Melbourne’s Christian Welch says they are comfortable with their Good Friday home game against Brisbane being relocated to Sydney after their successful NRL season on the road last year.
The Storm are awaiting a decision from the NRL, who are in talks with the Victorian government about the match venue after the Broncos were rushed out of Brisbane on Monday following the COVID-19 outbreak in the Queensland capital.
Officials are hopeful that that mercy dash to Sydney before the Victorian border closure to Queensland will allow the Broncos into Melbourne on Thursday.
It would be a massive blow for the Storm if the match could not be played at AAMI Park, after they did not play any games in front of fans at their home stadium in 2020.
However, the NRL premiers remain confident they will be able to host the match and are preparing for a return to “bubble” conditions for players, staff, officials and media on match day.
But they are also ready to head to Sydney, with one scenario that the game is played at Stadium Australia, making for a double-header after South Sydney and Canterbury clash.
Welch said while that wasn’t Melbourne’s preference they understood there were bigger issues than having a home game changed.
“We understand that at the end of the day we’re a game of rugby league and there’s higher priorities in the community like health and safety of people so we’re more than happy to go to Sydney if we have to,” Welch said on Tuesday.
“Our preference certainly is to play at AAMI Park in front of all of our home fans.”
Spending four months in Queensland last year through the pandemic en route to the premiership, Welch said the Storm were confident they could overcome any challenges.
“I don’t think anyone has any dramas in adapting to a change in plans; it can happen pretty quick but that’s just the COVID world we live in,” he said.