AFL: West Coast Eagles scrambling to name a team to play against North Melbourne after Covid-19 outbreak

West Coast is in the throes of a Covid-19 outbreak and struggling to name a team to face North Melbourne in round 2.

A Covid outbreak has hit the Eagles just days into the AFL season. (Photo by Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

West Coast is dealing with a major Covid crisis, with at least 12 players from its round 1 side unavailable for Sunday’s match against North Melbourne after entering the AFL’s health and safety protocols.

The Eagles are also suffering through one of the competition’s longest injury lists and will have as few as 17 AFL-listed players to choose from for the Roos clash.

They have delayed their charter flight to Melbourne until Saturday as they work through the situation.

Jack Redden, Josh Kennedy, Tom Barrass, Isiah Winder and Zac Langdon are already confirmed outs because of the protocols, with top-up players Declan Mountford and Stefan Giro among their replacements.

Mountford made 12 appearances for North Melbourne but now plays for Claremont, with West Coast set to include a minimum of five footballers from outside its official list when it releases an updated squad on Friday.

Offsetting some of the doom and gloom is that Luke Shuey, Tim Kelly, Liam Ryan and Jack Darling will return.

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The odds are stacked against West Coast. Picture: Getty Images

Coach Adam Simpson did not reveal the latest players ruled out of this weekend’s game but said West Coast officials were in close contact with the AFL regarding the developing situation.

The greater concern is the number of absentees could increase in the coming days.

“At the moment, we’ve got 17 or 18 AFL players available. Sorry I can’t give you clarity, but I don’t have clarity at the moment,” Simpson said.

“You don’t want to compare what’s going on but I dare say we’ve got more kids than most clubs – I think there are 13 dads, maybe, 10 to 13.

“You can’t completely avoid the family situation; same as everyone else. But we also train together, too.

“We’re in constant communication with the AFL and they’ve been really good. Whatever they tell us; we will do. That will all be worked through.

Coach Adam Simpson is encouraging the Eagles to stay positive. Picture: Getty Images

“There are a few conversations going on with the AFL, for us, for the AFL, for North, playing a team with a few cases in the group. Those will take place, but my priority is the game.”

Simpson said the Eagles would try to remain “positive” ahead of their second game of the season after a first-up loss to Gold Coast at Perth Stadium.

“Having the right attitude is the No.1 priority. That is controllable. I’m still in a positive state,” he said.

“We’ve just got to get onto it. We’re going to do the best to get the best team we can available. The unity piece and our players’ trademark is really important.

“There are opportunities. There will be debutants this week. We’ve got to stay positive. That’s the way it is; that’s reality.

“It’s a challenge. You can avoid some things more than others. We had isolated meetings, but went out and practised our tackling. We still have to prepare to play.”

Originally published as AFL: West Coast Eagles scrambling to name a team to play against North Melbourne after Covid-19 outbreak