Tropical Cyclone Alfred set to ‘wreak havoc’ on AFL Opening Round
The first game of the AFL season could be called off as a tropical cyclone descending on southeast Queensland wreaks havoc.
AFL
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A weather event not seen in 33 years has put in the AFL on notice with fears the opening game of the season might have to be cancelled.
Experts are predicting Tropical Cyclone Alfred will make landfall near Brisbane on Thursday and Queensland isn’t the only state now in the firing line.
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The NSW SES, in an alert issued on Sunday afternoon, warns the cyclone could produce flash flooding and river floods, damaging winds and heavy rainfall across much of northern NSW.
NSW SES assistant commissioner Dean Storey said NSW resident across the impact zone should prepare now.
“The impacts of the cyclone may be felt from Tuesday with damaging winds, large powerful surf, coastal erosion, followed by intense and heavy rainfall from Wednesday onwards,” he said.
“If major flooding occurs, people may be asked to evacuate their homes.
“We are asking the community to take steps now to ensure that if you are asked to evacuate you have a plan for yourselves, your families and your pets and know where you will go.”
Multiple catchments are now listed for moderate to major flood risks, including the Tweed and Rous River, Brunswick River and Marshalls Creek, Wilsons River, Richmond River, Clarence River, Orara River, the Coffs Coast, Bellinger and Kalang rivers, Nambucca River, Macleay River, Hastings River and the Camden Haven River.
Meanwhile, Southern Queensland continues to be battered by strong winds and huge swells.
Cyclone throws AFL season opener into doubt
The cyclone could forced the first game of the AFL season, between reigning premiers Brisbane against Geelong at the Gabba, to be rescheduled.
It is one of four games in Sydney and southeast Queensland scheduled this weekend as part of the second edition of Opening Round, designed to grow the game outside of Victoria.
Round 1 of the AFL season gets underway on Thursday March 13 when Carlton take on Richmond at the MCG.
Tropical Cyclone Alfred poised to wreak havoc on the opening night of the AFL season.
— 🎙ï¸QUENTIN HULL (@QuentinHull) March 1, 2025
Huge rain & gale-force winds are forcecast for Thursday when Brisbane and Geelong are set to open the season at The Gabba.
Seven’s AFL reporter Mitch Cleary wrote on X: “Brisbane and the AFL are working with the Queensland government and local authorities over plans for Thursday night’s Gabba season opener. Currently a ‘watching brief’.
“300-600mm of rain + 130km/h winds forecast over Wed/Thurs as Cyclone Alfred nears.”
Both Geelong and Brisbane have the bye in Round 3, so the game could be rescheduled to that weekend, likely the afternoon of Saturday March 29.
AFL OPENING ROUND FIXTURE
Thursday March 6
Brisbane vs Geelong, The Gabba @ 6:50pm local time (7:50pm AEDT)
Friday March 7
Sydney vs Hawthorn, SCG @ 7:40pm AEDT
Saturday March 8
Gold Coast vs Essendon, People First Stadium @ 4:15pm local time (5:15pm AEDT)
Sunday, March 9
GWS vs Collingwood, ENGIE Stadium @ 3:20 AEDT
The Bureau of Meteorology issued an update on the category two system just before 5am on Sunday, stating Alfred was forecast to move southward and weaken “roughly parallel” to the Queensland coast on Sunday, before moving to the southeast on Monday.
“Alfred is then expected to slow down and is likely to turn westward from Tuesday, moving back towards the southern Queensland coast,” the Bureau said.
Tropical Cyclone Alfred is currently moving over the Coral Sea about 510 km east of Rockhampton and is expected to cause strong to gale-force winds around K’gari (Fraser Island) on Sunday.
“Severe coastal hazards are likely for southern Queensland and northeast New South Wales.
“A large and powerful to potentially damaging easterly swell as well as abnormally high tides are forecast about exposed southern Queensland beaches, possibly extending to northern New South Wales from Monday.”
Thomas Hinterdorfer from Higgins Storm Chasing told the Courier Mail on Saturday the major models they were using suggested Alfred would begin tracking west to Queensland throughout the week.
“Nothing before Tuesday says a landfall is expected, but then from Wednesday onwards, it gets a little bit more interesting with the model scenarios as they’re currently playing out,” Mr Hinterdorfer said.
“There’s definitely the possibility of it from probably Wednesday onwards or midweek onwards. Several models have that scenario at the moment but, of course, we need to let them play out a little bit more just before we hard lock it.”
Mr Hinterdorfer took to Facebook on Sunday morning warning southeast Queensland and northeast New South Wales residents to be prepared for landfall.
“It’s been 33 years since a tropical cyclone has made landfall as a categorised system in southeastern QLD … and it looks like that streak or drought is about to come to an end,” he wrote.
“All model guidance continues to suggest that Tropical Cyclone Alfred is forecast to make landfall over southeast QLD next week.”
The Bureau encouraged residents and communities living on the Queensland coast and the northern New South Wales coast to stay up to date with the latest tropical cyclone information and forecast tracks on its website in the coming days.
— With Zoe De Koning, NCA Newswire
Originally published as Tropical Cyclone Alfred set to ‘wreak havoc’ on AFL Opening Round
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