NZ Breakers’ Covid outbreak worsens as season approaches

The New Zealand Breakers’ season-opening Australian NBL game next Saturday in Melbourne is now in major doubt of going ahead as scheduled.

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.

Stuff 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. However the team has clearly been rattled by the outbreak, and it is difficult to see how there can be any sort of a level playing field with the season start just a week away.

The Breakers confirmed 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 also confirmed 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 Stuff 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.

Friday’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 are 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.

The Breakers were not commenting any further on the situation at this stage.

Team captain Abercrombie, who is out for at least the first three weeks of the season with an oblique strain, said earlier in the week the team would deal with whatever hand it was dealt.

‘‘We spoke about this before we left this year, whilst we knew things were going to be different, we also knew challenges and adversity were going to happen in one form or another,’’ he said.

‘‘And someone getting Covid was also not out of the realms of possibility.

‘‘Whilst it’s unfortunate it’s happened, I wouldn’t say it’s something we were unprepared for.

‘‘Obviously we’ve taken a hit pretty early on, but I’d like to think the guys are pretty resilient and can get through this.’’