Triple Albury Thunder premiership coach Josh Cale believes Albury Council's decision to shun Melbourne Storm shows it has lost touch with the community.
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Cale said council had embarrassed itself by blocking the NRL club from using Greenfield Park due to coronavirus fears.
"It's given us a bit of a black eye to be honest," Cale said.
"I just think it's very short-sighted of the council.
"It's going to put us back years in terms of getting Storm back here when we should have accommodated them as well as we could.
"They are making jokes about the Albury City Council on Sydney radio today and we have become a bit of a laughing stock around the country to be completely honest.
"This could have put us on the map.
"I think it's a big miss, a massive miss for the town."
Melbourne Storm were thrown a lifeline to train on the Border ahead of the NRL re-launching on May 28 when Albury Tigers came to the rescue by offering the sportsground.
Tamworth is presently hosting the New Zealand Warriors.
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Albury Thunder coach and former Canberra Raiders player Adrian Purtell said he was disappointed with council's decision after Storm was given the green light by governing bodies.
Purtell said he had been told personally by Melbourne Storm assistant coach Ryan Hinchcliffe of the strict health and biosecurity protocols that had been put in place for their first training sessions in six weeks.
"If it's given the green light by the NRL and state and federal level government then it's good enough for me," Purtell said.
"I was speaking to Ryan Hinchliffe and he said they are in full lockdown.
"Melbourne is ticking all the boxes.
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"A few generalisations have been made that local sporting teams wouldn't be happy but personally I have no issues with a professional team training here.
"With community sport you don't know where everyone has been and this is a lot easier to facilitate."
Although disappointed Melbourne Storm weren't allowed to train at Albury Thunder's home ground, Cale and Purtell are thankful Albury Tigers had allowed the Border to save some face.
"Good on 'Jossy' (Paul Joss) for what he's done at Albury," Cale said.
"Without him, we would have looked even worse.
"Everyone should be grateful."
Purtell said Albury Thunder wanted to offer Greenfield Park out of goodwill to strengthen ties for the future.
"There was nothing set in stone about them coming back but it could only have helped," Purtell said.
"I know it's great they are still here and that's awesome of the Tigers but it's a shame how it all unfolded."
