The NRL are just days away from relocating 12 teams to Queensland, and the locations of each team's new residence has been reportedly confirmed.
The teams, all of the Sydney-based clubs, the Canberra Raiders, Newcastle Knights and New Zealand Warriors, will be split between the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
Sydney Morning Herald reporter Michael Chammas has broken up the teams as follows:
Sunshine Coast: Penrith Panthers, Newcastle Knights, Manly Sea Eagles, Sydney Roosters
Gold Coast: Parramatta Eels, Canterbury Bulldogs, South Sydney Rabbbitohs, Canberra Raiders, New Zealand Warriors
Brisbane: St George Illawarra Dragons, Cronulla Sharks, Wests Tigers
It's unclear at this stage if every game will be played at a hub of the listed home team at this stage, however, the NRL are understood to want to cut down on travel as much as possible. The NRL are also not wanting to change the fixtures themselves, or the day and time each match is scheduled at.
The relocation is said to be costing the NRL anywhere between $12 and $15 million per month, with 30 players and 11 staff members per team allowed into the bubble, meaning a total of 492 personnel will be moved.
The NRL have also begun to discuss contingency plans for the grand final, should it need to be moved out of Sydney. While the NRL have only stated the competitionn is moving for a month at this time, it may be extended pending Sydney's COVID and lockdown situation, which has been worsening by the day.
Should teams play at their home grounds, the next four weeks fixtures would look like this:
NRL bubble fixtures - locations yet to be confirmed
Round 18
Friday, 6pm: Gold Coast Titans vs Parramatta Eels, CBus Super Stadium, Gold Coast
Friday, 7:55pm: Manly Sea Eagles vs St George Illawarra Dragons, Sunshine Coast Stadium, Sunshine Coast
Saturday, 3pm: Canberra Raiders vs Cronulla Sharks, CBus Super Stadium, Gold Coast
Saturday, 5:30pm: North Queensland Cowboys vs Sydney Roosters, Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville
Saturday, 7:35pm: Melbourne Storm vs Newcastle Knights, AAMI Park, Melbourne
Sunday, 2pm: New Zealand Warriors vs Penrith Panthers, CBus Super Stadium, Gold Coast
Sunday, 4:05pm: Brisbane Broncos vs Wests Tigers, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Sunday, 6:15pm: South Sydney Rabbitohs vs Canterbury Bulldogs, CBus Super Stadium, Gold Coast
Round 19
Thursday, 7:50pm: Parramatta Eels vs Canberra Raiders, CBus Super Stadium, Gold Coast
Friday, 6pm: Sydney Roosters vs Newcastle Knights, Sunshine Coast Stadium, Sunshine Coast
Friday, 7:55pm: North Queensland Cowboys vs Melbourne Storm, Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville
Saturday, 3pm: South Sydney Rabbitohs vs New Zealand Warriors, Sunshine Coast Stadium, Sunshine Coast (*Match already scheduled to be played on the Sunshine Coast)
Saturday, 5:30pm: Manly Sea Eagles vs Wests Tigers, Sunshine Coast Stadium, Sunshine Coast
Saturday, 7:35pm: Penrith Panthers vs Brisbane Broncos, Sunshine Coast Stadium, Sunshine Coast
Sunday, 2pm: St George Illawarra Dragons vs Gold Coast Titans, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Sunday, 4:05pm: Canterbury Bulldogs vs Cronulla Sharks, CBus Super Stadium, Gold Coast
Round 20
Thursday, 7:50pm: Sydney Roosters vs Parramatta Eels, Sunshine Coast Stadium, Sunshine Coast
Friday, 6pm: Wests Tigers vs New Zealand Warriors, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Friday, 7:55pm: Brisbane Broncos vs North Queensland Cowboys, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Saturday, 3pm: St George Illawarra Dragons vs South Sydney Rabbitohs, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Saturday, 5:30pm: Newcastle Knights vs Canberra Raiders, Sunshine Coast Stadium, Sunshine Coast
Saturday, 7:35pm: Melbourne Storm vs Penrith Panthers, AAMI Park, Melbourne
Sunday, 2pm: Canterbury Bulldogs vs Gold Coast Titans, CBus Super Stadium, Gold Coast
Sunday, 4:05pm: Cronulla Sharks vs Manly Sea Eagles, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Round 21
Thursday, 7:50pm: Newcastle Knights vs Brisbane Broncos, Sunshine Coast Stadium, Sunshine Coast
Friday, 6pm: Canberra Raiders vs St George Illawarra Dragons, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Friday, 7:55pm: Parramatta Eels vs South Sydney Rabbitohs, CBus Super Stadium, Gold Coast
Saturday, 3pm: New Zealand Warriors vs Cronulla Sharks, CBus Super Stadium, Gold Coast
Saturday, 5:30pm: Sydney Roosters vs Penrith Panthers, Sunshine Coast Stadium, Sunshine Coast
Saturday, 7:35pm: Manly Sea Eagles vs Melbourne Storm, Sunshine Coast Stadium, Sunshine Coast
Sunday, 2pm: Canterbury Bulldogs vs Wests Tigers, CBus Super Stadium, Gold Coast
Sunday, 4:05pm: Gold Coast Titans vs North Queensland Cowboys, CBus Super Stadium, Gold Coast
*The NRL are set to confirm the fixture locations in the coming days.
It's likely that due to broadcast requirements, some changes to the above list will be required, namely being the Round 20 Friday night games (both at Suncorp) and the Round 21 Sunday games (both on the Gold Coast). With Fox Sports the broadcaster of the early game and Channel 9 the later game, it's thought they will need to be held in different locations.
All teams will move to Queensland by Wednesday.
