Kiwis captain Benji Marshall's week went from bad to worse, after being caught up in a "social distancing incident" with Seven News reporter Michelle Bishop.
On Wednesday, before a Wests Tigers media session, the veteran half was filmed greeting Bishop with a friendly peck on the cheek.
But under the NRL's strict biosecurity guidelines, Marshall is now unable to return to club headquarters, until he and Bishop undergo COVID-19 tests.
The incident comes less than 24 hours after Marshall was dropped from the Tigers side to face Canberra Raiders this weekend. Only days before, replacement Josh Reynolds was caught in a failed road-side drugs test.
But commentator and former coach Phil Gould has provided some context, after speaking to Bishop about the incident.
"They're actually close friends, Michelle and Benji," Gould says on Wide World of Sports' Six Tackles with Gus podcast.
"And what happened was Michelle had sent a text message to him the night before, just saying 'bad luck' and 'keep your chin up', and 'really impressed with the way that you spoke to the media about it and the way you've handled your demotion'.
"Benji was really thankful for the message, and just instinctively has walked over to her and given her a kiss on the cheek.
"Of course, everyone's seen it, everyone's hungry for this stuff, we've got to catch everyone out.
"Anyway, that's life in the bubble at the moment or life out of the bubble - I don't know what it is."
Bishop has also tweeted about the incident.
"Just goes to show you, we can all get caught up in life and forget what kind of world we are living in at the moment," she says.
"Off to be tested #innocent #awkward #apologies."
Even though Marshall had to spend the day at home, it was always a scheduled day off for Tigers NRL squad.
Hours after his dumping, Marshall spoke about this demotion on his regular slot on Fox Sports' NRL 360.
The 35-year-old, who is equal second in Dally M voting after the opening four rounds, was one of five players axed by Tigers coach Michael Maguire from the team beaten 28-23 by Gold Coast Titans.
The playmaker admitted he was "shocked and disappointed to get dropped".
Marshall's social-distancing incident isn't the first and won't be the last since the NRL returned to action a fortnight ago.
Last week, Canterbury Bulldogs were slapped with a $25,000 suspended fine, after club legend Terry Lamb - who is not a member of their 50-person NRL bubble - shook hands with several players at Belmore.
