Rugby League: New South Wales Health Minister Brad Hazzard’s NRL Severe Warning to New Zealand Warriors

New South Wales Health Minister Brad Hazzard gave a severe warning to the New Zealand Warriors before their arrival in Australia tomorrow afternoon.

The NRL confirmed this morning that the Warriors received approval from the Australian Border Force to travel to Tamworth in the New South Wales regional region, where they will see a mandatory 14-day quarantine period.

About 50 Warriors players and staff will take a charter flight tomorrow based in Tamworth, where they have also received authorization from the federal and NSW governments to train while in quarantine.

However, Hazzard made sure to emphasize that while they have been granted waivers to train, they will not receive any other special treatment and must strictly comply with their quarantine.

“I guess the Border Force will make sure they go through all the proper checks and balances, but NSW Health is telling them very, very clearly that they will still be quarantined, that they are not running away and if they want to come play on foot, that’s fine, but you’ll have to go through quarantine, “Hazzard said at a press conference today.

“You will have to meet all other climates in terms of social distancing.

“How is that going to work? I honestly don’t know at the moment.”

Warriors CEO Cameron George said the players on his team would be incredibly respectful of the rules and regulations in force for their return to Australia.

“We will in no way compromise the protocols or requirements imposed on us to be based in Tamworth. I can assure the local community that all of our players will comply with those rules and will not threaten the well-being of the great Tamworth community.” “he told the Northern Daily Leader.

“By virtue of the fact that we are in quarantine and cannot leave, we have a very strict and measured program for the next few weeks.”

Tamworth Mayor Col Murray told NZME that the Warriors setup is ideal for his 14-day quarantine.

“The Scully Park grounds with a new attached motel could almost have been designed for quarantine. So I don’t think you will find a better place for management and Warriors supporters to know they will be in very good hands.

“The Scully Park soccer field is really much appreciated and arguably the best soccer surface in regional New South Wales and better than most in Sydney,” he said. “It is a very high quality pitch. The playing surface is absolutely first class and is about 80 meters walk from the motel.

“The quarantine situation is as simple as just sliding the doors closed with the entrance to the parking lot and being isolated from everywhere. You have the pool, commercial kitchens and everything else associated with the club and motel.”

The Warriors are leaving for Tamworth tomorrow, as the NRL continues to plan its season to resume on May 28.