NRL’s Queensland hubs: One player breach could crush competition

Queensland hubs are the reason the NRL can play through NSW’s Covid lockdown – but communal living brings a risk of calamity.

Peter V'landys is talking tough before NRL’s relocation. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Any player who breaches the NRL’s tight biosecurity bubble will hurt everyone staying in their hub, with multiple teams to be forced back into 14 days of quarantine.

Given the recent breaches by players, the game is now in a precarious state as multiple teams will be housed together.

Any player who breaches the rules will be kicked out of Queensland and returned to their home state.

But the consequences will also be far-reaching for other clubs.

For example, the Sharks, Dragons and the Tigers will share the same Brisbane hotel. If any player or staff from one of those clubs breaks protocols then those three teams will be sidelined for at least 14 days.

The Panthers, Knights, Sea Eagles, Roosters are staying on the Sunshine Coast, while the

Eels, Bulldogs, Rabbitohs, Raiders and Warriors are in the Gold Coast hub.

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The St George Illawarra Dragons share a hub with the Sharks and Tigers. Picture: Toby Zerna

It comes as the confronting reality of the Covid-19 crisis hit home with clubs preparing to cutback staff as they face the real prospect that Sydney has hosted its last game for the season.

It is understood the Panthers have scaled back a handful of office staff to restricted roles including asking some to take annual leave, cutting hours back or having some take leave without pay.

The Sharks have commenced a light remediation of staff since the Greater Sydney lockdown began. All casual staff at the Sharks Kareela Golf Club have been stood down while administration staff have also started to take at least one day annual leave per week. Other clubs including South Sydney, Parramatta and the Tigers are considering their options in the coming days.

Players and staff at one club have been told to be thankful the competition is still being played even though they are being relocated to Queensland as some of their colleagues face a financial hit.

Clubs and the NRL’s head office were savaged by cuts last year season with hundreds of people put out of work – some permanently – when the competition was put into a hiatus.

The game is trying desperately to avoid a repeat of those circumstances.

ARLC Chairman Peter V'landys issued a clear warning to every NRL player. Picture: Jonathan Ng

‘NO TRASH’: LEAGUE BOSS’ BLUNT WARNING TO NRL STARS

ARL Commission boss Peter V’landys has put almost 400 NRL players on notice by warning the code’s biggest names not to offend in Queensland – or risk being kicked out of the NRL competition.

An estimated 360 NSW-based NRL top-liners will descend on Queensland on Wednesday as part of the NRL’s desperate $15 million, month-long relocation to the Sunshine State in the wake of Sydney’s Covid crisis.

When club staff and families are factored in, more than 500 people with links to the NRL will temporarily reside on the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast and Brisbane thanks to exemptions from the Queensland government.

Rugby league has copped a black eye in the past fortnight with 13 Dragons players and Queensland Origin star Jai Arrow among NRL first-graders who have thumbed their nose at the rules with serious Covid breaches.

The NRL’s $1 billion industry hinges on the successful settlement of nine NSW-based clubs in Queensland, prompting V’landys to issue a blunt message to players amid fears a Covid breach could cripple the sport.

“There is zero tolerance on this,” V’landys told News Corp.

The NRL cannot afford a repeat of the Jai Arrow Origin Covid scandal.

“If there is another incident like the Dragons for example, the players are gone … out of the state of Queensland, sent home.

“The Queensland Premier (Annastacia Palaszczuk) has made it clear to us if anyone does the wrong thing or plays up, they will be removed from Queensland and I will support her on that.

“I can’t stress enough the great courtesy we have been afforded by the Queensland government.

“We will not abuse that courtesy.”

NRL clubs cannot afford mass Covid breaches in Queensland. The removal of a group of players for an offence could see their club struggle to field a 17-man team, potentially putting their NRL finals or title hopes in jeopardy.

The NRL has set up three hubs following Covid talks with the Queensland government.

The Panthers, Knights, Manly and the Roosters will be based on the Sunshine Coast; Parramatta, Canterbury, Souths, Canberra and the Warriors will stay on the Gold Coast, while Cronulla, the Dragons and Wests Tigers are based at South Bank in Brisbane.

A total of 19 NRL players have committed Covid breaches in the past 18 months, but V’landys is adamant the code’s stars understand the gravity of the relocation plan.

“It would be like going into someone’s house and trashing it. We are not going to do that,” he said.

“We have to behave like very good guests. I have confidence our players will do the right things.

“In fairness, there are 500 players in our code and it’s only a small minority who have been guilty of a breach.

“Like everyone else in the community, we all became complacent with the Covid situation and unfortunately the pandemic had not finished.

“It’s a wake-up call for the entire NRL and the players now recognise it.

“If we stop tomorrow, how do the players get paid?

“It (another breach) would jeopardise their own incomes and all the incomes of their fellow players and anyone else who makes a living out of the game.

Maroons and Manly skipper Daly Cherry-Evans is confident NRL stars will behave in Queensland.

“We are a guest and the NRL players need to be appreciative guests of the state of Queensland.

“That’s the government’s edict and that’s our position on it as well.

“I am confident our players won’t step out of line.”

Queensland Origin skipper Daly Cherry-Evans, whose Manly team will settle on the Sunshine Coast, urged NRL players to keep the game alive.

“We have to be really cautious of what we are doing and making sure we understand what’s at stake,” he said.

“The NRL has made a massive decision to relocate the competition, so they are doing the best they can to keep this competition alive.

“A lot of livelihoods are at stake, not just players, but support staff, coaching staff, broadcasters and commercial sponsors.

“At times there will be human error and we do need to understand things won’t be perfect, but let’s just hope that more often than not, we are doing the right thing.

“Overall there are 500 players involved. I get there is a big storm made about the people who mess up but you’d be surprised most of the time how well-behaved everyone else is.

“We all have to be very careful.”

Originally published as NRL’s Queensland hubs: One player breach could crush competition