Melbourne Storm’s State of Origin stars have been asked to turn around and fly back to Queensland on Thursday night with the Victorian government set to announce a snap lockdown.
Amid new COVID-19 cases in Melbourne, the Storm are to relocate to Queensland before midnight on Thursday, setting up camp in the state for the second time this season after already spending 47 days on the Sunshine Coast.
The Storm have been home in Melbourne for just two weeks, but the NRL has been forced to act quickly to get the club into Queensland and into a hub in time for Saturday night’s clash with Newcastle.
That game was to have been at AAMI Park as their first home game since round eight, but it will be shifted to a south-east Queensland location.
Details of where the Storm are heading and where they will be playing are yet to be finalised.
It has come as a blow for the reigning premiers who also spent four months of last season in camp on the Sunshine Coast after originally hoping to be there for only a few short weeks.
Origin stars Christian Welch, Cameron Munster, Felise Kaufusi, Josh Addo-Carr and Nicho Hynes were on a charter flight back to Melbourne after Queensland’s 20-18 win on Wednesday night when the decision was made.
They landed in Melbourne on Thursday afternoon and were return to their homes to pack a fresh bag before heading back to Queensland with the Storm squad.
It’s understood that Storm players and staff will not need to be locked down for 14 days like clubs arriving from NSW.
AAP
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