Coronavirus cases in Newcastle sees local sporting teams withdraw from weekend competitions
Three new cases of COVID-19 in Newcastle this week has seen a flow on effect of multiple local sporting teams withdraw from weekend competitions as players are told to self-isolate and get tested. FIND OUT IF YOUR TEAM IS PLAYING.
Newcastle
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With Newcastle’s third confirmed case of COVID-19 in just three days, local sporting competitions have been thrown into chaos with a high volume of teams pulling out this weekend.
A Newcastle Jets academy player and St Pius student, as well as a student from St Francis Xavier’s College and another family member have contracted the virus.
As a result of their close contact with others, a number of local fixtures have been postponed.
The teenager travelled to Sydney last weekend where he played for the Jets under-15 representative team against the Stanmore Hawks at Arlington Oval.
Both clubs have been contacted and all players have been ordered to self-isolate and get tested.
The flow on effect has seen a number of National Premier League and Northern NSW football games also cancelled this weekend, set for a later date.
“A lot of community football clubs have had difficulty fielding teams due to being close contacts,” a Northern NSW spokesperson for the league said.
“We will postpone games accordingly if they contact us and let us know.”
The Newcastle Netball Association has also decided to call off all junior and senior matches with a high volumes of team withdrawing from the competition this weekend.
A number of the Hunter’s junior rugby league and union teams have also pulled out of competitions this weekend as a precaution.
Although, most of the Newcastle Hunter Rugby League and Rugby Union are set to go ahead as planned.
It comes as a number of miners in the Hunter Valley were told they could soon be forced to take annual leave.
On Friday, mining giant Glencore announced shutdowns at NSW coal mines in the September school holidays.
The company has indicated in a statement released on Friday morning, production cutbacks were necessary due to the COVID-19 pandemic which has suppressed demand for Australian coal exports.
“This will include a combination of temporary site and equipment shutdowns at a number of operations,” the statement said.
“These measures will enable us to align our production levels with market demand, while providing the flexibility to ramp back up as economies recover from the effects of COVID-19.
Check out changes to local sport: UPDATING**
NPL football matches postponed:
NPL 2 Youth (U13-U18) Blue – Saturday August 8 – The Crest Athletic Centre
Newcastle Jets v Canterbury Bankstown FC
NPL 2 Men’s (U20-1st) – Saturday August 8 – Lily Homes Stadium
Newcastle Jets v Hills United Football Club
NPL 2 Youth – (U13-U18)Blue – Sunday August 9 – Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility
Newcastle Jets v Hawkesbury City FC
NPL NSW Women’s – (U14-1st) – Jack McLaughlin Oval, Edgeworth
Emerging Jets v Northern Tigers FC
Newcastle Football:
The following clubs have withdrawn all teams from fixtures home and away this weekend:
Cooks Hill
Mayfield Junior MiniRoos
New Lambton ZFL
Adamstown
Stockton FC
Newcastle Grammar FC
Kotara South FC
Merewether UFC- Saturday and Sunday Only
Maryland Fletcher FC
Newcastle Netball Association:
All junior and senior matches this weekend have been cancelled – resume as normal next week
Newcastle Basketball
The Newcastle Basketball Stadium in Broadmeadow has closed its doors for the weekend, and will re-open on Monday.
See full list of cancellations and postponements below:
McDonald‘s Junior Winter Comp 7th August (Postponed)
Junior Rep Training 8th August (Cancelled)
Mini Hoops 8th August (Postponed)
Aussie Hoops 8th August (Postponed)
Under-8s August 8th (Postponed)
Waratah League 8th August - Youth Men & Women v Illawarra (Postponed)
Waratah League 9th August - Youth Men v Hornsby-Ku Ring Gai (Postponed)
Waratah League 8th August - Men & Women v Canberra (Forfeit as Canberra have withdrawn from the competition)
East Coast Invitational 8th & 9th August (Newcastle teams have withdrawn)
Newcastle Hockey:
The National International Hockey Centre closed on August 6 (yesterday) and will be closed until Monday August 10 due to the COVID-19 situation. All senior men’s and women’s games have been cancelled.
All training and games from Junior Boys, Junior Girls and Womens and Mens Competition will not take place also.
Newcastle and Hunter Community Rugby League
Two games have been called off tomorrow (Saturday August 8)
University v Northern Lakes (Men‘s A Grade)
University v Stroud (LLT A Grade)
Hunter Junior Rugby Union
Merewether-Carlton and The Wanderers have decided to withdraw certain age-groups from the competition for the next two weeks.
Wildfires training will continue this weekend however players from Merewether, Wanderers and close contacts of St Pius, Adamstown and SFX Hamilton are not allowed to attend training until advised.
Planned 7‘s Rugby trials for this weekend will also be postponed for two weeks.
“The HJRU are supportive of this decision and are working closely with the clubs to accommodate the draw and will advise the Competition accordingly. “
Newcastle Junior Rugby League
Wests Junior Rugby League have withdrawn from all fixtures this weekend.
The club had approximately 25 students who attend St Pius, where there was an infected case and players who have been confirmed as close contacts.
“While we are yet to have any diagnosed COVID-19 cases within our Club, we do not want to take the risk for our members, the game, or our community by continuing to train or play until we have some concrete answers on local virus transmission rates and our potential exposures.”
ANYONE WITH ADDED INFORMATION ON LOCAL SPORT CANCELLATIONS PLEASE EMAIL thenewcastlenews@news.com.au