Richmond and Western Bulldogs expect players to opt out of hubs
Richmond coach Damien Hardwick can’t guarantee all his players will join an interstate hub but said he was “dying to get there”. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs are expecting some of its players to opt out with eight dads having to make a call.
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Richmond coach Damien Hardwick can’t guarantee all his players will join an interstate hub but said he was “dying to get there”.
The Tigers are set to be one of six teams relocating to Queensland for the remainder of the AFL season.
Tigers captain Trent Cotchin declared earlier this week there was a “genuine chance” some of his teammates wouldn’t travel when the team was inevitably forced intestate for a period of time, citing family reasons as a potential issue.
Hardwick said Richmond was a family club, and while “the club” would travel, individual discussions could be required for some.
But the two-time premiership coach said the up-and-down 2020 season would be one of “acceptance” and the Tigers were happy to accept whatever was required of them.
“Acceptance is a big thing. This season, overall, has been a season of distractions,“ Hardwick said on Friday.
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“It‘s the side that best gets a handle on those distractions and realises they are what they are (that) is going to flourish.
“At the moment, I‘d probably say, ‘Are we handling it to the best of our ability? We’re going OK. Could we handle it better? Absolutely. But a lot of clubs are in the same boat.
“All I will say is we‘re dying to get there (to the interstate hub), and we’re dying to play.”
“The club will go. Individual decisions will be made along the way.”
Hardwick said a move could even help the spluttering Tigers who have lost the past two games going into an “important” clash with Melbourne on Sunday.
“I think it’s going to be a blessing. We are strong on connection at this footy club and this is going to give us an opportunity to connect,” he said.
“One thing we have struggled with is we have been separated by protocols (at training). We are happy to go and going take as great a side as possible and win as many games as we can.
“Get me on the plane.”
Hardwick said slow starts had been a theme for Richmond in recent seasons. The Tigers lost six of the opening 13 rounds last year before storming home to 12 in a row and the premiership.
But he conceded the Tigers weren’t playing the “Richmond way” and the shortened season demanded they rediscover their best against the Demons.
“We sort of have to finds our brand again, get back to establishing that and playing the Richmond way,” he said.
“Richmond are beating Richmond at the moment, that’s the way we went through it with our players. The ground isn’t looking how we need it to look.
“We expect that to click at some stage. We haven’t got the games to catch up, we need to get playing some better footy now.”
Meanwhile, Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge says the club is expecting some of its players to opt against joining the squad in an interstate-based hub.
The Bulldogs expect to know by the end of Friday where they’ll be heading for their next block of games.
“The difficult thing for everyone going into a hub is just leaving their family behind,” Beveridge said.
“I think we’ve got eight dads and the boys will make decisions on whether or not (they go into a hub).
“We’d love to take everyone with us and we’ll definitely take all our players and we’re hoping to be able to take partners and young children if that’s what the choice is.
“There might be one or two that might not be able to go and that’s fine, so we’ll work through that.
“But everyone is probably looking forward to it more than anything.
“I think there is a mixture of envy from many that we’ve actually got the opportunity to go and travel for a period of time and get outside of the state.
“The likelihood is we’ll go to a place that is a bit warmer, which is good considering its smack bang in the middle of winter.”
Staff, coaches and players living in COVID-19 hotspots this week had a mad scramble to find temporary accommodation to avoid being locked out of New South Wales.
Beveridge said a number from his club had to find temporary digs.
“I think we had seven players that had to move and three staff members (that had to move),” he said.
“Most went and stayed with relatives or staff and the players picked up and moved into hotel rooms.
“A couple, like Libba (Tom Liberatore) and his young family, went and stayed in a Airbnb and Jongy (Lin Jong) with his pup as well, as anyone with a pet had to move into an Airbnb.
“We got that done pretty quickly and everyone’s marching to that beat.”
NSW SUPER HUB SET TO BE ANNOUNCED
NSW is set to be announced as an AFL super hub, with four Victorian teams and the two Queensland clubs set to migrate to Sydney.
The home of rugby league is about to become AFL headquarters for the foreseeable future, with nearly half the competition – including the Swans and Giants to be based in the Harbour City.
News Corp understands St Kilda, Carlton, Hawthorn and possibly North Melbourne were, on Thursday night, firming to be included in the NSW super hub, along with Queensland clubs Brisbane and Gold Coast.
It’s possible some of the teams could cycle through in stages, rather than all at once. For example, North have already played four of the seven other teams, including the Swans and Giants.
But, in essence, Sydney looks like hosting up to eight AFL teams – nearly half the competition – for the next chunk of the season.
The SCG and Giants Stadium will be relied upon to host the bulk of, if not all of the extra matches, while Wollongong, Blacktown, Drummoyne and possibly ANZ Stadium are set to be used as training venues for the interstate visitors.
The AFL said there were still several moving parts to be settled upon with the draw, with a myriad of complications interrupting the process, but an announcement on a revised fixture could be made on Friday.
Gold Coast is set to be based in Wollongong, while Sydney Olympic Park and its large hotels would be an obvious place to host other teams, particularly with Giants Stadium, Blacktown Sports Ground and Drummoyne Oval near by.
The AFL’s response to the worsening COVID-19 crisis in Victoria is changing by the minute, but well-placed sources confirmed that St Kilda, Carlton and Hawthorn were three of the clubs being pushed to move north.
North Melbourne and Brisbane are also likely, despite the fact the Kangaroos have already played Sydney and GWS.
Geelong appears set to still play St Kilda on Thursday night before embarking on its hub journey.
Tom Hawkins revealed on RSN radio he has been told July 11 is the date the Cats are leaving for Western Australia.
Renaming some of the highest profile clubs in Australian sport the Blacktown Hawks, Drummoyne Saints, Homebush Blues, Eastern Suburbs Lions, Wollongong Suns and Canberra Kangaroos would have sounded ridiculous weeks ago – but now won’t be far from the mark.
It’s a huge boost for the AFL in Sydney, particularly in a State where crowds are now being permitted.
The SCG was due to host 10,000 spectators for the Swans this Sunday until their match was moved, and there is the prospect of big crowds for some of the Victorian super clubs who have significant followings in Sydney.
Canberra’s Manuka Oval is another potential site for teams, although that might not come into play until later in the season.
The Sydney Cricket Ground first hosted Victorian Aussie rules clubs way back in 1903, with Collingwood playing the first ever match in Sydney against Fitzroy.
Hotels at Sydney Olympic Park could play a leading role in hosting at least some of the teams.
GWS could still play away to Port Adelaide next week, but otherwise the eight teams could rotate in shifts playing against each other for coming rounds.
Players were told on Wednesday night that all Victorian teams will hub interstate from as early as Monday, and stay in that hub for 32 days, playing a total of five matches.
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ROOS ON THE MOVE
Players, umpires and officials have been shifted out of Melbourne’s COVID-19 “hot spots” as the league closes in on a drastic plan to evacuate all 10 Victorian clubs out of the state.
The AFL exit strategy involves the creation of multiple interstate hubs before the walls close in on footy’s heartland.
North Melbourne confirmed Tuesday that 12 players, including up to six who could play this Saturday, have been relocated to avoid the state’s suburb lockdowns.
The Kangaroos sent some to Airbnbs, some to families and some into houses with other teammates after 10 postcodes in Melbourne were locked down.
Captain Jack Ziebell was among those shifted, moving into an Airbnb rental with teammates Jy Simpkin, Mason Wood and Paul Ahern.
Ziebell‘s girlfriend, Shannon, is also staying with them.
Coach Rhyce Shaw said it all went “pretty smoothly” and his players were a “no fuss group”, but the full toll of more upheaval could yet play out in Saturday’s clash with the Western Bulldogs.
“They‘re a no fuss kind of group. They get on with it pretty quickly,” Shaw said.
“It‘s been a bit challenging, but the work that Brades (football manager Brady Rawlings) has done has been exceptional. It has been as smooth as possible.
“Brady and his staff have been great, and our guys were all taken care of.
“Our boys adapt, they get on with it.”
PLAYERS GIVEN HOURS TO LEAVE HOT SPOTS
All AFL players were warned on Monday night that all Victorian clubs would relocate interstate as early as Monday.
They have been told they will spend 32 days in a hub and play a total of five matches.
But if Victoria’s COVID-19 situation fails to improve then they will remain interstate playing matches for longer.
Clubs were unable to tell their players which state they would be relocating to late last night because the AFL was still trying to work through the logistics.
League chiefs will unveil a new Round 6 fixture in the coming days, potentially without a single match in Melbourne.
All players living in the city’s COVID-stricken suburbs were ordered to relocate to another suburb before midnight on Wednesday.
They were given just hours to pack their bags and find alternative accommodation.
It came as NSW authorities warned any Victorian crossing the border from a coronavirus hot spot that they will face an $11,000 fine and six months’ jail.
Perth, Sydney and Gold Coast will be used as major hubs for the staging of games in the coming weeks.
The league has the option of keeping some clubs in Victoria for the use of the MCG, Marvel Stadium and GMHBA Stadium but is concerned it could be caught out by the emergence of even harsher interstate border restrictions.
Geelong and Collingwood were expected to travel to Perth after their scheduled Round 6 games for a three-week stint.
They could now be asked to depart sooner and will almost certainly spend longer on the road.
Western Bulldogs are also a chance to play a run of games in Perth.
St Kilda and North Melbourne appear likely to relocate to New South Wales even though they have already played each other and the Roos have played both Sydney teams.
Clubs can only play teams once this season and so the AFL must group them in a way to keep the season flowing as options become more limited by the week.
The Olympic Park precinct looms as Sydney’s best hub location, given its proximity to training facilities and hotel rooms.
AFL Players’ Association boss Paul Marsh said the game’s 850 players would continue to “go above and beyond” in a bid to keep the season rolling.
“Our players have been incredible this year in their commitment to the game and the 2020 season despite the significant challenges thrown at them,” Marsh said.
“Today’s developments create even bigger challenges for many of the players and their families, who continue to go above and beyond for our game.
“We’ll continue to provide the players our full support as these challenges are navigated.”
Swans chairman Andrew Pridham told the Herald Sun earlier this year Sydney could house up to nine AFL clubs.
Carlton and St Kilda could finish Thursday night’s game unaware who their next match will be against, when it will be played or what state it will be in.
WA Premier Mark McGowan said yesterday players would be “punted” from his state if they breached COVID-19 laws.
“Football players are not immune, they’re not exempt, they shouldn’t think they’re above the law,” McGowan said.
Collingwood skipper Scott Pendlebury yesterday said “pressure was rising” on players across the competition.
“I’ve noticed the stress at our football club rise in the last seven to 10 days having to deal with the unknowns,” Pendlebury told the Jock & Journo podcast.
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Originally published as Richmond and Western Bulldogs expect players to opt out of hubs