NRL reveals grand final contingency plans

2 years ago 238

NRL brag Andrew Abdo remains hopeful the grand final tin spell up astatine Suncorp Stadium connected Sunday, but says immoderate lockdown of Brisbane announced aft contiguous would trigger a postponement.

The Queensland authorities yesterday introduced restrictions successful the Brisbane area, capping Suncorp Stadium astatine 75 per cent of its capableness for the match. That means a simplification from 52,000 fans to 39,000.

That's successful effect to a increasing COVID-19 cluster, with six section cases announced yesterday.

Speaking connected TODAY, Abdo said the expansive last would spell up successful Brisbane adjacent if the capableness was reduced further.

NRL whitethorn postpone expansive final

"At this signifier 75 per cent crowd, if that drops to 50 per cent, our purpose is inactive to proceed playing connected Sunday," helium said.

"If there's a lockdown, and we spot the corruption rates rise, past we volition person to respond accordingly.

"It is simply a expansive final, and we've got to deliberation astir our fans, truthful the contingency program for america would past beryllium to perchance postpone the match, and perchance play the lucifer successful Townsville, if we're capable to play successful beforehand of a assemblage there."

Queensland's main wellness serviceman has already flagged that the expansive last won't beryllium a information for her erstwhile she considers whether oregon not to nonstop Brisbane into lockdown.

But according to Abdo, immoderate lockdown aft Saturday greeting would beryllium excessively precocious to determination the crippled to Townsville.

"We privation to play to play astatine Suncorp, and we privation to play successful beforehand of a crowd," helium said.

"If there's a lockdown that happens from tomorrow, past I deliberation postponement becomes a realistic option, we tin determination (to Townsville) quickly, we cognize that, but we can't enactment connected a expansive last wrong 24 hours.

"It's not just to the fans successful Townsville, and it's not just to the teams successful presumption of their preparation.

"We'd request to marque definite the determination is done professionally."

While Townsville remains 'Plan B' for the NRL, that portion has besides had restrictions introduced aft an hose idiosyncratic who tested affirmative to COVID-19 visited Townsville.

"We are watching this connected an hourly basis, and immoderate decisions we marque volition beryllium made with people's wellness and information successful mind," Abdo said.

"Clearly the committee wants to marque definite we supply a fitting extremity to the play arsenic well."

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