v Rabbitohs in coronavirus lockdown ahead of Friday night’s clash
The Broncos have left no stone unturned as they look to avoid the coronavirus, with both Brisbane and the Rabbitohs facing unusual sleeping arrangements amongst other measures ahead of their big clash.
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The coronavirus pandemic sweeping the globe has had ramifications for the Broncos and the Rabbitohs with both sides leaving no stone unturned to combat the health crisis as they prepare to play at an empty Suncorp Stadium.
The coronavirus pandemic sweeping the globe has had ramifications for the Broncos and the Rabbitohs with both sides leaving no stone unturned to combat the health crisis as they prepare to play at an empty Suncorp Stadium.
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The Courier-Mail can reveal:
* The Rabbitohs will take the unprecedented step of camping at Suncorp, arriving on a $60,000 private charter flight before setting up base in the stadium hours before kick-off;
* Suncorp Stadium will provide relaxation areas, massage rooms and sleeping quarters for Souths' hit-and-run mission;
* The Broncos will look to play fake crowd noise for the entire 80 minutes to combat the silence of 52,000 empty seats, a move which has gone down like a lead balloon with Souths coach Wayne Bennett; and
* Brisbane have contingency plans in the event the government orders a lockdown in coming days, creating dormitory-style accommodation at their old training base at Red Hill.
Brisbane coach Anthony Seibold said the club is prepared for the prospect of quarantining NRL players if the COVID-19 outbreak forces the Broncos to go into camp for weeks and months.
Their old administration offices adjacent to Broncos leagues club have been kitted out with scores of beds. The area has been freshly cleaned for a potential Broncos camp with security so tight club employees require swipe cards to enter the premises.
"We have locked down the Cyril Connell Centre," Seibold said.
"We have 30-odd bunk beds in there that we have got ready if, for whatever reason, the competition has to go into isolation or be locked down.
"We have had that quarantined since before last weekend in preparation for something like this.
"Level 1 and Level 2 (of their new Centre of Excellence) ... we don't have visitors in at the moment so it is in quarantine.
"If they (the NRL) said that you can’t go home or something like that we are in a very good situation.
"I’m not sure about taking the whole 16 teams somewhere (to a regional area such as Townsville or Gladstone). I would have to be briefed on that."
The Rabbitohs are being equally cautious. Wary of coronavirus infection, the Souths squad will leave Sydney on a private flight financed by the NRL on game day. Upon arrival, they will head straight to Suncorp where they will spend five hours in isolation.
Stadium management will provide private rooms and sleeping areas if required for players to relax before the 7.05pm kick-off. The Rabbitohs will fly home at full-time, avoiding a hotel stay in Brisbane.
"They have blacked out an area for us so we can rest and sleep at Suncorp," Souths boss Shane Richardson said.
"We will go down to the dressing rooms 90 minutes before play and then straight out on the plane afterwards."
In a bid to create some atmosphere, the Broncos will launch fireworks and have the big screen operational. Suncorp audio experts were also working with the Broncos last night to play crowd noise for the duration of the match.
It is understood Bennett believes the crowd-noise idea is nonsense.
"Souths have indicated they will be coming straight from the airport to the ground," Suncorp general manager Alan Graham said.
"It will be strange with an empty ground, no doubt, but we'll see how it unfolds.
"The Broncos have a range of things planned to recreate the atmosphere for the game."
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