NRL boss reveals Grand Final could be POSTPONED for the first time in history if Annastacia Palaszczuk bans fans from the match
- NRL boss reveals Grand Final could be postponed for the first time in history
- Rabbitohs and Panthers set to clash at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium on Sunday
- Covid-19 outbreak in Queensland has thrown landmark Grand Final into chaos
- ARL Commission chairman said all options, including a deferral, are on the table
The NRL's boss has revealed the landmark Grand Final could be postponed for the first time in history if the Queensland Premier bans fans from attending the match.
ARL Commission chairman Peter V'landys said the NRL have drawn up contingency plans as an emergency back up in case the Grand Final is moved out of Brisbane.
The clash between the South Sydney Rabbitohs and the Penrith Panthers has been shrouded in uncertainty since the emergence of new Covid cases in Queensland.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has responded to the escalating crisis by cutting crowd capacity in the Suncorp Stadium from 52,000 to 39,000.
The NRL boss has revealed the landmark Grand Final could be postponed for the first time in history if fans are banned from attending the match (pictured, Penrith Oanthers cheerleaders)
The clash between the South Sydney Rabbitohs and the Penrith Panthers has been shrouded in uncertainty since new Covid cases have emerged in Queensland (pictured, people in Brisbane)
NRL boss Peter V'landys (pictured) remains confident the whistle will blow at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium on Sunday but said contingency plans had been drawn up
The emergency plans also consider a deferral of the game which would mark the first postponing of a Grand Final in rugby league's more than 100 year history.
V'landys remains confident the whistle will blow at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium, he said suspending the game would be an option if footy fans could not attend.
The AFLC chairman said Townsville was being considered as a back-up venue was on the cards as well as postponing the historic clash.
'(Postponing) would be most unlikely but every option is on the table,' V'landys told the Daily Telegraph on Thursday.
'It is the least option we want to take but it has to be kept as an option.'
The top boss said the next 48 hours would be vital in making a final decision and said NRL staffers had proven themselves very capable in quick turnarounds.
He said negotiations with the Queensland Government had prompted the suggestion of Townsville as a back-up location adding crowds were imperative.
'We believe it will go ahead on Sunday with the 75 per cent (stadium capacity) and the Queensland Government is confident they have contained it,' V'landys said.
'As I said, we have contingency plans but remain confident we won't have to implement any of them.'
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has responded to the escalating crisis by cutting crowd capacity in the Suncorp Stadium from 52,000 to 39,000 (pictured, Rabbitohs fans last week)
Ms Palaszczuk (pictured) is set to choose from a range of options including moving the game north, postponing, or playing the game in front of a reduced crowd in Brisbane
The emergency plans consider a deferral of the clash which would mark the first postponing of a Grand Final in rugby league's more than 100 year history (pictured, Panthers players)
Ms Palaszczuk is set to choose from a range of options including moving the game north, postponing, or playing the game in front of a reduced crowd in Brisbane.
The NRL will be forced to comply with Queensland's public health directives, with the premier yet to bite the bullet and plunge the state into a snap lockdown.
Ms Palaszczuk has fiercely denied accusations she was delaying the call to accomodate for the highly-anticipated decider.
'Let me make it very clear that the health of Queenslanders comes first and as soon as Dr Young says we need to move into lockdown, we will,' she said.
'At the moment that is not the situation.'
Hopeful attendees were left on the edge of their seats on Thursday night with the anticipation of a text from the NRL to confirm their attendance.
The premier's slashing of crowd capacity for the game meant 13,000 footy fans were left disappointed, and advised to apply for a refund.
Fan activities attended by NRL players at the renamed 'Wally's Square' in Brisbane's CBD are also expected to go ahead on Sunday night.
Players will be forced to abide by strict Level 4 protocols which means they cannot physically interact with their supporters ahead of the big match.
Queensland won the hosting rights for the Grand Final after Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said fans would be safe to attend in the Sunshine State.
Dr Young said the slashed crowd of 39,000 attendees at the ticketed game at the Suncorp Stadium would be required to wear face masks.
Hopeful attendees were left on the edge of their seats on Thursday night with the anticipation of a text from the NRL to confirm their attendance (pictured, Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium)
The highly-anticipated clash between the South Sydney Rabbitohs and the Penrith Panthers (pictured) is at this stage still scheduled for Sunday, October 3 in Brisbane
It comes as the Queensland premier warns the next two days will be 'vital' in containing the state's spiralling outbreak.
Residents in the southeast are currently holding their breath as the virus spreads to the Brisbane, Gold Coast, Moreton Bay and Townsville regions.
Health authorities have said the biggest threat to Sunday's Grand Final and a potential state-wide lockdown would be a growing number of mystery cases.
However, Health Minister Yvette D'Ath said the new infections were accounted for.
'The current cases we're seeing in Queensland aren't the result of unchecked community spread – we know the source of these infections,' Ms D'Ath said.
The state recorded six new cases of Covid-19 on Thursday.
Of the new infections, four have been linked to an aviation worker, a man aged in his 30s, who first tested positive to coronavirus on Tuesday.
Fan activities attended by NRL players at the renamed 'Wally's Square' in Brisbane's CBD are also expected to go ahead on Sunday night (pictured, Rabbitohs fans last week)
A pilot who was in Townsville - the back up location for the NRL Grand Final - was one of the new positive cases linked to the cluster.
Dr Young said she believes the cluster of cases was sparked by a meeting of aviation workers on September 20.
The fifth case was detected in hotel quarantine and the sixth case was a woman who travelled from the New South Wales region of Kyogle to her home at Camp Hill.
Police are currently investigating how the woman was able to cross the notoriously hard-line border between Queensland and NSW.
Ms Palaszczuk has reminded residents they can help prevent another snap lockdown by wearing masks, getting tested for Covid-19 and getting vaccinated.
'It's going to be very critical the next 24 to 48 hours about whether or not we see any seeding into the community,' the premier said
Residents in the LGAs of Brisbane, Gold Coast, Moreton Bay, Logan, Townsville and Palm Island have been subject to tighter restrictions from 4pm on Thursday.
The restrictions include a 30-person limit on home visitors and 100-person caps on weddings and funerals, while hospitality venues will reduce capacity to accomodate one person per four square metres.
Queensland recorded six cases of Covid-19 on Thursday (pictured, a woman in Southbank)
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2021-09-30 14:12:42Z
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