News Coronavirus and NRL

[Tiger5150]

NRL hand down punishments for the Everton Park Hotel incident - https://www.nrl.com/news/2020/08/18/ten-players-broncos-fined-$140000-over-pub-visit/

IMO this is indefensible. If they have determined that these players did the wrong thing, why werent they isolated for 14 days like everyone else?

 

[Perth Red]

IMO this is indefensible. If they have determined that these players did the wrong thing, why werent they isolated for 14 days like everyone else?

Here you go, if you want to breach protocols do it in Brisbane lol

In this case, it was determined that the risk was negligible given the conduct of the players, the timing of disclosure and the lack of community transmission in Brisbane. As such, the advice from our experts was that there was no need for players to be placed on a 'COVID Hold'.

 

[Twizzle]

^^^

Ten players, Broncos, fined $140,000 over pub visit
Author
Joel GouldNRL.com reporter
Timestamp
Tue 18 Aug 2020, 03:25 PM

The Brisbane Broncos and 10 players have been issued a breach notice and fined $140,000 by the NRL for breaching the game's biosecurity protocols.

The breach concerns the visit of the players to the Everton Park Hotel on August 1 at a time when the players were permitted to dine at restaurants and cafes, but not permitted to sit in pubs and gaming areas.

The breach notice proposes that the Broncos club be fined $75,000 and each of the club's full-time players – of which there are seven – be fined five per cent of their salaries totalling $65,000.

The three development players involved – Ethan Bullemor, Josh James and Tyson Gamble– will have a portion of their fines suspended.

The seven full-time players who have been slapped with fines are Jake Turpin, Kotoni Staggs, David Fifita, Cory Paix, Keenan Palasia, Sean O’Sullivan and Corey Oates.

Match Highlights: Raiders v Broncos


Match Highlights: Raiders v Broncos

NRL Acting Chief Executive Andrew Abdo said the NRL Integrity Unit had considered all obtained information before issuing the breach.

"We have taken our time to thoroughly investigate this matter so we could gather as much evidence as possible to determine exactly what happened at the venue," he said.

"It is our view that this breach involved a significant failure of the club to properly administer the League’s biosecurity protocols."

In response, the Broncos have accepted the sanctions handed down by the NRL.

Club CEO Paul White, in a statement, said that the club had not approved the pub visit by the players and added that club officials were not aware it was taking place.

It is our view that this breach involved a significant failure of the club to properly administer the League’s biosecurity protocols

"We accept the imposition of the $75,000 fine, as the club has ultimate accountability for the actions of our players," White said.

"The players will also pay a price in terms of individual sanctions totalling $65,000. It is an expensive lesson for us all, but it reinforces how important these protocols are to the survival of our competition and community health."

The Queensland Police Service had earlier launched its own investigation into the matter, with police authorities confirming its own enquiries "found no breach of the Chief Health Officer's public health directions".

 

[Perth Red]

Youd have to conclude the NRL cares more about the games going ahead than protocols being breached given they should have instantly stood those players down for quarantine as soon as they found out. Bet hey it was in Brisbane so no harm done right?

 

[ACTPanthers]

Youd have to conclude the NRL cares more about the games going ahead than protocols being breached given they should have instantly stood those players down for quarantine as soon as they found out. Bet hey it was in Brisbane so no harm done right?

And if the game did shut itself down because of this, you'd be in here whinging about that... There is literally nothing the NRL can do that would make you happy mate.

 

[Perth Red]

And if the game did shut itself down because of this, you'd be in here whinging about that... There is literally nothing the NRL can do that would make you happy mate.

I'm not saying the game should have been shut down drama queen, I'm saying the players should have been treat like every other player who has breached protocol. So to be clear you're happy some players are being asked to quarantine when they breach protocols and some arent?
Consistency is over rated, the Greenburg legacy continues lol.

 

[ACTPanthers]

Im not sayign the game should have been shut down, Im saying the players should have been treat like every other player who has breached protocol.
Consistency is over rated, the Greenburg legacy continues lol.

I agree RE that they should've been suspended, I just don't immediately buy into your premise that it was about caring more about the games going ahead.

But, as I stated, if the players were stood down, and the games were cancelled (wouldn't happen anyway, the Broncos are essentially a f**king bye for teams this season) you would be in here crying foul about it. Don't pretend you wouldn't mate.

 

[Danish]

Why would you ban a player for longer than they are a health risk?

the guidelines are about keeping people safe. Punishing players for any longer than that is just showboating.

As an aside, I genuinely had no idea the AFL was on. It is quite literally not covered in the NSW media

 

[Perth Red]

I agree RE that they should've been suspended, I just don't immediately buy into your premise that it was about caring more about the games going ahead.

But, as I stated, if the players were stood down, and the games were cancelled (wouldn't happen anyway, the Broncos are essentially a f**king bye for teams this season) you would be in here crying foul about it. Don't pretend you wouldn't mate.

Amazing mind reading abilities you have, actually you dont so dont be so arrogant as to think you know what Id feel about that scenario. I would in fact blame no one but the ten dckhead Brisbane players for screwing the game.

Its not about being suspended for doing something wrong (the punishment is in the fine) its about the fact the NRL has had a very clear protocol, up until this incident, of standing down, or putting on "Covid Hold' as they have called it anyone in the clubs bubbles found to have breached the protocols. We have had 7 or 8 players and staff so far fall foul of it with the same process every time.
This is the first time they havent followed their own process and instead have said they took the advice of their expert that the risk was minimal so no stand down needed. I wonder why?
Anything to do with the Broncos now being totally compromised with these ten players going back into the bubble and training and playing with the rest of the club?
or the fact that the team they played after this incident was also now compromised? Seems to me they have changed their process of a bubble breach exactly for the reason of not compromising the games taking place. Maybe the right call but a dangerous precedent has been set that they are claiming is due to it being ok to breach the bubble in Brisbane but not in Sydney.

 

[Perth Red]

Why would you ban a player for longer than they are a health risk?

the guidelines are about keeping people safe. Punishing players for any longer than that is just showboating.

As an aside, I genuinely had no idea the AFL was on. It is quite literally not covered in the NSW media

Sending a strong message? The fact this happened in Perth and the WA Govt has been so stringent on border control given we have one of the worlds longest zero community transmission periods is telling in the punishment. The AFL dont want the WA Govt to kick them out and McGowen has such a high rating coming into next years election he wont put at risk his tough on Covid standing with the WA people just for the AFL.

 

[ACTPanthers]

Amazing mind reading abilities you have, actually you dont so dont be so arrogant as to think you know what Id feel about that scenario

Its not about being suspended for doing something wrong (the punishment is in the fine) its about the fact the NRL has had a very clear protocol, up until this incident, of standing down, or putting on "Covid Hold' as they have called it anyone in the clubs bubbles found to have breached the protocols. We have had 7 or 8 players and staff so far fall foul of it with the same process every time.
This is the first time they havent followed their own process and instead have said they took the advice of their expert that the risk was minimal so no stand down needed. I wonder why?
Anything to do with the Broncos now being totally compromised with these ten players going back into the bubble and training and playing with the rest of the club?
or the fact that the team they played after this incident was also now compromised? Seems to me they have changed their process of a bubble breach exactly for the reason of not compromising the games taking place. Maybe the right call but a dangerous precedent has been set that they are claiming is due to it being ok to breach the bubble in Brisbane but not in Sydney.

I'll be as arrogant as I want thank you very much.

I agree that they should've been isolating them for the appropriate amount of time. Never said otherwise.

FYI, I based my assumption on years of your posts mate... And, might I add, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be the only one to make that assumption.

 

[Danish]

Sending a strong message? The fact this happened in Perth and the WA Govt has been so stringent on border control given we have one of the worlds longest zero community transmission periods is telling in the punishment. The AFL dont want the WA Govt to kick them out and McGowen has such a high rating coming into next years election he wont put at risk his tough on Covid standing with the WA people just for the AFL.

Ah yes. Good PR is the aim of the game in AFL minds. Health has f**k all to do with it.

The NRL has let the science lead their decisions in their COVID response. They got advice on how to restart the season safely, and have executed that plan with perfection and consistency.

The AFL has been focused on spin from day 1, hence their rush to shut the season down first in order to get the headlines.... only to then scramble like hell when they realised it was going to cost them a fortune and their primary rival was leading the way. Ever since they’ve been lurching from one decision the the next, with no rhyme or reason to what they do

 

[Perth Red]

Ah yes. Good PR is the aim of the game in AFL minds. Health has f**k all to do with it.

The NRL has let the science lead their decisions in their COVID response. They got advice on how to restart the season safely, and have executed that plan with perfection and consistency.

The AFL has been focused on spin from day 1, hence their rush to shut the season down first in order to get the headlines.... only to then scramble like hell when they realised it was going to cost them a fortune and their primary rival was leading the way. Ever since they’ve been lurching from one decision the the next, with no rhyme or reason to what they do

The young kid should have got his GF to visit him in Brisbane, apparently its safer there to break bubbles.

 

[Danish]

The young kid should have got his GF to visit him in Brisbane, apparently its safer there to break bubbles.

It is objectively safer in Brisbane than Sydney or Melbourne right now. How could anyone deny that?

 

[Phil McGrawhan]

Afl good
Nrl bad
Afl great
Nrl terrible .
The same old shit day after day from the fumble lover

 

[Hank_Scorpio]

It is objectively safer in Brisbane than Sydney or Melbourne right now. How could anyone deny that?

Plenty to deny given the breach being referred to occurred in Perth... ?

 

[Chimp]

IMO this is indefensible. If they have determined that these players did the wrong thing, why werent they isolated for 14 days like everyone else?

Because it was that long ago, the 14 days would be pointless now.... the 14 days is to stop spreading the virus - if they’d caught it, they’d have spread it all over by now - plus they’ve all been tested plenty since and are negative - they would have tested positive by now. Essentially, they got away with it from a catching the virus perspective.

 

[unforgiven]

I'm not saying the game should have been shut down drama queen, I'm saying the players should have been treat like every other player who has breached protocol. So to be clear you're happy some players are being asked to quarantine when they breach protocols and some arent?
Consistency is over rated, the Greenburg legacy continues lol.

It is not about consistency, the covid hold isn't a punishment. The hold is determined by the risk of infection, the NRL doesn't decide this, there biosecurity expert does.

 

[franklin2323]

I'm not saying the game should have been shut down drama queen, I'm saying the players should have been treat like every other player who has breached protocol. So to be clear you're happy some players are being asked to quarantine when they breach protocols and some arent?
Consistency is over rated, the Greenburg legacy continues lol.

There is different rules for QLD based on Health advise. In QLD they can go to out

 

[Diesel]

The young kid should have got his GF to visit him in Brisbane, apparently its safer there to break bubbles.

The Broncos broke NRL protocol, NOT Qld protocols. The police investigated and said there was no breach