ROOSTERS coach Trent Robinson did not need to look far for an alternative home ground when he learned that the SCG was likely to be impacted by Sydney's COVID-19 lockdown.
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"I was actually in Newcastle at the time," Robinson told the Herald.
"We came up for a break with the family last week, just to show my little one where he was born and where we used to live.
"So I was in Newcastle when we had a Zoom meeting and started talking about playing in Newcastle."
For Robinson, moving tonight's blockbuster clash with Melbourne Storm to McDonald Jones Stadium was a no-brainer.
An assistant coach to Brian Smith and Rick Stone at the Knights between 2007 and 2009, he has always admired the ingrained passion Novocastrians show for the 13-man code.
"I've said it before, for me personally, the people of Newcastle and the Hunter know and understand rugby league," Robinson said.
"So if you're going to take two teams to Newcastle who aren't the Knights, we're hoping people will come out and watch and support rugby league, because I think the people up there respect the game, probably more than any other crowd I've seen.
"And because of that, you have to respect them when you go up there, by playing a tough and exciting brand of footy."
Robinson said if the SCG lockout continues, tonight's showdown might not be the Roosters' only "home" game in Newcastle this year.
"By us moving this game to Newcastle, that [more games] is a possibility," Robinson said.
"But we want to get back to the SCG as quickly as possible.
"Obviously this all depends on where everything goes next with COVID.
"We're hoping Sydney is COVID-free within the next couple of weeks so we can get back to the SCG. That's where we're from.
"Moore Park is our area, but if it's out of play and Newcastle stays as a cleaner zone for us, then it's a pretty easy choice ...
"We're the Roosters and we represent an area from George Street to Bondi Beach, and we honour that territory.
"But that doesn't mean we don't respect other areas, and the reason we want to take a game to Newcastle is because we respect it."
If Sydney's lockdown continues, the Roosters may have to consider switching their round-19 game against the Knights, scheduled for the SCG on July 23, to McDonald Jones Stadium.
Surrendering home-ground advantage is unlikely to hold any fears for the Roosters, who won 38-4 in Newcastle on May 1 and have lost only four of 16 games on the Knights' home turf in the past 20 years.
Robinson also threw his support behind the proposal to play Origin III in Newcastle if Sydney's stadiums are still locked down.
The NRL is expected to delay any decision until next week in the hope that the July 14 series finale can still be played at ANZ Stadium, albeit with a reduced capacity of probably 50 per cent.
Other options are understood to include Melbourne and Canberra.
"If you have to play in NSW and you can't play at one of the big stadiums in Sydney, then you take it to Newcastle," Robinson said.
"It's simple. That's why Newcastle is being tossed up, because for me and a lot of other people, Newcastle is a rugby league hub.
"It seems to me a really logical and easy choice to move it there. Even if the crowd is capped at 50 per cent, 15,000 Novocastrians cheering is going to be an advantage for NSW."
Robinson said his players were fresh after last week's bye and excited about the challenge of trying to knock Melbourne off the top of the table.
"There's a great rivalry and I'm sure both teams look forward to playing each other," he said.
"We went down to Melbourne earlier in the year and had a really physical game with them, and we want to improve.
"We've had a difficult year with players being in and out, with retirements and injuries ... but we need to improve against those top-four teams, and we get a chance on Thursday."
