WE’RE HAPPY TO GO WITH THE FLOW
Whatever happens, we have to roll with it IVAN CLEARY
THE uncertainty surrounding Sunday’s NRL grand final hasn’t fazed either side vying for the premiership, with the coaches and players prepared to roll with the punches.
Queensland’s latest Covid scare has put the sport’s biggest game of the year on tenterhooks, with the governing body considering relocating or even postponing the match if Brisbane heads into lockdown.
Two Covid cases were recorded on Friday as a mask mandate and strict social distancing rules were put in place in several of the state’s regions.
Hundreds of mask-wearing people at Friday’s Fan Fest in Brisbane’s King George Square were forced to keep their distance in a bid to catch a glimpse of both grand final squads.
Saturday will be a nervous wait for tens of thousands of grand final ticketholders, many of whom have flown into Brisbane this weekend, but the uncertainty hasn’t become a concern for either Penrith or South Sydney.
Penrith coach Ivan Cleary said every club had to deal with Covid concerns throughout the entire season.
“It’s just been similar to many of the other weeks we’ve had,” Cleary said.
“It’s just been one of those seasons I guess. Early in the piece, we had a game called off and we had to wait until the next day.
“We haven’t really spoken about it at all really.
“Whatever happens, we have to roll with it. It’s just the way it is.
“I think every team in the game has handled it really well.”
Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett said the players would play wherever, whenever.
“Everything has its own challenges but I’m sure players are ready to play,” Bennett said.
“They’ll play tomorrow, next week, week after, they’ll play.
“We can’t control it.
“There’s no conversation about it, we’re not talking about it.
“In the history of the game, it’s always played in Sydney and personally I’d prefer the history of the game.
“It wasn’t possible, so we’re here and we’ll make the most of it.”
The Rabbitohs have a history of dealing with games being postponed at the last minute because of Covid.
The South Sydney squad were on board a flight to Rockhampton on a Saturday afternoon, only to be turned around on the tarmac because of the Brisbane lockdown on July 30.
They were then forced to play the following day in an empty Suncorp Stadium, where they were defeated St George Illawarra 50-14.
“We showed (we can handle a Covid disruption) when we went to Rockhampton,” Rabbitohs playmaker Cody Walker said.
“We were on the plane, prepped and ready to go and by the time we landed, they postponed the game.
“We just had to adapt to what was happening.
“It was no one’s fault and we had no control over it so we just had to adapt and get back on the plane. “Whatever happens, happens.” Penrith halfback Nathan Cleary admitted he wasn’t even entertaining the notion of a postponed game.
“We just prepare like it’s going to happen,” Cleary said.
“It’s not in my mind that we’re not going to play.
“We can only control what we can control.”