State of Origin: Maroons, Blues stars take private jet to Gold Coast in Game Three dash

Melbourne’s six State of Origin stars have been put on a private jet and flown to the Gold Coast after the NRL’s latest Covid scare saw them miss their first flight to camp.

Christian Welch during a Queensland Maroons State of Origin captain's run at Suncorp Stadium on June 26, 2021 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Matt Roberts/Getty Images)

The Storm’s six State of Origin players boarded a private jet bound for the Gold Coast on Tuesday afternoon after the Sydney Roosters latest Covid scare left the stars grounded in Melbourne.

NSW players Josh Addo-Carr, Dale Finucane and Nicho Hynes and Queensland’s Cam Munster, Felise Kaufusi and Christian Welch were unable to fly as scheduled on Monday night after two Roosters players had been identified as close contacts for visiting exposure sites after taking on Melbourne in Newcastle on Thursday night.

To further complicate matters, prop Welch displayed flu-like symptoms before he was due to board the charter flight planned for Monday.

Josh Addo-Carr and the Storm played the Roosters last round. Picture: NRL Photos

The six players, along with the rest of the Blues squad which arrived in Kingscliff on Tuesday evening via a charter flight, will then be taken to their respective camps in private cars.

The Roosters returned to training on Tuesday after being forced to cancel Monday’s session until Fletcher Baker and Brad Abbey both returned negative Covid tests.

“It’s one of those things you have to adapt too, we got sent a mobility and stretch program we have to do so in a way we still had training but at home. It’s our first day this week and we’re keen to get started for Saturday’s [game against Canterbury],” Roosters winger Daniel Tupou said.

Two months ago, Roosters players were told not to attend training after a positive case had visited a cafe in the same precinct as the club’s head quarters.

Christian Welch during a Queensland Maroons State of Origin training session last month. Picture: Matt Roberts/Getty Images

Baker is now in 14-day quarantine after visiting a supermarket which was listed as an exposure site following the Roosters‘ 46-0 loss to the Storm last Thursday.

After returning a negative result, Abbey is waiting on further advice from the NRL and NSW Health officials after a member of the public, who lives in Abbey‘s apartment building, tested positive for Covid.

Roosters coach Trent Robinson had given his side the weekend off training, meaning neither Baker or Abbey had been in contact with any Roosters players or staff within the club‘s biosecurity bubble.

Fletcher Baker was found to have visited a Covid exposure site. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

In Townsville, North Queensland coach Todd Payten has been cleared to travel with his side to Sydney ahead of Friday night‘s clash against South Sydney and re-join the Cowboys bubble.

Queensland Health had ruled Payten was not a close contact last week but the NRL decided to exclude the coach from the bubble for seven days and return a negative Covid test as a precaution.

Payten wasn’t able to travel to Newcastle for his side‘s match against the Knights last weekend.

The coach and forward Griffin Neame both completed seven days of isolation and returned a negative test on Tuesday.

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