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Outbreak may force NRL to move all 16 teams to Queensland: V’landys

The ARLC is holding an emergency meeting amid concerns that the National Rugby League season could be affected by the latest COVID-19 outbreak in Sydney.

Jul 14, 2020, updated Jul 14, 2020
The NRL may move all teams to Queensland in the wake of the NSW coronavirus outbreak. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)

The NRL may move all teams to Queensland in the wake of the NSW coronavirus outbreak. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)

It comes after the Queensland government declared anyone who resides in or has visited the Campbelltown or Liverpool areas in south-west Sydney in the past fortnight will not be allowed into the state.

Queenslanders who are returning after visiting the COVID-19 ‘hot spots’ in Sydney will need to undergo hotel quarantine at their own expense.

ARLC chairman Peter V’landys confirmed to AAP an option to relocate all teams to Queensland is on the table but he’s confident it won’t be necessary.

“We’re not moving to Queensland at this point but we’ve got to be prepared for all scenarios and naturally that’s one scenario,” he said.

“At this stage we just want to make sure we can get to and from Queensland.

“We believe we can, even from those postcodes.”

On Tuesday morning, V’landys met with biosecurity experts and is taking their recommendations to the board.

The NRL is seeking assurance from the Queensland government that players who have visited Sydney’s COVID-19 hotspots will be exempt from a mandatory hotel quarantine period.

It hopes an existing exemption for teams to enter Queensland despite earlier border closures will simply continue given the game’s strict biosecurity measures.

No games have been played at Campbelltown Stadium in the past 14 days, however, numerous NRL players reside in the area.

In round 10 there is only one game scheduled in Queensland, with Melbourne and Gold Coast to play on Friday night.

However, it will not be affected as both teams are already based in that state.

A Wests Tigers game against the Warriors scheduled to be played at Campbelltown Stadium on July 31 could be moved.

It comes after a cluster of 28 cases of the virus have been linked to the Crossroads Hotel in Casula, while three NRL players were put into ‘COVID-hold’ away from their teams on Monday.

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