Essendon bracing for multiple players to be forced into quarantine after Conor McKenna tested positive to COVID-19
Carlton is preparing to play a potentially-depleted Essendon this week after Conor McKenna’s positive test to COVID-19 could force more players into quarantine.
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Essendon could be forced to face Carlton without its entire backline as the AFL braces for multiple Bombers to be ordered into quarantine by health officials.
But the league is seriously considering moving the Friday night blockbuster in Round 5 between Essendon and Collingwood to later in the weekend so returning Bombers can play after serving their 14 days in isolation.
The Herald Sun revealed on Sunday the entire Essendon backline conducted an indoor weights session with COVID-positive Bomber Conor McKenna on Friday after a full-contact session with the entire list.
He also attended an indoor socially distanced meeting with Bombers defenders on Saturday.
The AFL’s firm expectation is that it will not be only McKenna who is forced to quarantine given how seriously the state government treats COVID health provisions.
The AFL’s view is that if Essendon failed to mitigate risks by training with their entire defence in the same group.
The Dons cannot refuse to play if they have enough players to field a team.
Carlton football boss Brad Lloyd said the Blues would prepare for this week’s match as normal in an effort to minimise any distraction for players.
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“We’ll have some meetings today. We’ve got a compliance officer in place full time, so they’ll have a meeting later today with the AFL, and I’ve got a GM of footy meeting today as well,” Lloyd said on RSN on Monday.
“So we’ll get a fair update I think.
“(Blues fitness boss) Andrew Russell and those guys within the club will get the guys up and running again, we’ll get them to training this morning and prepare as we normally would.
“We’ll minimise any of that distraction and get ready for the game.
“I feel the game should be going ahead. If there’s the groups of eight, they can quarantine players that have been exposed. That’s why all these systems have been set up.
“We’ll find out - these protocols really get tested now, so we’ll find out over the next few days, but we’ll be preparing to play.”
Essendon chief executive Xavier Campbell said the club would endeavor to work with the league in regards to the Bombers’ fixturing to accommodate players being unavailable
“I’d like to think that we would sit down with the AFL and others … just so we can work through it so there can be a reasonable outcome,” he told Triple M.
“It’s still too early to tell. It may well be that there is a minimal amount of close contact determinations and it’s a limited impact in the short-term which means the season can progress. We would love for that to happen.”
Essendon champion Matthew Lloyd said on Sunday night it would be “really unfair” if the AFL forced the Bombers to play games with their stars in quarantine.
“You just wonder whether another season for Essendon will be derailed,” Lloyd said.
It can be revealed the group including Cale Hooker, Adam Saad, Michael Hurley and Mason Redman also conducted a small-group training session before the full session with McKenna.
In that outdoor session a sweaty McKenna made contact with several other players — not just the defenders — putting Essendon’s entire list at risk of being forced into quarantine by the DHHS.
Victoria’s chief health officer Brett Sutton said any player in “close contact” with McKenna would be quarantined for 14 days, with health authorities forensically reviewing footage of McKenna at Friday’s full-contact session.
Players who test negative when the entire list undergoes COVID-19 testing on Monday at Marvel Stadium could still be quarantined for 14 days if they came into close contact with McKenna.
Close contact is defined by face-to-face contact for 15 minutes or being in a confined space for two hours.
McKenna’s two housemates — his brother and his brother’s partner — have tested negative for the virus.
AFL legal counsel Andrew Dillon said Essendon must keep playing if it could field a team.
“The AFL rules are pretty clear,” Dillon said.
“As long as we have 22 players and a couple of emergencies you are able to have a team. So as far as the AFL is concerned if we have enough players to fill a team with a couple of emergencies we are ready to go.”
Essendon has confirmed the Herald Sun’s exclusive report that McKenna went to an open house to inspect a property after the lease on his rental property was close to expiring.
McKenna also visited the host family that put him up when he moved to Melbourne from Ireland.
The league is yet to find out how he contracted the virus as Victorian health authorities conduct contract tracing and investigate any potential links to active cases.
The AFL will work through his potential penalty for COVID breaches after it finds out whether Essendon can field a side.
Campbell said it could be Tuesday before the club knows how many players are knocked out.
“They are going through the process of identifying those guys with close contact,” Campbell said.
“They will use the footage of training on Friday. It was a full-list, full-contract training session.
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“Even though there are smaller groups, it does depend on the activity those smaller groups are undertaking as to whether or not a particular player was deemed in close contact.
“Even in gym sessions protocols players undertake to not be in close contact, including cleaning equipment. We have to provide the information and then wait for them to come back to us in 24-48 hours.”
— with Jay Clark and Glenn McFarlane
KEY ANSWERS FROM THE AFL*
WHERE DID McKENNA GET COVID-19?
“The health department will work through that in the coming days, but he has tested negative five times. He was tested Wednesday and he was negative and there was such a low level in his test on Friday that it came up as an irregularity … and then it was a positive test this morning (Saturday). Based on those facts, he has picked it up this week, in Australia, but I will defer to the health department.”
WHAT’S THE BEST CASE SCENARIO FOR ESSENDON?
“Our fixture guys will work through this. I don’t have an answer for that, but we have time and flexibility, whether we compress the season however that looks, we are working still with the West Australians about how a return looks like there, so it will go into the mix. We have a rolling four-week fixture, it is why we have the shorter quarters.”
WILL NEXT WEEKEND’S GAMES GO AHEAD AS PLANNED, WITHOUT ESSENDON?
“They will proceed, whether they are in the exact structure or whether there is some tweaking … I will talk to the broadcast and fixturing guys.”
WILL TULLAMARINE (ESSENDON FOOTBALL CLUB) BE SHUT?
“DHS (department of health and safety) will be making that decision with our infectious diseases and medical team, but it is fairly certain the club will be thoroughly cleaned over the next 24 to 48 hours. It will depend on the close contacts (with McKenna) and the advice of DHS.”
WHEN WILL McKENNA BE TESTED?
“He will be now tested at the appropriate time until he is negative. The rest of the group will be tested on Tuesday. The internal advice is that given incubation periods to leave it there.”
WHAT’S THE DOOMSDAY SCENARIO IF MULTIPLE PLAYERS GET IT?
“I think in the end if there are multiple players down, it is a challenge for Essendon. We now know every player was clear on Wednesday’s tests. I think that gives us a lot of comfort.”
DID McKENNA DEFINITELY NOT GET INFECTED IN IRELAND?
“My understanding is he’s come back, quarantined, tested negative five times, he tested negative on Wednesday’s test, and it was a very low level which came up as an irregularity. Which means the infection, in my understanding, was starting in the last 24 hours, and he tested positive today. Again, waiting for DHS, but it gives every indication that he’s picked it up here in Melbourne this week. The priority is Conor and his health. He’s asymptomatic at the moment, so he feels like all of us. It’ll be another fork in the road for this season.”
WILL YOU TIGHTEN RESTRICTIONS?
“I’m sure the team will look at that. I think they’ve been modest restrictions, what I’d say to everyone is this is an amazing reminder about why we have the protocols that are in place that are tougher than community standard on our players and our footy department officials.”
THE SEASON WON’T BE SHUTDOWN FOR 30 DAYS?
“(No). That was when we didn’t have resilience measures, testing, the ability to do close contacts, every training session is being videoed so you know exactly who the close contacts have been.”
*Quotes from Gillon McLachlan press conference
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Originally published as Essendon bracing for multiple players to be forced into quarantine after Conor McKenna tested positive to COVID-19