The NRL insists it won’t let down the Queensland government
The exodus has begun and the NRL insists players and officials are aware of their responsibilities and won’t let anyone down
NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo has hailed Project Relocation as a milestone moment for the code and vowed that the game won’t let down the Queensland government after their show of support saved the premiership from an uncertain future.
Abdo presided over one of the biggest days in his tenure on Wednesday as nearly 500 players boarded charter flights to Queensland, where they were greeted by local police before being ushered away in buses for their new homes.
For the next four weeks and likely longer, players and staff will be housed in hotels on the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast and Brisbane – the NRL received their travel exemptions from the Queensland government about 90 minutes before the first planes took flight.
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That aside, the day seemingly went off without a hitch, although there was criticism from several prominent track and field athletes over the preferential treatment given to rugby league players amid the worsening Covid-19 outbreak in Sydney.
A group of Sydney-based Olympians have been prevented from joining an Australian camp in Cairns due to the strict requirements of the Queensland government, which were relaxed to allow the NRL to relocate their entire competition – barring the Melbourne Storm.
Asked whether it was important that players and officials justified the faith that has been shown in them by the Queensland government, Abdo said: “Of course it is important. It is not a right to play, it is a privilege.
“I think people need to also understand that we have and will continue to do the right thing. We have abided by every stipulation that has been provided.
“We have been very proactive in our preparation, we have been very, very thorough in the level of detail we will go to keep the players and the community safe.
“We have done significant levels of detail to assure the Queensland government that we will be able to keep an environment that is safe.
“Of course, it is important that we do the right thing. That is what everyone expects of us and that is what we expect of ourselves.
“I think everyone is committed to that.”
The NRL has been forced to act on a series of incidents of late, prompting suggestions that the players haven’t got the message.
The most serious involved St George Illawarra players, who attended a house party at the home of former teammate Paul Vaughan a fortnight ago.
Those players posted public apologies on the club’s website on Wednesday and the hope is that players right across the game have learned their lesson.
“I certainly hope so and that is certainly the message we have given and we are receiving,” Abdo said.
“I think everyone understands the gravity of the situation. Nobody wants our season to be shut down and nobody wants to jeopardise the safety of themselves, their teammates and the community more generally.
“I think everyone gets it and it is pretty clear now we are going into an environment that is going to be super secure.
“So the officials and players in the 41 (people travelling for each team) will be together in that environment and only leaving to train and play.
“There will be limited opportunities to do anything else. It was great to see images of everyone doing the right thing, wearing their masks when they stepped on the plane in Sydney until they got to their hotel.”
The Dragons were among the first clubs to take flight on Wednesday, jetting into the Gold Coast before boarding a bus to their new accommodation in Brisbane.
Coach Anthony Griffin insisted the players were ready for whatever came their way over the remaining weeks of the season.
“It has been pretty seamless,” Griffin said.
“It is a bit of the unknown for everyone. You just have to do it. I think everyone has approached it with an open mind.
“We haven’t had anyone who has been anxious about going or things like that. We have prepared for the full season. Anything less than that will be a bonus.”
There is every chance the grand final could be played at Suncorp Stadium for the first time given the Covid concerns in Sydney.
The final State of Origin game was moved to the Gold Coast at the weekend and the sense is that NRL players are set for a long stay in Queensland.
The NRL is ready for all possible outcomes. They worked through the weekend to bring Project Operation to fruition, convincing the Queensland government that they had the ability to manage quarantine centres at three different hotels.
“The commission tasked us to be ready for anything and the key goal is to keep the competition going no matter what,” Abdo said.
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