AFL’s China game moved to Marvel Stadium in Round 12
It’s official. The China game will be moved to a new venue as coronavirus continues to sweep the globe. Find out when and where the Saints-Power match will be played, and the change to their bye round.
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The AFL’s Shanghai expedition is on ice for at least 12 months with the China game moved to Marvel Stadium due to coronavirus.
The Herald Sun can reveal that both St Kilda and Port Adelaide — who were set to face off at Jiangwan Stadium in Round 11 on May 31 — have had their bye moved with the match to now be played on Sunday June 7.
It is understood that it will be a night match, with a public holiday for Queen’s Birthday in both Victoria and South Australia the following day.
The two teams will now have their bye a week earlier than slated, in Round 11.
The Saints will now play nine of their first 11 games at Marvel Stadium.
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The league also considered playing the game in Cairns as one of many contingency options — also exploring the option of a Monday night fixture — with the final decision to be confirmed by the league today.
Only one game had been scheduled for that Sunday — Richmond v North Melbourne at the MCG at 2.10pm.
The state government is also understood to have been involved in negotiations to ensure that the match, which is a St Kilda home game, was played in Victoria.
The World Health Organisation yesterday warned that public health officials are operating in “uncharted territory” as they endeavour to combat the spread of the virus that has infected more than 90,000 people.
Its epicentre began in Wuhan, China and it has spread to every continent except Antarctica, with the death toll at more than 3,119.
Shanghai officials announced yesterday that all visitors to the city from countries with “relatively serious virus conditions” would have to submit to 14 days of quarantine.
St Kilda forward Tim Membrey — who played in last year’s China clash — said it would be a disappointment to miss out on the trip this season.
“It was a great experience but at the same time we were over there for a job,” he said.
“We wanted to get the four points but last year we didn’t do that.
“In that sense it would’ve been nice to go back over there and put on a better performance and get the four points.
“It’s not looking like it’s going to go that way so that’s the way it is.”
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The match was worth in the vicinity of $1 million to St Kilda in 2019, with the club now understood to be exploring every avenue to minimise the financial hit that the shift will have.
The club is understood to have received more than $500,000 from Port Adelaide for moving its home game to China, which will now be lost.
Australia currently has a travel ban in place that would mean even if clubs went to China to play the match, all travellers would be quarantined for 14 days upon their return.
The match joins a swag of sporting events that have been cancelled or postponed due to the virus, including the Shanghai Grand Prix that was slated for April 19.
Originally published as AFL’s China game moved to Marvel Stadium in Round 12