Brisbane Broncos players involved in an August 1 pub gathering have been cleared of breaching public health regulations, paving the way for them to play the Raiders in Canberra on Saturday.
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Apollo Protocol experts have decreed up to 10 players who were at the pub will not be required to enter a "COVID hold", meaning they are still permitted to train and play with their teammates.
But the club is yet to be cleared by the NRL Integrity Unit which continues to work with Queensland authorities to determine if any Project Apollo rules were contravened.
CCTV footage is being examined to corroborate the story provided by Broncos players who attended the Everton Park Hotel. Up to 10 Brisbane players claim they were eating lunch at the restaurant attached to the pub.
Should that footage show any player entering the bar or the poker machine area, they would be subject to sanctioning, financial or otherwise, by the NRL.
There were fears on Wednesday the Broncos would struggle to field a side this weekend if there was there a mass standing down of players, but avoiding a "COVID hold" situation permits the players involved to still take the field.
That won't include former Raiders under-20s star Tavita Pangai Junior, stood down indefinitely by the NRL for separate COVID-19 breaches, enforcer Matthew Lodge who has suffered a season-ending broken leg, or winger Xavier Coates who has picked up a foot injury.
"We are conducting a detailed investigation to ensure we have all available evidence before determining the need for sanctions. It is important we have all the facts and evidence before making a decision,'' acting NRL chief Andrew Abdo said.
"Right from the start of this pandemic we have made it clear if protocols are breached players and officials will face strong sanctions. Our actions in recent days have confirmed that."
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"Our biosecurity experts have determined the players will not be required to enter a COVID-19 Hold."
A serious breach of Project Apollo protocols would jeapordise the entire NRL, which Queensland Health Minister Steven Miles said would be an "insult to the hard work of Queenslanders".
"Players who breach the COVID safe plan are not just putting the season at risk, not just letting down their club and their code, they are also betraying their fans who tune in and turn up every weekend," Miles said.
"These rules were developed by the NRL for the NRL and are in place to protect Queenslanders, the players, their families and staff."
The embattled Broncos have lost 10 of 11 matches since the season restart, and will be without under-siege coach Anthony Seibold who is quarantined in Brisbane.
James Buckley
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
