South Sydney is likely to enter a self-imposed biosecurity bubble before the end of the regular season even if the NRL doesn't re-implement league-wide bubbles, coach Jason Demetriou says.
The NRL scrapped biosecurity bubbles this year but rising COVID-19 case numbers have begun to hit clubs as the finals approach.
Only six competition points separate sides placed fifth and eleventh and a mass COVID-19 outbreak could derail a side's bid to play September football.
This month alone, Jake Trbojevic, Cameron Munster, Murray Taulagi, Reece Walsh, Toby Rudolf and Nicho Hynes have been among key players to come down with the virus.
"It's definitely a bit alarming that there are a few more cases," Demetriou said.
"It's something that we're definitely looking at, going into our own bubble if we need to, even if the game doesn't."
The Rabbitohs have a tough run home, playing five top eight sides in their last seven games, Demetriou saying he had to consider his options closely as they bid for another finals run.
"You've come this far, 40 weeks by the time you reach finals including pre-season," he said.
"With COVID-19 or any other illness, you need to start thinking about how to have the best preparation for the finals.
"It's hard though because if you do it too early, it's a long time for the players to sacrifice. They've done a lot over the last couple of years."
Demetriou said the spectacle of the finals series would suffer if the league chose not to re-implement league-wide bubbles.
"We've got to protect the integrity of the game," he said.
"If it's still going the way it is, then obviously it's something that the game and us as clubs are going to have to look at."
The last-placed Wests Tigers are out of finals contention and middle forward Joe Ofahengaue said he would be reluctant to finish the regular season in a league-mandated bubble.
"For the finals maybe," he said, "but I don't want to be in a bubble for the rest of the year.
"We'll have some common sense around (staying COVID-safe) but also whoever makes the call around the COVID bubbles should have some common sense too.
"COVID-19 is everywhere. You can't escape it. Let's just hope we don't get to that point (of bubbles) because everyone loves their freedom."
Craig Fitzgibbon, coach of finals-bound Cronulla, said losing Hynes and Rudolf to COVID could have cost his side against Melbourne in round 17.
But the coach said there had not yet been discussions about implementing a bubble at Cronulla.
"We can't hold their hands when they're not in our care. It's very difficult. We're just trying to minimise those risky environments," he said.
"You'd like to think players aren't putting themselves in dangerous situations.
"It's about awareness, more than anything else."
