Latest news on how the AFL is dealing with the nation’s escalating Covid crisis
Victoria has come to the rescue of the AFL season, with every club to be based in Melbourne in an unprecedented move. Check out what it means for your club and Round 16.
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Melbourne has become the AFL’s saviour hub, with all 18 clubs to call Victoria home from Wednesday and every game of Round 16 expected to be played in the southern state.
The Tasmanian premier on Wednesday rejected the AFL’s request for the Fremantle-Carlton game to be played in Launceston.
Tasmania was the AFL and Fremantle’s preference, but the match is now set to be played in Geelong at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday night.
Adelaide and Port Adelaide will join the Melbourne hub on Wednesday night.
Adelaide is scheduled to play Brisbane at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday night.
The Crows hope that the AFL’s fly-in, fly-out model can save their home game, with both clubs jetting in on a charter flight from Melbourne on Saturday, however relocating the game to Victoria remains the more likely outcome.
Ballarat’s Mars Stadium is a potential home.
Meanwhile, South Australia recorded five cases of coronavirus on Wednesday as the highly-contagious delta variant spread rapidly across the country.
But the state government said it would not be going into a lockdown situation in the immediate future despite being very concerned.
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Adelaide and Port Adelaide will join the exodus to Melbourne on a shared charter flight on Wednesday, with the precedent set by Tuesday’s sudden evacuation of the four clubs based in Perth and Queensland.
“Bringing the two South Australian teams to Victoria today minimises risk for the competition as we progress the season in a constantly changing environment,” AFL fixture boss Travis Auld said.
“As of this evening we will have all 18 teams in Victoria and, as a competition, we will continue to remain adaptable where required.
“The two teams travelling today will fly to Victoria via a charter flight and will remain in the state ahead of this Round’s matches.
“While COVID-19 continues to impact the community, we will work closely with state governments, health officials, our clubs and players to ensure the best possible outcome for everyone in the game.”
That would see all 18 clubs based in football heartland indefinitely.
Clubs remain hopeful that the season can continue with minimal disruption in Victoria and Tasmania, which are the only remaining safe places in the country.
With so much of Australia’s population in lockdown, the AFL is considering staging games on weeknights as the product once again becomes predominantly made for television.
The league wouldn’t condense the fixture, as it did in 2020, but simply spread games across more days to maximise TV ratings.
The MCG, Marvel Stadium, GMHBA Stadium and Mars Stadium in Ballarat will be called upon, as well as Tasmania’s Hobart and Launceston grounds.
“We’ve got a precedent with taking teams out of Melbourne into South Australia on a fly in, fly out basis,” Auld said on Tuesday.
“We’re still working with the SA Government in regards to this particular game, and how that will play out, but certainly with the support we’ve had from the Government, we’re confident they can do that.
“It’s far easier to do that, from a high performance point of view, out of Melbourne than it is out of Queensland, and in any case with the lockdown now, that decision became even easier.”
Auld said Ballarat’s Mars Stadium was the only other venue being discussed as an option for future rounds, with next week’s Giants-Suns match appearing a likely candidate.
“We’re very fortunate here in Victoria, where we have a number of venues,” he said.
“I know that Mars Stadium is really important for that region, as is GMHBA, so you may see a game in Ballarat.”
The Eagles remain confident that if WA’s four-day snap lockdown ends as planned then they will be allowed to host North Melbourne next week.
The AFL told clubs this week that hubs were a last resort and that the aggressive approach by state governments would help limit time spent on the road.
The AFL’s belief is that while snap three and four-day lockdowns trigger immediate disruption, that approach had appeared to contain minor outbreaks and therefore would help clubs get home after one or two weeks on the road.
The exception is to the Swans and Giants, given the greater challenge New South Wales faces to control its clusters.
“It’s really hard to know what’s ahead. It’s been an uncertain environment for some time,” Auld said.
“You’ll see this season, where Richmond’s been away for three weeks (in Sydney) – the third week of that was their decision to push back their bye – and outside of that, I think teams went away for a week at most.
“I can’t answer the question about what next week or the week after looks like. Our intention is to keep moving teams around as we have to, but to get them home as quickly as we can.”
WHERE’S YOUR CLUB?
Adelaide: The Crows had been preparing to play Brisbane at Adelaide Oval, but that is on hold with five positive cases recorded in South Australia. Now expected to fly to Melbourne on Wednesday.
Brisbane: The Lions flew out of Brisbane on a charter flight with the Suns late on Tuesday afternoon after an extensive delay. The SA Government has given tentative approval for them to fly in and out of Adelaide on Saturday to play the Crows, if Brisbane’s Covid-19 situation remains stable.
Fremantle: Boarded a charter flight from Perth at 5pm AEST with the Eagles to Melbourne on Tuesday. Their game with Carlton, which was scheduled for Saturday night at Optus Stadium, will be played in either Launceston or Geelong, with the AFL tot make a call by Wednesday.
Gold Coast: Shared a charter flight out of Queensland with the Lions late on Tuesday afternoon. The Suns were going to host Richmond at Metricon Stadium on Thursday night, but that contest will instead be held at Marvel Stadium.
GWS Giants: Made a mad dash out of Sydney early last week and have remained in Melbourne ever since. Had their Round 15 clash moved from Giants Stadium to the MCG, and will play there again against the Demons on Saturday.
Port Adelaide: Power players spent 48 hours in isolation after playing Sydney on Saturday before undergoing Covid testing on Monday. Has been planning to travel to Melbourne on Friday to play Hawthorn at Marvel Stadium on Saturday night. Those plans are certain to change. Now expected to fly to Melbourne on Wednesday.
Sydney Swans: Fled Sydney for Melbourne at short notice on Tuesday night last week. Last Saturday’s match at Adelaide Oval against the Power was an in-and-out-on-the-day mission. They returned to Melbourne, with their SCG clash with West Coast this week shifted to GMHBA Stadium.
West Coast: Joined the Dockers on a shared charter flight on Tuesday headed for Melbourne. Playing the Swans at GMHBA Stadium on Sunday, after the game was moved from the SCG.
YOUR AFL COVID QUESTIONS ANSWERED
Where will the Gold Coast v Richmond game be played?
This is confirmed – at Marvel Stadium on Thursday night with a 7.20 start
What about the Fremantle clash with Carlton?
This is still being worked on with two options in play. Either in Tasmania on Saturday afternoon or at GMHBA Stadium in Geelong on Saturday night. This is expected to be decided on Wednesday.
Who has arrived in Victoria?
Brisbane, Gold Coast, West Coast and Fremantle were all expected to arrive in Melbourne on Tuesday night.
Will Brisbane be allowed to fly to Adelaide from Melbourne for its clash on Sunday with the Crows?
The AFL is still working with the SA Government on a fly in, fly out arrangement.
Is the crowd cap of 25,000 per game still in place in Victoria?
Yes. The AFL is following state government regulations and that cap is still in place.
Are we looking at hubs again?
It remains an option but it is a final resort. The AFL is committed to moving teams around but getting them home as soon as possible.
What does it mean for future fixtures?
The Covid situation in Australia is changing by the hour, let alone by the day. Next week’s round is yet to be finalised, although the AFL remains confident it can keep the season going,
How long will non-Victorian teams be based in Melbourne?
Still to be determined. They have been told to pack for longer than the weekend “just in case.”
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