NRL players are able to go to cafes and restaurants again with bubble restrictions to be eased following the lifting of the south-east Queensland lockdown.
Club bosses were set to be told on Sunday night of the game’s latest restrictions, as the NRL try to balance up player welfare and safety.
It’s understood players and staff within the club hubs will go back to the settings they briefly enjoyed when they exited quarantine in the state late last month.
Under the level-three hybrid rules, players and staff could go to cafes and restaurants with members of their bubbles but not pubs or clubs.
Bubble members will be hoping the freedoms last longer than last time around after they had to be scrapped when southeast Queensland was plunged into lockdown last Saturday.
The lifting of the lockdown will also likely save regular COVID-19 tests for players, while all members of the hubs will be able to attend games again.
It’s unclear exactly what freedoms will be available to families living in the hubs with players, but it can be expected they will not have strict restrictions.
The lifting of the week-long lockdown came as a massive relief to the NRL, with crowds of 50 per cent able to return to grounds from next weekend.
With the whole competition’s move to the southeast of the state costing more than $10 million per month, the lack of crowds was hitting the NRL’s finances hard.
Saturday’s double-header at Suncorp Stadium for instance was likely to have drawn a massive crowd, with Melbourne, Manly, Penrith and Sydney Roosters all featuring.
But around 20,000 will be allowed into Suncorp next weekend and 13,000 into Cbus Super Stadium on the Gold Coast.
Next week’s fixture includes the Storm playing on Thursday night, Brisbane hosting the Roosters and a crucial game between Manly and Parramatta that should also attract fans.
The NRL also still has their eyes on taking games to regional venues, but they are at this stage not able to until at least round 23.
AAP
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