Three men fined, kicked out for breaching border to attend NRL grand final

Queensland’s Health Minister has revealed how three men who illegally crossed the border to watch the NRL Grand Final got into the state. It comes as the Integrity Unit confirmed it is investigating if the men were mates with superstar Nathan Cleary.

The NRL Integrity Unit will question Penrith Panthers co-captain Nathan Cleary after receiving information three men busted cheating their way into Queensland to attend the grand final were his mates.

An NRL spokesman said the game’s Integrity Unit would speak to the grand final hero next week about the matter.

Courier-Mail does not suggest Cleary was aware of the border breach.

Police on Friday afternoon confirmed three men, aged 23, 24 and 25, illegally entered Queensland the day before the grand final game in which Cleary was in blistering form and came away with the Clive Churchill medal after the 14-12 win.

Three Sydney men have been fined for using incorrect border passes to travel into Queensland to attend last weekend’s NRL grand final. Picture: Josh Woning

The trio, who drove across the border via the M1, travelled from Covid-ravaged Sydney and later attended the match with a crowd of about 39,000 people.

“Police investigations allege the trio travelled from Sydney into Queensland through the M1 on the Gold Coast shortly after 2.30pm on Saturday, October 2, with incorrect border passes,” a statement from police said.

The trio have each been fined $4135 for breaching the Chief Health Officer Directions.

They have since tested negative and left Queensland.

On Saturday morning, Health Minister Yvette DA’th said reports that three people had snuck across the New South Wales border to attend the NRL Grand Final was “extremely disappointing”.

She said she was not yet aware how the people got past border checks but they may have been travelling on a F-Pass (freight and logistics pass) which was not valid.

“It doesn’t matter who you are, if you’re sneaking across our borders you are putting our community at risk and it doesn’t matter the reason why you are coming over,” she said.

“If you haven’t got a lawful border pass and travel declaration to come, you should not be crossing the border.

“And anyone, again it doesn’t matter who you are, will get fined and will have the police investigating.”

New South Wales police have also been notified of the breach.

“The New South Wales Police Force are aware of a potential breach and are conducting inquiries,” a NSW police spokeswoman said.

Cleary was fined $1000 last year on Anzac Day when he was pictured on TikTok dancing with female friends at his house in breach of social distancing orders.

That earned him a two-match ban and a $30,000 fine from the Integrity Unit.

Nathan Cleary was awarded the Clive Churchill medal for his grand final performance. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

The fresh incident comes after a week the NRL would prefer to forget, with numerous players caught in unrelated post-season scandals in Queensland.

Maroons star Cameron Munster has begun four weeks in rehabilitation after he was one of three Storm players filmed with a white powder substance.

While the players didn’t admit to taking drugs, nor were they drug tested due to the NRL’s policy, they were sanctioned for bringing the game into disrepute.

On top of a $30,000 fine and one-game ban from the NRL, Munster decided to formally address what he described as a “difficult relationship” with alcohol by attending a rehab clinic.

The Courier-Mail attempted to contact Cleary’s agent and the Panthers for comment.

Originally published as Three men fined, kicked out for breaching border to attend NRL grand final