AFL players to face 48-hour restrictions after last game of season in Mad Monday twist
The AFL is set to enforce restrictions on players and coaches in Queensland beyond the season as they look to avoid boozy Mad Monday celebrations.
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Players and coaches could be bound by strict AFL rules for up to 48 hours after their last game to help avoid any boozy Mad Monday celebrations.
League heavyweights are in discussions about extending the hub rules by one or two days to prevent any group drinking sessions in the team hotels in the immediate aftermath of their last games.
Players may have to stay in the high performance hubs for up to 48 hours after their last game for exit interviews and final medicals, if they do not want to do them online.
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But once they check out of the hubs and the 48-hour period ends, players will be able to eat and drink responsibly on their Queensland holidays like regular citizens.
League and AFL Players Association officials were discussing options on Thursday to ensure players had the necessary support and guidance in their transition out of the hubs.
The league is desperate to avoid any boozy shenanigans from players which could jeopardise the finals series after Richmond’s second breach last week.
A third strike form any Richmond party member could cost the club premiership points and draft picks.
Collingwood president Eddie McGuire has flagged the possible use of off-duty police officers and other minders to help chaperone players in the post-season.
Geelong superstar and AFL PA president Paddy Dangerfield said the league’s players must behave responsibly if they choose to stay-on in Queensland.
“It’s something that a lot of players would like to do (stay in Queensland),” Dangerfield said on SEN.
“What comes with that is a responsibility to adhere to all the set guidelines.
“We have to make sure as players that we (keep focused) because there’s been a lot that has been given up allowing us to do what we’ve done.
“The challenge will clearly come once finals start and there’s clubs that have finished up, we’ve got to make sure that everyone is conducting themselves in the right manner.”
The AFL has reinforced with clubs how important it is that players and staff abide by strict rules after securing permission from the Queensland Government to continue the season up north.
McGuire said clubs regularly used chaperones to help keep players safe when they went overseas in groups.
He did not rule out them being used in Queensland after the season finished to help players steer clear of trouble.
“The question that is being asked at the moment is ‘How are they (players) going to go about it (when the season is over)?” McGuire said on Channel 9.
“People have been hired before to protect some players, to go out with some players and to keep an eye on them.
“Obviously that happens with when you go overseas, but with so many payers up on the Gold Coast or around the area what’s the answer?”
“All clubs have in the past hired off-duty police officers or club officials to go along and chaperone and just keep an eye on everybody particularly when they are overseas and particularly when they’re in Las Vegas of all paces.
“Well we are in ‘Bris-Vegas’, aren’t we for the next couple of months.”
Respected former Fremantle and St Kilda coach Ross Lyon said it was certain there would be an incident of some kind when the season is over.
“In a cohort of 700 (players) aged between 18 and 34, you break it down between 18 – 23 (they’re) young males, they are risk takers,” Lyon said.
“There’s some pent-up (energy), money in the pocket, someone will make a mistake.”
INSIDE LAVISH HUB AS AFL LIVE IT UP ON GOLD COAST
Scott Gullan
Something had to give and when you’re in lockdown that usually means those closest are the more likely to cop it.
It’s fair to say Gillon McLachlanhad been through a couple of the more forgettable days of his long campaign to save the game.
Richmond‘s two strays caught fighting outside a strip club with kebabs in hand had pushed the AFL boss to the edge.
Politicians were now getting involved and the league was under attack.
So on Saturday when he was wandering around the AFL transition hub at the Mercure Resort, he became ‘Grumpy’ Gill.
The swimming pool was overflowing, there were WAGS sun baking all over the place while the bar area was becoming far too popular for his liking.
At a meeting with hub leaders — each club has a representative — Gill launched and made it crystal clear the rules he wanted enforced and that he wouldn‘t think twice about sending more people home.
As part of the deal with the Queensland government the AFL had agreed to social distancing which clearly wasn‘t happening to the chief’s satisfaction.
A flurry of text messages were then sent around to all 400 people in the two-week quarantine facility, reminding them of the pool and bar etiquette.
The large Oasis Pool was only allowed 80 inside with a maximum of 20 in the water while the smaller Billabong Pool could only have seven frolicking in the water at one time with 20 sun bakers looking on.
Understandably the bar has been a favourite for club officials and the media, open from 5pm-8pm, with a schooner of Carlton Draught costing $8.
While you‘re only allowed to purchase two drinks at a time we hear this rule hasn’t slowed down some of the thirsty punters.
And even though Gill probably needs a beer more than anyone, he is yet to indulge.
Richmond players Sydney Stack and Callum Coleman-Jones were banished from Queensland after getting into a scuffle outside a strip club last week.
The pair were slapped with 10-match bans and the Tigers fined $100,000.
Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk tweeted on Friday: “AFL players caught breaking COVID-19 rules should be sent home. Queensland won’t tolerate it.”
Richmond players have been warned to avoid another disastrous COVID breach.
AFL Players Association chief executive Paul Marsh says he was “taken aback” by Richmond’s declaration that Stack and Coleman-Jones would pay $75,000 of the $100,000 fine for their late-night transgressions.
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Originally published as AFL players to face 48-hour restrictions after last game of season in Mad Monday twist