NRL stars lash out at tight COVID-19 restrictions ahead of return to pre-season - https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-01-05/nrl-covid-latrell-mitchell/100738760
Posted Wed 5 Jan 2022 at 9:17am
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Some of the NRL's biggest names have queried the tight restrictions imposed as COVID-19 cases hit clubs on the eve of their return to pre-season training.
Key points:
The NRL has announced strict new protocols ahead of players returning to pre-season training
Some of the game's biggest names, including Latrell Mitchll and Josh Addo-Carr, have voiced their concerns
Players will be banned from going inside restaurants, pubs and cinemas and will be tested daily
Brisbane Broncos on Tuesday confirmed four players had COVID-19, while Canterbury are also managing positive cases ahead of the team's return to the paddock on Thursday.
Australia's cricket, soccer and basketball codes are all scrambling to administer their summer seasons while mounting cases in the NBA have caused unprecedented scenes.
Key points:
The NRL has announced strict new protocols ahead of players returning to pre-season training
Some of the game's biggest names, including Latrell Mitchll and Josh Addo-Carr, have voiced their concerns
Players will be banned from going inside restaurants, pubs and cinemas and will be tested daily
Brisbane Broncos on Tuesday confirmed four players had COVID-19, while Canterbury are also managing positive cases ahead of the team's return to the paddock on Thursday.
Australia's cricket, soccer and basketball codes are all scrambling to administer their summer seasons while mounting cases in the NBA have caused unprecedented scenes.
Next day...
Qld NRL clubs hit by COVID-19 outbreaks - https://thewest.com.au/sport/rugby-league/number-of-broncos-covid-19-cases-grow-c-5202907
George Clarke and Murray WenzelAAP Thu, 6 January 2022 10:40AM
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Brisbane's NRL pre-season has been hit by 16 players and three members of the club's football staff testing positive for COVID-19 as the virus took its toll on Queensland's football codes.
Gold Coast have nine players and staff in isolation ahead of Friday's return to training, while Super Rugby neighbors the Queensland Reds have 11 confirmed cases and 12 more players in isolation awaiting test results.
The Broncos on Wednesday announced four players had tested positive for the virus but the quartet were all asymptomatic.
They have since returned to training given their tests were taken over the Christmas period and they had complied with the Queensland government's mandatory seven-day isolation.
The rest of the squad was sent for testing on Tuesday, with 16 additional players recording positive findings.
They have all been ordered to isolate at home for the next seven days and will be allowed to return to training once they have been symptom-free for 48 hours.
Despite the large numbers of positive cases, the remaining 22 members of Brisbane's squad attended training on Thursday.
Every member of the Broncos playing group is double-vaccinated.
Gold Coast have nine players and staff in isolation ahead of Friday's return to training, while Super Rugby neighbors the Queensland Reds have 11 confirmed cases and 12 more players in isolation awaiting test results.
The Broncos on Wednesday announced four players had tested positive for the virus but the quartet were all asymptomatic.
They have since returned to training given their tests were taken over the Christmas period and they had complied with the Queensland government's mandatory seven-day isolation.
The rest of the squad was sent for testing on Tuesday, with 16 additional players recording positive findings.
They have all been ordered to isolate at home for the next seven days and will be allowed to return to training once they have been symptom-free for 48 hours.
Despite the large numbers of positive cases, the remaining 22 members of Brisbane's squad attended training on Thursday.
Every member of the Broncos playing group is double-vaccinated.
Three hours later:
V'landys confident NRL has systems in place to avoid disruptions - https://www.nrl.com/news/2022/01/06/vlandys-confident-nrl-has-systems-in-place-to-avoid-covid-disruptions/
Thu 6 Jan 2022, 01:14 PM
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ARL Commission chairman Peter V'landys is confident the NRL will have enough measures in place to ensure there are limited disruptions to the major men's and women's competitions in 2022.
V'landys joined The Ray Hadley Morning Show on Thursday to discuss the current climate of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We believe we have the systems in place to avoid disruption and we're lucky in a sense that it's happening now and we're learning from the experience," V'landys told stand-in host Mark Levy.
"I believe in our system and we've already got 30,000 antigen tests, and it will work and minimise the disruption.
"It won't be a hard bubble this year, it will be what we call a soft bubble. The players will be able to go to places but they must use common sense.
"They can't go to pubs or nightclubs that are full of people but they can go to restaurants that are outdoor dining so their lives won't be as disrupted as they have been the last two years because we are confident that if one player does catch it we will catch it early with the rapid antigen tests and that way they won't infect any of the other players."
V'landys joined The Ray Hadley Morning Show on Thursday to discuss the current climate of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We believe we have the systems in place to avoid disruption and we're lucky in a sense that it's happening now and we're learning from the experience," V'landys told stand-in host Mark Levy.
"I believe in our system and we've already got 30,000 antigen tests, and it will work and minimise the disruption.
"It won't be a hard bubble this year, it will be what we call a soft bubble. The players will be able to go to places but they must use common sense.
"They can't go to pubs or nightclubs that are full of people but they can go to restaurants that are outdoor dining so their lives won't be as disrupted as they have been the last two years because we are confident that if one player does catch it we will catch it early with the rapid antigen tests and that way they won't infect any of the other players."
A day later...
RLPA to meet NRL over COVID protocols - https://www.goulburnpost.com.au/story/7573191/rlpa-to-meet-nrl-over-covid-protocols/
- January 7 2022 - 3:38PM - George Clarke
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The Rugby League Players' Association aims to sit down with the NRL to thrash out revised COVID-19 protocols after players were placed in level-one restrictions over the New Year's weekend.
Under the NRL's existing framework, players were informed last week that they must stay away from indoor venues such as restaurants, pubs and cinemas despite the season not kicking off until March.
It led to criticism from leading players such as Latrell Mitchell, Josh Addo-Carr and Jack Wighton, with the latter posting on social media: "Thought I was getting the stupid vax so I didn't have to do another year of this s**t."
With over 90 per cent of the Australian population over the age of 16 now double jabbed, RLPA chief executive Clint Newton wants to sit down and discuss updated terms.
"We have the tools at our disposal to create a safe workplace and we want to get things in a position where players can live their lives like the rest of the community," Newton told AAP.
"COVID-19 protocol restrictions are something players are frustrated with and we share those frustrations with the players, particularly in situations when they have been implemented without players being consulted and properly communicated with.
"This gives us a great opportunity, which is what we've requested from (NRL chief executive) Andrew Abdo, is to get together now.
"The importance of protocols over the last two years are not in dispute. This is now about the restrictions that are over and above the community.
Under the NRL's existing framework, players were informed last week that they must stay away from indoor venues such as restaurants, pubs and cinemas despite the season not kicking off until March.
It led to criticism from leading players such as Latrell Mitchell, Josh Addo-Carr and Jack Wighton, with the latter posting on social media: "Thought I was getting the stupid vax so I didn't have to do another year of this s**t."
With over 90 per cent of the Australian population over the age of 16 now double jabbed, RLPA chief executive Clint Newton wants to sit down and discuss updated terms.
"We have the tools at our disposal to create a safe workplace and we want to get things in a position where players can live their lives like the rest of the community," Newton told AAP.
"COVID-19 protocol restrictions are something players are frustrated with and we share those frustrations with the players, particularly in situations when they have been implemented without players being consulted and properly communicated with.
"This gives us a great opportunity, which is what we've requested from (NRL chief executive) Andrew Abdo, is to get together now.
"The importance of protocols over the last two years are not in dispute. This is now about the restrictions that are over and above the community.
Round 1 of the 2022 Maori Vs Indigenous mini series kicks off on the 12th of February at 7:10pm AEDST
https://www.nrl.com/draw/all-stars/2022/round-1/maori-v-indigenous/
Game one of the 2022 NRL Series kicks of on the 10th of March, 2022 with the clash of the Grand-finalists for 2021, the Panthers and the Sea Eagles at 7:05pm AEDST.
https://www.nrl.com/draw/nrl-premiership/2022/round-1/panthers-v-sea-eagles/
The 2021 NRLW season is coming - https://www.nrl.com/news/2021/12/20/where-unreal-becomes-real/
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The NRL Telstra Women’s Premiership kicks off on February 27. Spoken by Melanie Mununggurr, 2018 Australian Poetry Slam Champion, Djapu writer from Yirrkala in East Arnhem land and rugby league player.
