The Sydney Roosters are caught in the middle of a COVID-19 scramble, with senior players forced into a divide as some are required to isolate amid the latest outbreak in the city's east.
Following an unknown positive test of a man who had visited a café nearby Moore Park, members of the Roosters squad have been moved into isolation and are set to undergo testing.
The Sydney man located the Azure Café as a potential hot spot after attending the venue recently, with Roosters players and staff, as well as NRL head office patrons, set to be contacted.
Azure Cafe is not only one of the closest places for the @sydneyroosters to grab a coffee/food, but also Rugby League Central where majority of the @NRL work. #COVID19 #NRL
— Katie Brown 🤸🏼♀️ (@katiebrownaus) May 5, 2021
Players and staff of interest will have their recent movements traced as NSW Health look to combat the potential spread of the virus.
According to Channel 9's Danny Weidler, any personnel that attended the café will be unable to re-join the main group for the foreseeable future, with players and staff potentially moving into a bubble, as seen last year.
BREAKING: NRL being proactive re COVID case in Sydney’s east. @sydneyroosters players movements currently being traced by the club. And any players or staff identified as attending the venues at the nominated times will not be permitted to rejoin the group. @9NewsSyd @NRLonNine.
— Danny Weidler (@Danny_Weidler) May 5, 2021
Staff are understood to have been told to stay at home on Thursday, with every player set to undergo testing, per The Daily Telegraph's Phil Rothfield.
The Roosters are currently fixtured to play Parramatta at Bankwest Stadium on Friday night, while Magic Round, which is scheduled for next weekend, is also under threat of going forward.
