Swine flu fears rock the NRL

The NRL has described the swine flu as a "moving feast" after being forced to pull
two players from a match and quarantine all those involved in last week's Origin
opener.
Gold Coast backrower Ashley Harrison and St George Illawarra's Darius Boyd were
sensationally forced to withdraw from Monday night's NRL clash at Skilled Park after
Maroons teammate Ben Hannant became struck down by the bug.
Results of swabs taken from quarantined players over the next few days will be
crucial in determining how serious a threat the H1N1 virus poses.
NRL chief operating officer Graham Annesley indicated the league would continue to
be guided by health authorities in relation to this weekend's round of fixtures.
"This whole thing is a moving feast obviously, it has been for quite some time,"
Annesley said.
"We're not doctors, we'll continue to take the advice of health authorities and at
this stage our immediate issue is getting the game away tonight and I'm glad to say
it's happened with minimal disruption.
"But we are in the hands of the health authorities, both NSW and Queensland and in
any other state that we play."
That will also include Western Australia this weekend with South Sydney set to host
Melbourne in Perth on Saturday night.
The NRL's very public stance to the threat was in direct contrast to that of the
AFL, which refused to disclose its policy in relation to swine flu, with the AFL's
medical officers having informed club doctors of the correct course of action if
there was a confirmed case.
Hannant, the man at the centre of the swine flu drama, said he felt fine.
"I feel good actually, I'd be happy to train all week," he said from the Gold Coast
where he is staying with family.
Hannant's Queensland Origin teammates were all put into quarantine on Monday, with
NSW players cleared after it was confirmed Blues trainer Tony Ayoub did not have the
virus.
That decision meant NSW representatives Justin Poore, Michael Weyman, Ben Creagh,
Anthony Laffranchi and Luke Bailey were all free to play in Monday night's NRL
clash.
"The clear advice from the health authorities was that the two Queensland-based
players in close proximity to Ben Hannant for a considerable period of time were at
greater risk than other players who may have come into contact during the course of
the game of football," Annesley said.
"The advice from the health authorities that any player that was in camp with Ben
Hannant should be quarantined for at least seven days from the last contact or 72
hours after they have received Tamiflu, that's the basis on which the Queensland
doctor has proceeded."
Asked whether all Queensland players had now been vaccinated, Annesley said: "They
have received Tamiflu, if they haven't already, they certainly will over the course
of the next 24 hours."
The Cowboys quarantined their Origin contingent - including coach Neil Henry and
trainer Billy Johnstone - but the club played down the threat posed by swine flu.
"People have been using words like panic and crisis but I can tell you it's far from
panic and far from a crisis, for us it's an inconvenience," Cowboys chief executive
Peter Parr said.
The Broncos did the same with their six Origin representatives headed by Queensland
captain Darren Lockyer.
Despite the threat, Lockyer and co mingled with teammates at Red Hill and even had a
team photo taken on Monday morning before the Broncos skipper addressed the media.