NEWCASTLE Knights CEO Phil Gardner has warned the 2022 NRL campaign could be even more disrupted than the previous two after the club was forced to cancel a pre-season training camp in Tamworth because of an outbreak of COVID-19 in the squad.
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Newcastle's players were set to travel on Monday to Tamworth, where they were to spend two weeks in camp at Farrer Agricultural High School. Those plans were scrapped after Gardner confirmed a "substantial" number of players contracted the coronavirus during their Christmas-New Year break.
The Newcastle Herald has been told that if a similar outbreak occurred during the season, the Knights would struggle to find enough fit players to field a team.
A host of other NRL clubs are also understood to have similar case numbers.
The Knights players who have tested positive are isolating at home, while those who provided negative swabs will resume their pre-season preparations on Thursday, in Newcastle.
The Knights shut down training ahead of schedule before Christmas after a player and club employee contracted the coronavirus.
There are now concerns about fitness levels, especially for the players in isolation, given that pre-season trials are expected to kick off in late February.
Gardner said his players had been "excellent" in trying to safeguard themselves against COVID but it was almost impossible to avoid.
"Like everyone else in society, the Knights aren't immune to it," Gardner said.
"A substantial number of our players have tested positive and are isolating.
"That pretty much reflects what has been happening across Newcastle."
Gardner predicted NRL clubs would need bigger squads this season simply to cover the sheer number of players who could be unavailable on a weekly basis.
"Right across the game, it's incredibly challenging for everybody," Gardner said.
"It's probably going to be an even bigger challenge than the last two seasons.
"It's not just the NRL squad, but we've got the state cup, the under-17s, 19s, our women's teams. It's an enormous challenge for our club as a whole, but we have some very good people in charge.
"It's a logistical nightmare. We just have to accept it's going to be a disrupted year and get through it."
Players will be required to conduct rapid antigen tests before every training session.
"It's going to be an expensive, time-intensive process," Gardner said.
Gardner was hopeful the Tamworth camp could be re-scheduled for later in the pre-season.
