Melbourne Storm hopeful of starting to get fans into stands when Roosters come to visit on July 2
With NSW allowing a small amount of fans to watch NRL games from next week and Queensland also open to the idea, Melbourne Storm have pinpointed the match they hope to start getting people into the AAMI Park stands.
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Melbourne Storm hopes to have 5000 fans at AAMI Park for its July 2 match.
The NRL is making plans for up to 500 people to attend games in Sydney from next weekend and groups of up to 50 would be allowed in corporate areas.
Clubs in New South Wales will be allowed to have patrons in corporate boxes from Thursday night’s game as a result of a ruling from that state’s government bringing stadiums into line with pubs and clubs.
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Health authorities are understood to be open to the idea of fans also attending NRL matches in Queensland.
The interstate push to get spectators back to stadiums will propel both AFL and NRL fans’ hopes of watching live matches in Victoria.
Storm chief executive Dave Donaghy on Friday night revealed the club was finalising a proposal to the Victorian Government, having engaged biosecurity expert Professor David Heslop to help meet all guidelines.
That proposal will be submitted before the current state of emergency restrictions are reassessed on June 22.
Donaghy hoped approval would then be given for at least 5000 fans to attend Storm’s July 2 clash in Melbourne with the Sydney Roosters.
“There’s a lot of work going into that proposal and we understand different jurisdictions have different guidelines and health requirements,” he said.
“We are confident we could put forward a plan to the Government prior to June 22 to outline that, when the time is right, we could comfortably start with hosting 5000 people if the government approves.
“The reality is you have to start small and build up. We feel like by at least July 1 certainly 5000 would comply with every requirement and social distancing guidelines.”
It’s understood 5000 people could be catered for with a spectator in every third seat, in every second row around the stadium which can hold up to 28,000.
“There are a couple of things we need to finalise around public transport, some work to be done around the entry and exit of spectators, and the toilets,” Donaghy said.
“We feel like everything else from ticketing to catering, to people complying with social distancing guidelines, has been addressed.”
Donaghy said anyone wanting to attend games would be encouraged to have the COVID safe app downloaded, could wear face masks and bring hand sanitiser, while supplies would also be available at the ground.
Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V’landys said: “Once we prove how well we can do it in NSW we’ll go to the Queensland Government first, then the Victorian Government.”
Storm has played two games without fans at AAMI Park since the COVID-19 shutdown. On Friday night there were 700 cardboard cut-outs of members in the stands.
Two spectators, the parents of first-gamer Chris Lewis, were able to attend, signed in to the ground as ball retrievers, and were positioned in two different stands at AAMI Park.
Melbourne chairman Matt Tripp also was at the ground, filling the same role.
The Herald Sun this week revealed the AFL was investigating whether up to 50 fans could attend games as soon as next month.
Originally published as Melbourne Storm hopeful of starting to get fans into stands when Roosters come to visit on July 2