Inside the restrictions of quarantine life with the Warriors in Tamworth
The Tamworth accommodation where the Warriors will spend the next two weeks in isolation has left ‘no stone unturned’ in ensuring they meet the NRL’s strict biosecurity measures.
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Every Warriors player is set to spent the next 14 days eating breakfast, lunch and dinner at his own table.
Same deal coach Stephen Kearney and staff.
With the dining area inside West Tamworth Leagues Club having been completely overhauled so that 48 tables are placed, with accompanying chair, at 1.5m intervals.
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Next door at the Mercure hotel, it’s the same.
With the three-storey accommodation not only boasting a room for every member of this travelling Auckland franchise, but sanitiser stations and an oversized plastic screen at the front desk to separate guests from reception staff.
And on it goes.
In the gym, bottles of disinfectant.
On the housekeeping staff, goggles, face masks and gloves.
All up, a quarantine so secure the New Zealanders were transported into the locked venue not only spaced out on two buses, but via police escort.
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome inside Camp Warrior.
An incredible NRL fortress which, located on the sprawling grounds of Wests Entertainment Group, not only boasts a heavily disinfected leagues club and adjoining motel, but also the $2 million Scully Park facility.
“And we’ve left no stone unturned,” Wests CEO Rod Laing told News Corp Australia on Sunday.
“Our whole venue has been set out to the strictest requirements of the NRL biosecurity expert.
“We’ve got the club, the motel and Scully Park all locked down.
“The only thing we’re missing is a bubble roof.”
Better, is what exists inside the cleanest of NRL fortresses.
On Sunday morning, Laing’s team completing the final installations of not only a basketball court, but makeshift gym inside the hotel convention centre.
Around 10am, two truckloads of weights, barbells and various other lifting equipment arrived from the Central Coast, while inside the leagues club those 40 staffers charged with keeping Camp Warrior running were given final instructions.
Truly, nothing is being left to chance.
When a Warriors player does bench press, for example, they will then be asked to disinfect both the barbell and bench before the next player can complete his own repetitions.
Elsewhere, housekeeping staff and kitchen hands have also been ordered to wear goggles, masks and gloves at all times while on the venue, which will then be deposited into a garbage bin when they leave.
Before the Warriors arrived on Sunday evening from Tamworth airport, those staffers permitted onsite finalised the NRL quarantine.
Apart from the gym, Mercure staff have also created recreation areas inside the hotel complete with video games, table tennis, plasma TV screens and a 24/7 snack bar.
In recent days, leagues club chefs have also been provided with a detailed meal plan set out by the Warriors nutritionist, who is also among the dozen staffers travelling with the squad.
Also on hotel grounds is a pool and that makeshift basketball court.
While down on Scully Park, ground staff have been ordered to ready the oval as if they were still hosting the Round 9 clash between Wests Tigers and Canberra.
“So right down to the line markings, it will all be there,” Laing said.
Elsewhere, the leagues club boss revealed that while the Warriors were only expected to stay through the 14 days of quarantine before shifting to a new Central Coast base, his facility could host them right through until the May 28 resumption if required.
He added that every member of his staff would also undertake temperature checks both when arriving and departing Camp Warrior.
“We refuse to drop the ball on this,” he said.
“On our watch we won’t even allow the passing on of a common cold.”
Roache stays at home
Hooker Nathaniel Roache has become the first casualty of strict new NRL guidelines that will see players wiping down barbells after every set of lifts in the gym.
Both Roache and centre David Fusitu’a were late withdrawals from the flight to Tamworth..
George said Fusitu’a has been granted permission to delay his departure on compassionate grounds while Roache was ordered to stay at home after waking on the morning of the flight with a sore throat.
“Nate called the club first thing this morning, saying he wasn’t feeling well,” George said.
“He was instructed to have a test immediately and was told not to report at the airport as he would not be travelling with the team.
“We’re totally satisfied Nate has had no contact with any other player or staff member at the club for several weeks and we’re very comfortable we have abided by all policies and requirements.
“David has stayed behind for a personal matter and will fly to Tamworth as soon as possible.”
While the Warriors begin life in quarantine – again – every other NRL club will on Monday educate its players on the strict guidelines put in place to get rugby league back by May 28.
As part of the conditions, players will be required to have daily temperature checks, with 37.5 degrees or higher requiring an immediate departure from club HQ for COVID-19 test.
Every NRL franchise will have a testing centre nearby, with players to quarantine for the 24 hours until test results are available.
Players will be required to undergo a temperature check and then wash their hands in a ‘Stage One Zone’ before moving to a second area where they will change shoes and complete a questionnaire.
As part of this daily process, footballers will have to remove their shoes, and then bag them, before donning a second pair of sneakers to enter club HQ for gym workouts and so on.
The new regulations also require weight benches and barbells to be wiped down after every repetition is completed by a player.
As a result, gym sessions will likely take longer as players will no longer lift in pairs.
At the end of every day, gyms, offices, change rooms and physio areas are also required to be completely wiped down.
Given the restriction on staff numbers, it is likely that some NRL head coaches could be involved in the daily disinfecting process.
Players are also expected to place all training gear into a bag at the end of sessions and take it home to be immediately laundered.
For the first couple of weeks, club medical officers are expecting to turn plenty of players away from training given the high number who often report with sore throats or common cold symptoms.
And while the NSW government begins to ease social distancing restrictions, NRL players are being urged to not only remain in lockdown, but accurately document whenever anyone visits their home.