Peter V’landys has assured players they will be reunited with their families as the NRL dedicates the next 48 hours to meeting Queensland government requirements.
The Australian Rugby League Commission chairman said on Friday the NRL was working on getting individual information from players’ families after group applications were denied.
NRL players and staff were left reeling on Thursday night after being told their families wouldn’t be joining them in Queensland immediately, as originally promised.
A three-day operation moving hundreds of NRL players and staff into south east Queensland was carried out on Wednesday with assurances families would be able to fly up on Saturday, quarantine for 14 days and then join the teams’ bubbles.
But on Thursday night the NRL sent a sobering letter to clubs, saying there would be a delay while finalising approvals with the Queensland government.
Queensland’s chief medical officer Dr Jeanette Young on Friday said she had not denied access for families permanently but would need a solid plan to approve.
“I just need a plan, which hotel, how it will be managed, I need all the staff in that hotel vaccinated, I need all of that work done and they just haven’t had a chance to do any of that,” she said.
“Once you’ve done all of that, and I’ve had the opportunity to make sure that that plan meets all my very, very strict requirements, then we can work together to sort it out.”
Currently all non-Queensland teams have been relocated into the state after lockdowns in NSW and Victoria forced the move this week for at least a month, but possibly the rest of the NRL season.
It was all done under the proviso families could join them.
On Friday morning V’landys told 2GB the next 48 hours will be dedicated to getting individual applications across the line with the Queensland government.
“I’m very confident we’ll have players’ wives and the children there,” he said.
“Queensland government is being very careful, it requires more detail individually for each person that’s going and that’s going to take time.
“We also have to prove that our quarantine facilities are foolproof and we’ll do all that in the next two days and then I’m confident the wives will go up there.
“They changed it from initially it was applications as groups but now it’s individuals.”
Despite the NRL’s assurances they can get a deal done within the next week, players, families and club staff have been left with real fears they won’t be granted access to Queensland as promised.
But Sydney Roosters coach Trent Robinson said not a single player had indicated they wanted to return home despite the varying circumstances for each individual.
“The NRL has been really open, it’s just disappointing that what was said to the guys at the start of the week isn’t going to happen at the end of the week. That’s the only tough thing,” said Robsinson.
“We know that to continue to offer the livelihoods that we do to our families we have to work. That’s only possible on a grand scale in Queensland at the moment.”
AAP
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