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'Consolidated approach to venues': Six stadiums named for NRL resumption

The NRL has unveiled the six venues that will host games when the competition resumes next week.

Sydney's Bankwest Stadium and Campbelltown Stadium, Gosford's Central Coast Stadium, Queensland's Suncorp Stadium [Brisbane] and Bank of Queensland Country Stadium [Townsville], and Melbourne's AAMI Park will be used for Round 3 through to 8, starting from next Thursday.

The NRL is yet to make any decision on plans from Round 9 onwards, suggesting it hopes further restrictions may have been lifted amid the COVID-19 pandemic that might make play at other venues possible.

In New South Wales, Parramatta, Canterbury-Bankstown, South Sydney, Cronulla and the Roosters will call Bankwest Stadium home in the short term, while St George Illawarra, Wests Tigers, Penrith and Canberra will out of Campbelltown Stadium. Manly, Newcastle and the Warriors will call Gosford home.

Meanwhile, in Queensland, the Broncos and Titans will call Suncorp Stadium home and the Cowboys will remain in Townsville after playing just the one game at their new Bank of Queensland Country Stadium before the coronavirus pandemic took hold.

The Storm will have a similar convenience by having their home games at Melbourne's AAMI Park.

"The competition will begin with a consolidated approach to venues," acting NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo said.

"Each venue requires customised infrastructure to meet our strict biosecurity requirements. We've adopted a phased approach for venues should restrictions be eased in the future.

"We've chosen three consolidated venues for clubs in and around Sydney to ensure there are no double headers at venues and in different parts of the region to meet the geographical challenges we face."

The NRL will unveil its official draw on Thursday, a week out from its planned resumption on May 28.