Hannay's spray: 'Selfish and ignorant' players breaching rules unacceptable

Cronulla coach Josh Hannay has taken aim at Jai Arrow and the 13 Dragons players who breached the NRL biosecurity protocols as the Sharks work to have Will Chambers re-enter their bubble.

Chambers has been ruled out of Sunday’s match against the Warriors and may also miss next weekend’s trip to Canberra if forced to isolate for 14 days after attending the birth of his third child in Melbourne.

The former Origin star moved to Sydney without his wife Bianca and their family when he joined the Sharks on a mid-season deal and he missed last Sunday’s match against the Broncos to return to Melbourne.

Under the NRL’s Project Apollo rules, players who leave their team bubble are required to isolate for 14 days but Cronulla officials are hoping Chambers can gain an exemption as Victoria does not currently have any COVID-19 cases.

"There has been no COVID protocol breach, I want to make that clear, but there has been a complication which has prevented him re-entering our bubble," Hannay said.

"He will miss this weekend’s game and we will continue to work with Apollo to make sure his re-entry into our bubble is done the right way.

"Hopefully we can expediate the process, but I can’t sit here today and tell you when that will take place.

"It is disappointing for Will. He was itching to get back into the swing of things after the birth of his child and we were really looking forward to having him back."

The loss of Chambers is frustrating for Hannay as the Sharks are already without Josh Dugan after a breach of the NRL’s biosecurity protocols that forced him into isolation for 14 days and cost him a $25,000 fine.

Hannay criticised Dugan last week over his breach and he spoke out leading into Sunday’s match against the Warriors about the "selfishness" of Arrow and the 13 Dragons players who attended a BBQ at prop Paul Vaughan’s house.

Vaughan has been sacked by St George Illawara and hit with a $50,000 fine and eight-match ban by the NRL, while another 12 Dragons players must serve a one-match suspension and pay fines totalling $255,000. They were also been fined by NSW Police and the club.

Arrow has been kicked out of the Queensland Origin camp, fined $35,000 and forced to isolate for 14 days after inviting an unregistered guest to the team hotel on Tuesday night.

"I just think it is poor behaviour, regardless of whether it is in the Maroons camp or if it is done at club level," said Hannay, a former Queensland representative.

"The behaviours of some of these guys, in my opinion, it is selfish and ignorant.

"I just think it is unacceptable and I just hope that it is the last of it, to be quite frank, because it is really frustrating.

"You shake your head any time a player steps out of line because everyone knows what is asked and required of them and they know the delicate situation we are in.

"You would like to hope and think that there are going to be no more of these situations.

"Certainly as a club at Cronulla we are always talking to our players about the delicate situation we are in and the need to do everything right by the game, and by Apollo, and the protocols we are expected to abide by."

Connor Tracey is likely to shift from five-eighth to centre in place of Chambers for the Warriors clash, with Braydon Trindall coming into the side to partner Shaun Johnson in the halves.

Hannay said he was expecting a lift in attitude from his players after their four-match winning streak ended with a 26-18 loss in Brisbane.

"I’d like to think complacency didn’t play a part … but certainly I do attribute our performance and losing that game purely to attitude and intent," he said.

"We still played some decent footy but we just lacked that attitude to win a game of football. Moving forward this weekend we need to make sure that we aren’t beaten on intent and attitude."

Dugan doesn't come out of isolation for his COVID-19 breach until next week, with Matt Moylan (calf) and young centre Jackson Ferris (foot) also unavailable until round 18.