Double, triple headers in NRL sights for revamped comp

The NRL is eyeing potential double and triple headers by the end of July to take advantage of the code's shift to South-East Queensland for at least the next month.

With tickets for Origin III going on sale on Tuesday and a capacity crowd of 27,000 expected for the series finale on Wednesday night at Gold Coast's Cbus Super Stadium, hopes are high that relocated round-18 fixtures will be able to host unlimited crowds this weekend.

The NRL will look to finalise venues for the next month of the regular season over the coming days, with the Titans, Broncos, Cowboys and Storm all to host home games as already scheduled.

Under current Queensland government biosecurity rules there are no crowd restrictions in Townsville or at Suncorp, Sunshine Coast and Cbus Super Stadium, with fans only required to wear a mask to games.

Melbourne's AAMI Park is slated to host a 75% capacity crowd of around 22,000 for the Storm's clash with Newcastle on Saturday night – the premiers' first home game since April.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk indicated on Monday that the state's lack of community transmission has them on track to lift further COVID-19 restrictions this Friday.

NRL CEO Andrew Abdo said a proposal would be put to Palaszczuk's government this week regarding crowd attendances, with the governing body looking to host potential double or triple headers in round 20 or 21 at the same venue.

Suncorp Stadium hosted triple-headers on the weekend of Magic Round earlier this year after kicking off with a Friday night double-header.

"We will have crowds this weekend," Abdo said.

"We know that already for the Queensland base games that were scheduled.

"We're going to put a proposal to the Queensland Government on a way for us to safely secure the players and the environment.

"After around about a two-week period, we will then start looking at opportunities to play double headers and triple headers and look at the upside of what is a great opportunity for our fans in Queensland to see multiple teams potentially play."

Rounds 20 and 21 both present multiple opportunities for potential double headers, with Brisbane already hosting North Queensland at Suncorp Stadium on Friday, July 30 and a Tigers-Warriors clash currently scheduled as that Friday's 6pm game.

The Friday, Saturday and Sunday of round 21 all have relocated-NSW based sides hosting at least two games on each day at either Suncorp, Cbus Super or Sunshine Coast Stadium.

NRL clubs were informed on Monday of their respective hubs, with their 41-person Apollo bubble contingents to fly out on chartered flights on Wednesday.

Several clubs preparing to make their exits from NSW did so in the expectation that they will finish at least the remaining eight games of the regular season out away from home.

A further 112 new COVID-19 cases in NSW on Monday only reinforced that view.

Abdo said there was no threshold of community transmissions or cases that the NRL was targeting to return clubs south of the border, with several factors going into any relocation call in four weeks time.

"It is somewhat linked to obviously the infection rate, it's also linked to restrictions," he said.

"And it's also linked to exemptions that we might be able to obtain from other state governments too.

"It's not just a case of not having infections in New South Wales.

"It's also commercial consideration of costs too whilst it's very expensive to house teams, and to essentially have the teams transported up in Queensland.

"We also need to consider the opportunity cost of not being able to have crowds or potential disruption, so there's a whole range of factors we need to consider."