NRL 2021: How the NRL brought James Fisher-Harris back into the bubble

Operation Fish: It took 130 phone calls, 400kg of weights and a wrestling dummy to get just one player quarantine ready – now multiply that workload by 300.

James Fisher-Harris, only a few days ago, had a wrestling dummy packed into the back seat of his car.

Beside it, a baby capsule for his newborn son.

All of which, he surely knew, was going to make for an interesting 900km drive into Queensland.

But said trip, it never happened.

Or not how this famed Penrith enforcer initially planned.

Yet still as you read this, Fisher-Harris is quarantining in a Brisbane hotel with not only his partner Natalie, or daughter Tahira (4), but also that son who arrived by Caesarian only 10 days ago.

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Better, he also has a Watt bike.

Throw in too a rower, some 400kg in weights, even tennis balls for juggling.

With talk, too, of a treadmill arriving as soon as hotel staff can decide how best to fit it inside the lift.

Which isn’t so much the biggest conundrum Fisher-Harris has faced in his 1800km round trip from Panthers bubble to Sydney hospital and back, as simply the latest.

Indeed, if you want to understand what ARLC Chairman Peter V’landys has done to keep some 300 NRL athletes playing footy in recent weeks, you really need to hear the story of just one – ‘Fish’.

James Fisher-Harris on the charge for Penrith against Brisbane.

A yarn which, over the past fortnight, has seen V’landys — when not dealing with snap lockdowns, possible Grand Final venues and vaccine debates — heading up a military style operation involving dozens of staff from the NRL, Penrith, Queensland Health, even Queensland police.

Throw in too countless conversations with hotel managers, limousine drivers, welfare officers, an obstetrician and whoever else was required to get the Fisher-Harris clan north – and within Covid regulations.

In fact, so chaotic has Operation Fish proved over the past 10 days, it’s been suggested at the height of the drama — which occurred as Penrith was also trying to secure the signature of Brisbane forward Tevita Pangai — Panthers GM Matt Cameron churned through 130 phone calls in a single day.

Which says plenty of the NRL’s commitment to keeping rugby league alive.

That, and what Fisher-Harris means to the Panthers premiership hopes.

After helping Penrith beat Brisbane 18-12 at Suncorp Stadium on July 24, Fisher Harris then flew home to Sydney next morning, a Sunday, to be present for the birth of his second child.

Already, Penrith GM Cameron had been seeking an exemption for the New Zealand Test player and his family to return to Queensland within a few days of the birth.

However securing said exemption was proving somewhere between difficult and impossible, especially given one of the family members was yet to be born.

Worse, Fisher-Harris was still in Sydney when sections of Queensland were sent into a snap lockdown over rising Covid numbers, making the process even more problematic.

James Fisher-Harris posted this photo of his children to social media this week.

Which may explain why, more than once, Penrith coach Ivan Cleary reached out to V’landys personally.

Understandable too given the Maori product isn’t simply something of a Penrith heartbeat, or one of the game’s most feared forwards, but also that player who has already this year churned though 2741m, or more than any other NRL forward this year.

Incredibly, sixth overall in the NRL, too.

Elsewhere, The Fish has also not missed a game for Penrith in the past three winters.

Not one.

With his last week off occurring way back in 2018.

Which is why, understandably, Panthers staff have fought so hard to get him back north.

Better, it has also revealed Penrith as a club willing to put football second to family – no matter the efforts then required to then get their man back onto the field.

Arriving home on Sunday July 25, Fisher-Harris was present for his son’s birth on Monday, with the Panthers star then heading home to pack his car for what he was told would be a nine-hour drive north into Brisbane.

Apart from being delivered weight plates from the Panthers Academy, the prop also packed a barbell, dumbbells and one of those wrestling dummies used regularly in club tackling sessions.

But then at the 11th hour, said road trip was canned — with Fisher-Harris told he and his family would be flying north instead.

Although not directly into that NRL bubble where Covid vaccination is now the next big issue.

No, after being delivered to Sydney airport in a private limousine, the family then flew into Brisbane where they were then transported by police to a local hotel for 14 days of quarantine.

James Fisher-Harris has run for more metres this year than any other NRL forward.

Penrith, meanwhile, are continuing their preparations 90 minutes away on the Sunshine Coast.

Which then brings its own set of issues.

Especially when you recall how only last year, after two weeks in isolation, Panthers winger Charlie Staines emerged, scored a double against the Manly Sea Eagles … then tore his hamstring in the process.

An injury which eventually meant the teenage wonder boy would not play NRL again that year.

As a result, Panthers Head of Performance Hayden Knowles has been working overtime with his staff to ensure Fisher-Harris has all the equipment required to stay as close to game-ready as possible in quarantine.

Think not only weights, bikes, rowers and treadmills, but therabands, supplements, even a reaction net for the Panthers forward to pass Steedens into.

The club has also spoken with Roosters officials to better understand how they treated Sonny Bill Williams during his own lockdown after returning from overseas last year.

Elsewhere, Panthers wellbeing officer Shane Elford is also in constant contact with the Fisher-Harris family while NRL Partnership boss Jaymes Boland-Rudder has been instrumental in liaising with the Queensland government.

Asked recently about the Fisher-Harris situation, coach Cleary said: “You couldn’t possibly understand the manpower and hours that some of our staff have been going through to get a solution on that.”

Yet the most important thing?

“He’s had a healthy little boy,” the coach said, before adding with a cackle: “Although probably not little, I think he’s quite big.

“It’s awesome.”

PANGAI JR’S WARNING SHOT FOR RADLEY REMATCH

“I know what you guys are trying to do,” said Penrith’s newest signing, Tevita Pangai Junior. “But Victor is starting and I’m off the bench so I don’t think we’ll clash at all.”

Try as he might to assert it’s all a media conspiracy, Pangai Jr’s battle with Victor Radley will be worth the price of admission alone when Penrith play the Sydney Roosters on Saturday night.

The last time the pair met, sparks flew and it cost Radley a State of Origin jersey and five weeks on the sidelines.

Radley was put on report four times and sin-binned twice as he lost a running battle with Pangai Jr during the Tricolours 34-16 defeat to Brisbane in Round 11.

Now set to make his Panthers debut in their personal rematch at his old stomping ground, Suncorp Stadium, Pangai Jr defended Radley’s actions.

Victor Radley and former Bronco Tevita Pangai are set to clash again this weekend. Picture: AAP Image/Dean Lewins

“You do what you can to win,” he said in his first interview as a Panther. “I’m pretty disappointed because I think he would have gone on to play State of Origin.

“Hopefully he gets to do that next year, everyone knows the player he can be. I just hope he plays Origin next year.”

When Roosters back-rower Angus Crichton was asked about the clash with Pangai Jr this week, his response was terse.

“He’s a quality player. I wish him all the best,” Crichton said.

Don’t let the pleasantries fool you, there is bad blood there which will add to an already heated rivalry with the Panthers, who relished beating the Roosters in last year’s qualifying final.

Pangai Jr could be just the tonic Penrith need to fire up their title charge after a tough few weeks for the mountain men.

In case anyone was still in any doubt… 😬#pantherpridepic.twitter.com/I5XFWUik49

— Penrith Panthers (@PenrithPanthers) August 2, 2021

A host of injuries and suspensions has tested their depth to the limit, and a 37-10 loss to Melbourne last week was evidence they needed a pick-me-up.

Enter Pangai Jr, who has shot straight from the competition cellar to touching distance of a premiership after his switch from Brisbane.

The 25-year old will aim to become the club’s supersub over the final weeks of the competition with coach Ivan Cleary to deploy the Tongan torpedo in limited, powerful stints off the bench.

“I’m only here for a short stint and I only have a short time to earn their respect,” Pangai Jr said. “I spoke to (Cleary) him a little bit about it, just short stints off the bench is what we’ll be working on.

“I feel like their team is pretty much sorted, but I feel like I can add some short stints in there and help out wherever I can.

“It’s awesome joining a winning team. It rubs off on you.

Nathan Cleary is a chance to return from injury against the Roosters this weekend. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

“I look around and see what they do training-wise and off the field and they’re all really good and really professional. It’s what I’m trying to add into my game and into my life.”

Meanwhile, Panthers halfback Nathan Cleary is pushing hard to make his comeback from a shoulder injury in the same match.

Cleary, who hasn’t played since suffering the injury in Origin II in May, has been named on an extended bench but is yet to be fully cleared.

“Nath is looking good, he’s ticking a lot of boxes and he’s in the squad. Our big day of training is tomorrow, so hopefully he gets through that and we’ll find out soon,” said five-eighth Jarome Luai.

“He’s been in a lot of drills. Him being named in the 21, everyone gets to see how close he is now. If he ticks all the right boxed I’m sure he’ll play this week.

“It’s a massive boost for us. Everyone who watches us knows Nathan is a big piece of our puzzle. Our last few games without him, we’ve missed him a lot.”