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Covid-19 outbreak worsens for NZ Breakers

Marc Hinton Stuff Stuff

The New Zealand Breakers’ seasonopening Australian NBL game next Saturday in Melbourne is in major doubt.

The Breakers yesterday confirmed from their base in Melbourne that the Covid-19 outbreak among their travelling party had doubled to eight members of the wider group of 39 which includes club management and family members.

understands there are expectations that number could grow still further as testing continues.

It appears, judging by numbers released via the club, that at least two players are among the unidentified group afflicted.

There was some positive news in that most of the playing group had been able to return to the practice floor yesterday, following the required negative PCR and rapid antigen tests undertaken in Melbourne.

The Breakers confirmed via their social media channels that 11 of their 14-strong playing group had returned to the court following the Covid outbreak that forced them into isolation from last Sunday. The unavailable trio includes injured skipper Tom Abercrombie.

They are due to open the regular season against South East Melbourne Phoenix next Saturday, and have already had to cancel their final pre-season game.

The Kiwi club confirmed in the same release that eight of its wider travelling group had now tested positive for Covid-19, doubling from the four who had done so when the outbreak was first unveiled on Tuesday.

The NBL has yet to make any official statements around the Breakers’ situation, but understands it is watching the outbreak closely, and will have to act sooner rather than later if the first game is to be put on ice. Any further positive tests – a distinct possibility – would surely put the season opener into the too-hard basket.

The Breakers are scheduled to back up against the Phoenix on Friday, December 10, so the league should have some wriggle room with the two games.

Yesterday’s green light to return to practice for those well enough followed negative PCR tests undertaken in Melbourne earlier in the week and the passing of rapid antigen tests prior to training. All players back on court were symptom-free, the club said.

The eight members of the travelling party who had tested positive for Covid-19 were all still isolating as they followed Victorian state guidelines around the virus.

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2021-11-27T08:00:00.0000000Z

2021-11-27T08:00:00.0000000Z

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