WA’s strict border rules could stop Queensland AFL fans from making the grand final
Queensland has gone three weeks without a local Covid case yet remains barred from quarantine-free travel into WA, devastating AFL fans ahead of the final.
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Thousands of AFL fans from ‘Covid-free’ Queensland could miss out on attending the grand final unless WA Health relaxes its travel restrictions for Sunshine State arrivals.
Queensland has not had an active case in the community for more than three weeks and health restrictions have been eased across the state with dancing now allowed in nightclubs and 100 per cent capacity for allocated seated and ticketed indoor and outdoor stadiums.
But according to WA, the state is still ‘low risk’, meaning residents are still subject to restrictions on their arrival into the state.
Under WA Health’s ‘low risk’ regulations, anyone travelling from Queensland to WA must quarantine for 14 days and undergo testing for Covid several times before being allowed to roam the community.
This means anyone from Queensland planning to attend to the grand final on September 25 must depart for Perth before the preliminary final round is completed – including the game that would determine whether the Brisbane Lions make it to the final at all.
West Australian Premier Mark McGowan said earlier this week his state has had all the correct protocols to hold football and other sporting events in place for the last two years.
“We’ve secured this event on our own terms. And we’ve ensured that we put in place the very strictest and strongest protocols to protect West Australia,” he told reporters when it was announced on Tuesday that the grand final would be staged in Perth.
The preliminary finals, to be held on September 10-11, decide the grand final combatants.
Melbourne takes on the winner of Saturday’s second semi-final between Geelong and GWS Giants in a preliminary final at Perth’s Optus Stadium on September 10.
Port Adelaide will host the winner of the first semi-final between Brisbane Lions and Western Bulldogs in the other preliminary at Adelaide Oval on Saturday, September 11 at 7.10pm (ACST).
The timing means Queenslanders will have to roll the dice and leave well before the results are known.
Fans would need to be in isolation in Perth by Saturday morning of the preliminary final in order to be released from quarantine in time to attend the grand final, left to simply hope Lions win at the Gabba that night, and their trip is not in vain.
Those with smaller aspirations will however be able to travel to Adelaide for the preliminary final, after South Australia lifted travel restrictions on 11 South East Queensland LGA’s on Tuesday.
A Brisbane Lions representative said their primary focus was on making the grand final.
But, if health advice permitted, the club said it would like to see the border eased to allow their 40,000 members to attend the decider should they make it.
“There’s a lot of water to go under the bridge, we’d love for our members and fans in Queensland to be able to be able to support us in all of our Finals Series matches but the safety of the community is the most important consideration,” a spokesman said.
WA has already refused entry to former Collingwood president and media magnate Eddie McGuire, who was travelling from Victoria where there is an active outbreak.
“I’m disappointed, because we’d planned to do a lot of great things around the grand final,” told Perth’s Triple M breakfast team Basil, Xav and Jenna.
AFL Fans Association president Cheryl Critchley said it had been a tough year for all members because of lockdowns and travel restrictions but the association respected all health advice.
“It is disappointing if fans from any state or territory can’t make it to see their team play finals live, but we accept that this is based on expert health advice,” Ms Critchley said.
WA Health has been contacted for comment.
Originally published as WA’s strict border rules could stop Queensland AFL fans from making the grand final
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