NRL to help fund $100,000 emergency charter flight for North Queensland Cowboys ahead of semi-final against Sharks

The NRL has come to the rescue of the North Queensland Cowboys by helping to fund an emergency flight to Sydney for their semi-final, following fears the team would be left stranded in Townsville.

The NRL has allayed the Cowboys’ travel fears with the governing body to help fund a $100,000 emergency charter flight for Friday night’s finals blockbuster against the Sharks.

‘NRL Airlines’ has come to the rescue to ensure North Queensland stars arrive on schedule for their sudden-death semi-final against Cronulla at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium.

The Cowboys were forced to explore an urgent contingency after two commercial flights that fly direct to Sydney were all-but sold out – ironically due to demand from their own North Queensland supporters.

Commercial flights from Townsville to Sydney are costing as much as $1700 return as Cowboys fans flock to Sydney to get behind a North Queensland team that is two wins away from their first NRL grand final since 2017.

Outraged Cowboys supporters have taken to social media slamming Qantas and Virgin, accusing Australia’s leading airlines of price gouging, adding: “Help the fans”.

The mad rush for airline tickets had ramifications for the Cowboys, who appealed for the NRL’s help to transport their squad to Sydney.

The NRL has stepped in to fund a charter flight for the Cowboys to travel to Sydney.

NRL bosses have come to the party, rubberstamping a Covid-style charter flight to ensure the Cowboys’ preparations for their biggest game of the season thus far are not impacted.

It’s understood the NRL and North Queensland will share costs on the venture, which can range in cost from $50,000 to $100,000. The Cowboys will touch down on Thursday before returning home on a charter flight regardless of Friday night’s result.

“We’re finalising times but we’ll be going down on a charter,” Cowboys coach Todd Payten said.

“It’s worked out well.

“The club has done a good job and the players are appreciative of the NRL’s help to get us to the game on a charter and we’ll go back as well.”

The NRL funds the weekly cost of all commercial travel, not the individual 17 clubs.

The Knights were assisted by the NRL in flying to Townsville for last week’s final against the Cowboys.

Demand from Cowboys supporters left the team unable to source seats on a plane to Sydney. Picture: Getty Images

The Cowboys have a better away record than they do at home this year – they won eight games on the road compared to seven in Townsville this season – and Payten attributes it to North Queensland’s military-like travel planning.

It’s why the Cowboys were determined to maintain the same travel schedule – arriving 24 hours before an away game – that helped propel them back into the finals this season.

Cowboys football boss Micheal Luck said the club faced a conundrum after hundreds of commercial airline seats were snapped up, sending prices skyrocketing beyond $1500.

“The NRL and the airlines always try and accommodate us,” Luck said.

“There weren’t enough seats for us on any commercial flights, so the NRL was working with an agency to sort that out.

“There’s only two direct commercial flights from Townsville to Sydney, but we have a party of 36 plus all our travel gear, so there weren’t enough seats for our team on those flights.”

“We have a reasonable routine now that has helped our away record in Sydney.

“We traditionally get to Sydney the day before a game and we’re at our hotel by around 2 o’clock, that’s as quick as we can do it on a direct flight.

“We have a better away record than what we do at home this year so things have been pretty seamless for us this year.

The NRL has come to the rescue with a Covid-style charter flight for the Cowboys. Picture: Caitlan Charles

“The travel is tougher for our bigger guys. The airlines will put them in exit rows and make them as comfortable as possible, but they aren’t flying business class.

“Guys like Reuben Cotter (Cowboys co-captain) are in 50 collisions in a game that are like car crashes the night before and then he crams into a seat to fly home the next day.

“The travel brings on challenges, but we aren’t whingeing about it … we’ve just had to organise another way to get to Sydney for this game.”

The Sharks will start $1.61 favourites but Payten is confident the Cowboys have another gear after last week’s 28-16 disposal of Newcastle.

“We will have to be better again, but in terms of confidence and belief, we believe we can do more,” he said.

“Our transition needs to get better and where we turn the ball over.

“Our timing when we had the ball wasn’t great, so we’ve got a bit to improve this week.”

Originally published as NRL to help fund $100,000 emergency charter flight for North Queensland Cowboys ahead of semi-final against Sharks