Incoming NZ Warriors halfback Shaun Johnson is calling for the NRL to shift across the Tasman, after Sunday's decision to relocate the competition to Queensland.
As New South Wales battles an outbreak of COVID-19, the NRL has moved 12 teams - including the Warriors - north to play out the foreseeable future free of lockdown disruptions.
The nine Sydney-based teams, along with Canberra Raiders, Newcastle Knights and the Warriors, will operate in strict bubbles for the next month at least.
But Cronulla Sharks' 20-12 victory over the Warriors in Sydney, Johnson has tweeted the idea of moving the competition to New Zealand, as thanks to the Kiwi side for their commitment to living in Australia for the past two seasons.
"Comp should re locate [sic] to NZ," Johnson writes. "Play right up and down the country.
“Players/ staff are in a bubble already so no COVID. Reward the Wa's [Warriors] for their sacrifice.
“NZ would love it. Think I'm onto something here."
Earlier, Fox Sports asked Johnson for his take on the NRL's move to Queensland.
"It's disappointing," he says. "I've got my views on how Sydney, in particular, has handled this whole situation.
“Look, as long as we get to keep playing, I guess, and this is our job...
"Whatever it takes to deliver what we get paid to do. I'm sure all the players will get on board.
"It's not ideal, a lot of people will watch this interview right now and say: 'you get paid a heap of money [to] do what you're told', but we've got lives outside of football. I've got a young family and we've got no support over here anyway.
“It'll be a difficult conversation to go home to my wife."
Each team's bubble will include a combined 41 players and staff, with family members also able to join after 14 days of quarantine on arrival in Queensland.
Players will remain under the same bio-security restrictions enforced by the NRL last month, limiting their movements to games, training and essential household tasks for at least two weeks.
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