'No excuse': Jai Arrow in 'clear breach' of NRL rules at hotel

Queensland will face a State of Origin III selection dilemma after Jai Arrow was forced into a 14-day isolation period after reportedly bringing a woman back to the team's hotel.

The NRL has not looked kindly upon the latest breach of the league's bio-security rules, with Arrow banned for two games and fined $35,000.

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It means Arrow will not be available for selection for either Queensland or South Sydney.

It is the latest issue in a string of dramas first-time Maroons coach Paul Green has endured during this series.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Arrow caused the breach not by leaving the team's hotel, but because he invited someone from outside the team bubble to come to the hotel.

NRL CEO Andrew Abdo said Arrow would complete his isolation after returning to Sydney from the Origin camp.

"In our view this is a clear breach of our biosecurity protocols, Jai has been placed into isolation from the squad and will return home to Sydney," he said.

"There are no excuses for breaching the protocols, they are our licence to continue playing – players have to comply, or we will all face the consequences.

"I want to be very clear, any material deliberate repeat offence by a player will result in us removing that player from the approved bubble roster."

Arrow is not believed to have breached any of Queensland's public health orders, however Maroons players who had travelled from NSW and Victoria were subject to an exemption order to allow them to enter the state.

It is unclear whether there will be any repercussions based on a potential breach of the exemption order.

Queensland rocked by Jai Arrow controversy amid Origin preparation

Injuries and health scares to key players dominated the build-up to their series opener in Townsville, before would-be debutant Ronaldo Mulitalo was ruled out on the morning of game two because of eligibility concerns.

With Francis Molo already set to replace the suspended David Fifita, Arrow's possible exclusion could pave the way for Brisbane prop Tom Flegler's debut.

Queensland have lost by a combined 76-6 across the first two games, putting the Blues on track to register the most dominant series sweep in Origin history.

The Arrow investigation comes the same week the NRL fined 13 St George Illawarra players a combined $305,000 for breaking NSW public health orders by partying at now-sacked Dragons prop Paul Vaughan's house.

Vaughan was sacked on Tuesday for hosting an illegal party at his home with 12 other players at the weekend.

In an emergency meeting on Tuesday, the Dragons board decided to tear up the remaining 15 months of Vaughan's NRL deal which was worth around $750,000 per season.

Vaughan had already been fined $50,000 by the NRL and slapped with an eight-game ban for breaching COVID-19 protocols by hosting a party at his Shellharbour home.

Jack de Belin and other players have copped individual breach notices from the Dragons on top of the one-game suspensions and the $305,000 worth of fines handed out to the group.

Daniel Alvaro, Corey Norman, Gerard Beale, Jack Bird, Matt Dufty, Kaide Ellis, Tyrell Fuimaono, Josh Kerr, Blake Lawrie, Zac Lomax and Josh McGuire were also in attendance.

All 13 players as well as Vaughan's partner were fined $1000 by NSW Police for breaching a health order.

With AAP

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