NRL 2021: North Queensland, Gold Coast, ordered out of Queensland due to COVID cases

The NRL has ordered clubs to flee Queensland, with players “prepared for the worst” as they face the possibility of a long stint away from home.

North Queensland Cowboys against Gold Coast Titans at Queensland Country Bank Stadium. Cowboys Josh McGuire. Picture: Evan Morgan

Queensland’s three NRL clubs are clearing out of the Sunshine State with the Cowboys and Titans to join the Broncos in Sydney following the latest COVID outbreak.

News Corp understands the Titans and Cowboys have been instructed by the NRL to leave Queensland in the coming days with the clubs set to feature in a double header at Kogarah‘s Netstrata Jubilee Stadium on Saturday.

Titans players are due to fly out on Thursday, while the Cowboys are slated to head to Sydney on Friday.

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The Cowboys were scheduled to face Cronulla at Sunshine Coast Stadium on Saturday at 4.30pm, before the Titans were slated to take on Canberra at Cbus Super Stadium at 6.35pm.

While there are no major COVID infection cases in north Queensland and the Gold Coast, both clubs are bound for Sydney with the NRL determined to take no risks around the potential cancellation of games.

Both the Cowboys and Titans will play in Sydney this weekend.

The decision comes 48 hours after the Broncos relocated to Sydney for their next two games against Melbourne and Souths in the wake of the COVID outbreak that has hit the greater Brisbane region.

It is understood the Queensland government issued no directive to the Cowboys or the Titans, with the NRL making the call to ensure the season can continue as smoothly as possible.

The Titans are likely to remain in Sydney for at least a week, with Gold Coast originally due to play Newcastle in round five at Robina.

Titans boss Steve Mitchell remained hopeful that the players and staff would be able to return home next week.

“We’re hopeful of returning to the Gold Coast after this week’s clash, we might remain in Sydney for a few days.

“We will respect the advice from the Queensland government and Chief Health Officer.

“We’re hopeful our round five game against Newcastle goes ahead at Cbus. We want to play in front of this ever-growing group of wonderful supporters and members and corporates that we have.”

The Cowboys are not relocating, with North Queensland to embark on a hit-and-run mission for this week’s Kogarah double header before returning to Sydney next week for their clash against the Tigers at Leichhardt Oval on Sunday, April 11.

The Broncos are already settling into Sydney.

Brisbane are in lockdown at Parramatta and Broncos skipper Alex Glenn said Queensland-based NRL stars will do whatever is required to keep the NRL competition afloat.

“We are prepared for the worst. It‘s a sacrifice that we have to make to keep the game alive,” he said.

“It‘s a little taste of what the Warriors went through last year. If we get back sooner (to Brisbane) it’s a bonus.

“The Warriors did this for 12 months, but all our families in Brisbane have the support.

“It is definitely a sacrifice being away from your family, especially with kids, but we are trying to keep the game alive for the other games, and this is the sacrifice we have to make for the game and emotionally we have to commit.”