State of Origin Game 3 : Blues v Maroons Game would be played on the Gold Coast.

The NRL has been forced to relocate Origin III for the second time this week, announcing on Saturday evening that the third game of the series would be played on the Gold Coast rather than in Newcastle.

As Sydney scrambles to contain its outbreak of Covid-19, the NRL moved on Wednesday to shift the game up the M1 and into Knights territory.

However, the league backflipped on Saturday, announcing that the NSW Government had blocked the venue change out of fear it could spread Covid-19 to Newcastle and surrounding areas.

Instead, a capacity crowd of 27,000 will be permitted at Gold Coast’s Cbus Staduim for the game on Wednesday.

NRL CEO Andrew Abdo said he was “disappointed” with the last-minute change but said the NRL had no choice but to comply with health directives.

“We are disappointed not to be able to give Newcastle the city’s first State of Origin, but we must operate within all State Public Health Orders and not having a crowd in Newcastle negates the opportunity for our fans from the region,’’ he said.

“The Gold Coast is an important market for us and in the current circumstances presents a safe outcome for the community and a great outcome for our fans in southeast Queensland.

“It does mean all three games are played in Queensland, but our priority is ensuring the safety of the community and the continuity of the competition.”

The move means the 2021 series will be the first in history to have all three games played in the one state, and the first to have two games played outside Australian state capital cities.

The NRL is expected to release ticketing information in the coming days.

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