Final countdown
THE NRL would need just 36 hours notice to shift the grand final to Townsville, effectively meaning a call to abandon Brisbane would have to be made by Friday night.
Townsville was locked in as a “Plan B” when Brisbane was confirmed as the host for the decider earlier this month, though Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate yesterday called for the game to be moved to Cbus Stadium if Suncorp was ruled out due to a covid lockdown.
In the plan B, which would come into effect under a Brisbane lockdown, ticketholders would be refunded, with a new allocation of tickets for Townsville to go on sale at short notice.
Townsville’s footy-mad public responded to a hastily organised State of Origin clash earlier this year with frenetic fervour and NRL heavies are confident the North Queensland capital would again step up if required this weekend.
Four new community Covid-19 cases were diagnosed in the southeast on Tuesday which sent the NRL into crisis talks.
One case, a truck driver staying at a boarding house had been in the community while infectious for a week.
Another, an aviation worker who had contact with international pilots, also has tested positive for Covid-19, along with his wife.
The fourth case was a woman who completed hotel quarantine.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and ARL Commission boss Peter V’landys have both said there had been no change of venue yet, but contingencies must be in place if case numbers climb in the coming days.
V’landys said the cases were currently “not a concern” but the situation would be closely monitored.
“The grand final won’t stay at Suncorp if there is a lockdown, but at this stage there isn’t one, so we have to hope and pray there isn’t a lockdown,” V’landys said.
Asked what would happen if the Queensland government wouldn’t allow the NRL grand final to be played at Suncorp, V’landys said: “Townsville is Plan B.”
Despite Townsville’s official position as Plan B – the Gold Coast mayor has tried to steal North Queensland’s thunder.
Cr Tate said Cbus Stadium was the prime choice for a relocated final.
“Safety is the No.1 priority and our city has not had a single community transmission since August last year,’’ Cr Tate said.
Townsville Deputy Mayor Mark Molachino said the city was a “long way off” securing the grand final.
However, he said the fact that Townsville was in the running proved the city was a “powerhouse of events”.
Cr Molachino said the investment in building the stadium now meant Townsville could host major events.