NRL Covid quarantine backflip: Balconies are back as Queensland Health reverses decision

Queensland Health has reversed its decision, effective immediately, to ban NRL families using balconies during quarantine.

Sean Keppie and pregnant wife Laura. @keppachino

Loud cheers rang out into the night as around 500 family members of NRL players and club staff were finally allowed out onto their balconies of a Surfers Paradise Hotel.

Queensland Health reversed its decision, effective immediately, to ban NRL families from using their balconies while completing a 14-day quarantine on the Gold Coast.

The reprieve for families, who have been without fresh air for six days, came with a last chance warning from Queensland’s Chief Medical Officer Dr Jeannette Young.

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LATEST: Gaffer tape is off! https://t.co/3GBcNdMLz8pic.twitter.com/hGiHxfry7K

— Fatima Kdouh (@FatimaKdouh_) July 29, 2021

NRL CEO Andrew Abdo told families he had received a “confronting” letter from the state government about the imminent future of the competition.

Dr Young’s letter, while granting families access to their balconies, was also a “final warning” not just for the families but for “the entire game” if the breaches did not stop.

Balconies were forced shut last Saturday after a chaotic start to the isolation period, which included a balcony breach within the first 24-hours of families checking into their hotel last Wednesday.

People were spotted sharing food between balconies, which is a direct violation of Queensland’s Covid-19 public health orders. As a response Queensland Health asked the NRL to gaffer tape every single balcony of the 30-level hotel.

BREAKING: QLD Health reverses its decision to ban NRL families from using their balconies. Balconies are back effective immediately. via @telegraph_sporthttps://t.co/kg5wQsAeHk

— Fatima Kdouh (@FatimaKdouh_) July 29, 2021

Abdo broke the news to families via web conference late on Thursday night.

“Queensland Health reserves the right to remove the privilege at any time should you not comply with the Public Health Orders.

“I want to stress that under no circumstances can items be passed between balconies.

“You must remain confined to your balcony and have no contact with other balconies. It is vital that you comply with all protocols or balcony access will be removed again,” Abdo said.

James Roberts copped a one-game ban for using his balcony. Picture: Nigel Hallett

Wests Tigers star James Roberts, who is quarantining with the families, has been fined $7,500 and banned for one game after breaking the family hub’s balcony ban on Tuesday.

Roberts was allowed to stay in Queensland despite the violation.

NRL’s ‘catastrophic’ warning for players as isolation ends

Level three biosecurity protocols were waiting for around 460 NRL players hoping to make the most of the competition’s relocation to Queensland after completing their 14-day isolation period on Wednesday.

The Apollo Committee confirmed players would not be allowed to go to high-risk venues such as pubs, bars, nightclubs, RSLs and bistros.

But players are allowed to spend time with their families, teammates and opposition players from their hub at cafes, restaurants and the beach.

Essential household tasks and recreational activities such as golf are allowed but the Gold Coast’s theme parks are a no-go zone.

Queensland Health recorded a total of 20 new cases on Wednesday, one of which was locally acquired. While the Covid risk remains relatively low in Queensland, exposure sites are a genuine worry for the NRL.

NRL players such as Manly’s Jake Trbojevic will be free to play golf under new biosecurity protocols in Queensland. Picture: Tim Hunter

“A key risk at the moment is exposure sites – where a player or official is placed into two weeks precautionary quarantine by public health because they’ve been at a site where someone had Covid even if they turn out to be healthy,” the NRL told players on Wednesday night.

“This is bad enough for one player or a team, and catastrophic if it applies across a large number of players or teams.”

The NRL also told players the restrictions would be reviewed on a weekly basis with a view to eliminating as many protocols as possible over the course of the season.

Shopping for essentials, such as food, and getting a haircut will be allowed but players are being encouraged to avoid large shopping centres.

Players will be allowed to visit another person’s house but will not be allowed to spend the night outside of their respective hubs on the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast and Brisbane.

But players are permitted to have one guest spend the night in their “guest room” in the bubble but must keep a record of the visitor.

Around 490 family members of players are completing a 14-day quarantine at Surfers Paradise. Family members will be encouraged to avoid large gatherings but will not be under any of the Apollo biosecurity restrictions while in southeast Queensland.

About 460 NRL players have completed their 14 days in isolation in Queensland. Picture: Annette Dew

NRL enforcer’s mercy dash home for baby

By Dean Ritchie

Manly forward Sean Keppie has made a sudden dash back to Sydney for the birth of his first child and may not play again until a week before the NRL finals.

Keppie, 23, has flown home to be with partner Laura, who is due to give birth in mid-August.

Aware the baby could arrive early, Keppie accepted advice from the couple’s obstetrician and returned home early.

He will travel back to Queensland after the birth but will need to enter hard lockdown for two weeks.

That would mean Keppie may not play for between three to five weeks, depending on the birth date. There are six games remaining before the NRL finals.

Keppie was originally due to return home after the Melbourne match in round 21.

“We all thought it was in everyone’s best interests for Sean to return home and support his partner, Laura, through the final stages of her pregnancy and then be there for the birth,” said Manly chief executive Stephen Humphreys.

“That will mean some disruption in our final games of the year.

“But it was definitely a family-first approach and we wish Sean and Laura all the best and hope he will be able to re-join his teammates in a few weeks.”

Manly’s forward depth will be tested with Keppie unavailable and prop Josh Aloiai pleading guilty to dangerous contact and being suspended for a week.

The Sea Eagles hope Karl Lawton will return from a back injury while young prop Kurt De Luis also travelled to Queensland.

Sean Keppie will return home for the birth of his child. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

Manly skipper Daly Cherry-Evans understands the frustration of player’s families being in lockdown but called for patience.

“I can’t speak on behalf of everyone when it comes to family stuff but I am a dad and have three kids and a partner in quarantine at the moment,” Cherry-Evans said.

“My advice to them is really simple: They have to understand why they are doing it and they are doing it because they want to come up and spend time with me and enjoy the journey I’m on as a rugby league player.

“In the times that we’re in right now, it’s a very fortunate situation to be in. I still get to go to work and I enjoy my job and the lifestyle that comes with it. I am lucky and always very grateful for that.

“If my family has the opportunity to do two hard weeks of quarantine, well when they get here it will be well worth it. I don’t doubt it would be extremely hard but it’s a small price they have to pay.

“You have to see the positives in this. I don’t want to underestimate how hard it would be on the families but when you look at what they’re coming from in Sydney, I think anyone would jump at two weeks in quarantine to come and spend time with their family in Queensland.

“You have to put it all into context and I think our families are very lucky to be on this journey with us as footy players.”

Cherry-Evans will effectively return home in Sunday’s match against Cronulla at Redcliffe.

The Sea Eagles and Queensland skipper was born in Redcliffe and played with the Dolphins until aged five when his family moved to Mackay.

“Obviously everyone is talking about Melbourne, Souths and the Panthers and rightly so, they have been extremely consistent this season. Parramatta is the forgotten team but they are going really well,” Cherry-Evans said.

“When we do face those top four sides, we can put up a fight against them. We will be pretty confident in what we can do when we get there. In the finals, it’s anyone’s race.

“Our first four weeks, that beat-up our confidence to be fair. But since round four we have been trying to build back our momentum and belief and that has come back.

“But that’s not to say we don’t think we can beat them. We definitely believe we can beat the top sides when given the opportunity. We are a side that is continually trying to find improvement but we have work to do if we compare ourselves to the top sides.”