A fly in, fly out model is now the AFL’s top plan to restart the season, but will be up to states to decide own regulations
With the AFL shifting away from its quarantine hubs idea and towards a fly-in, fly out model for players, Prime Minister Scott Morrison says state leaders will determine how the season is recommenced.
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States will have the final say on how the AFL can restart its season after national cabinet revealed the road map for how sport can return.
The lifting of restrictions of two to 10 on the number of athletes permitted to train together could come next Friday after Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced that a set of National Principles for the resumption of sport and recreation activities had been drawn up.
There are 15 in all and among them are that an Australian Institute of Sport-devised set of protocols would provide the framework for all sports bodies to restart their competitions.
Elite sport will be without crowds while community and recreation activities have also been told to limit who is present at their sports outside of participants.
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The AFL is understood to be weighing up the deliberations of national cabinet and is set to brief the chief executives and presidents of its clubs on Saturday.
The final say on resumption, and what form it is in after flying players in and out became the AFL’s “best result” rather than a isolation hub model, will lie with states and their desire to relax border restrictions.
Mr Morrison said a collective approach from medical authorities would need to be reached by the various states for sport to resume.
“The individual jurisdictions will ultimately provide any of the clearances that are necessary on a health basis to deal with any of the major codes, be it the NRL, the AFL or the others,” he said.
AFL chief Gillon McLachlan earlier said the advice from national cabinet would determine whether the league could not “fly people in and out of games”.
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Earlier, The Advertiser reported the league could get the green light to restart the season with a plan that doesn’t include quarantine hubs, as proposed by Premier Steven Marshall, as early as Friday.
National Cabinet will receive high-level advice from the key decision making committee for health emergencies as to how sport can potentially begin again.
Collingwood president and member of the AFL’s coronavirus “war cabinet” Eddie McGuire has said the league’s “best result” was now to fly players in and out of locations rather than hubs.
Footy players were shocked when the AFL Players Association said they could have to spend 20-weeks in a quarantine hub to get the season back up and running.
But McGuire said the 20-week stay in a hub was the worst-case scenario.
A fly in, fly out model was put on the table to AFL boss McLachlan by Mr Marshall last week, as flying a team directly to another state, playing a game, and then getting on a plane back to their home state may have a similar risk to a 600-person hub.
He asked the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) to consider the risk profiles of the hub and fly in, fly out models.
That advice was to be provided to National Cabinet on Friday.
Mr Marshall has expressed a number of concerns with the hubs model.
“I think the better model is the modified home and away model,” he told The Advertiser.
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“I think that there are real logistical issues, social issues, economic issues and potential health issues associated with the hub model, but I am no expert and I will wait to hear what the AHPPC advice.”
But players are still concerned that a hub would be required to restart the season.
Under one potential compromise with the hub model, teams would play seven games in five weeks, have a one-week break, then progress to the fly in, fly out model if allowed.
AFLPA president Patrick Dangerfield said players were pushing for shorter stints in hubs.
“We have only been presented one option so far and quite clearly that is a worst-case scenario for the AFL, but it’s also incumbent on them to find a way for us all to restart the season,” he said.
AFLPA chief Paul Marsh said on Thursday he believed the AFL was expecting strict border restrictions to remain in place until at least September.
“If the government restrictions change, our view would be, and I’m sure the AFL’s would be, that we will move to a more normal, structured season,” he said.
Crows defender Kyle Hartigan told The Advertiser the situation was moving so rapidly he was just waiting for May 11, when the AFL would announce its return-to-play plans and any restrictions.
“Once we know what the government is going to do that will give us a clearer view on what will happen with us and then we will work through the issues because there are a few different views,” he said.
“A couple of days ago they were talking about hubs, and weeks and weeks in hubs in complete isolation; we are going into further isolation while the governments are winding back some of these restrictions.
“But now we are talking fly in, fly out and regulations and that sort of thing … that is probably an option now.”
Hartigan said the fly in, fly out model would be no drama for the Crows.
“It wouldn’t have too much of an impact if we are going home (after) games, we fly to games every second week anyway,” he said.
“So it would pretty much be the same and a normal football season for us.
“I guess if we fly to Perth do we play West Coast and Fremantle while we are over there (to get some games way), that will be sorted out.”
As well as elite sport, the return of recreational and community sport will be discussed by National Cabinet today.
Mr Marshall said recreational sport had a lot lower risks associated with it.