Storm scramble to sort out move
MELBOURNE Storm officials and players are scrambling to arrange their indefinite move interstate ahead of Friday night’s transferred clash with the Warriors in Sydney.
Storm officials were meeting yesterday morning to finalise plans, knowing it was possible they could still be based somewhere other than in Sydney following Friday’s
“home” game at Kogarah. Storm players were told at 5pm on Monday they would have to move out of Victoria indefinitely due to the recent COVID-19 spike.
While players accept they must do what is needed to keep the NRL competition going and accept it is minor compared to the Warriors’ sacrifice this season, it does come with challenges.
Star winger Josh AddoCarr is celebrating the birth of his child on the weekend, second-rower Felise Kaufusi’s partner Bek is pregnant with their third child, and many other players also have children.
At this stage the NRL is still determining if families will join players in camp.
“We’ve only had 24 hours, if that, to register it,” Kaufusi said. “The missus wasn’t too happy on such short notice but that’s the cards we’ve been dealt and we’ve just got to take it on board … just me not being around and being able to help. As long as my family is happy. There are a lot of boys with families here and kids. I think that’s the main uncertainty there.”
Queensland State of Origin forward Kaufusi said he would seek assurances that his partner could have external assistance from visitors while he wasn’t at home.
“Hopefully it’s not for too long,” he said.