Canberra Raiders to have NRL home away from home

A broadcast deal needs to be finalised before the NRL draw can be, but Raiders boss Don Furner was hopeful a schedule would be released in the coming days.

That draw will be completely determined by the broadcasters, with the Raiders unsure who, when or where they'll play when the competition resumes for round three on May 28.

It will be done as a proper home-and-away fixture - with designated home teams - even though it's highly likely the Raiders will travel to Sydney to play for at least a month.

The NRL are considering only using 2-4 stadiums, in Sydney and Queensland, to help ensure their biosecurity measures are as effective as possible

That will likely be reviewed after a month, with the potential of the Raiders then playing at Canberra Stadium.

But until then, any games where the Raiders are the home team will count as exactly that, with no options for the Green Machine to have extra home fixtures later in the season to compensate.

"Hopefully we'll get a draw by next week," Furner said.

"If we have four games, it will be two home and two away, but they'll be in Sydney and they'll count for our home games as well.

"There's no other way to do it. It'll be a full draw of allocating home and aways, but the homes will all be in Sydney I think - for the first month anyway."

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Furner said they wouldn't put in any special requests to avoid playing games in Queensland to ensure their star trio of Josh Papalii, Joe Tapine and Sia Soliola can play after they signed a waiver instead of getting a flu shot.

Two Gold Coast Titans players - Bryce Cartwright and Brian Kelly - have been stood down because of their refusal to have the influenza vaccination.

The NRL's agreement with the Queensland government states players must have the flu shot to be able to play and train in the banana state, whereas in NSW and the ACT players can sign a waiver instead.

It means Papalii, Tapine and Soliola might not be allowed to play in Queensland if the Raiders have to play there.

That comes with a hint of irony considering Papalii's standing as a Queensland State of Origin star.

But Furner said they would deal with that potential hurdle if and when they come to it.

He said the COVID-19 environment was so fluid the Queensland government might have given permission to Raiders three to play in a month or even a few days' time.

Coronavirus restrictions are currently being eased across Australia after the first wave of the pandemic.

"No, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Furner said.

"They might not get a Queensland game for a month and it might be fine by a month. It changes so quickly there's no use getting your knickers in a not over things because it just changes so quickly.

"A month's time or two months' time or three months' time when we have to play in Brisbane it might be completely different."