Swans and Giants dispatched to Queensland; doubts cast over Sydney as AFL Grand Final venue
A controversial decision to send the Swans and Giants north of the NSW border for the rest of the regular season might have serious ramifications for Sydney’s bid to host the homeless AFL Grand Final.
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The NSW Government has issued a timely warning to the AFL that you can’t create a big stage in a small town, as football bosses slammed the door shut on Sydney for the rest of the regular season ahead of D-Day over who will host its Grand Final.
The controversial decision to dispatch the Swans and Giants to Queensland for the remainder of their matches has cast enormous doubt over whether the AFL will even consider Sydney’s bold bid to host the homeless AFL decider at the 80,000 capacity ANZ Stadium.
Crowds are still permitted at sporting events in NSW and NRL boss Peter V’landys continues to have his teams crossing the Tweed border, however, the AFL is unwilling to risk their own version of rugby league’s Tevita Pangai Junior barbershop embarrassment, and has put the shutters down on Sydney as a result.
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NSW recorded 18 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, but some officials feel the State has been prematurely bundled with Victoria as a no-go-zone as the Swans prepare to pack their bags for Cairns and the Giants south east Queensland for the rest of the regular season.
Queensland might be being credited with saving the AFL season but the attendance average at Brisbane’s Gabba ground over the past 10 years is a lowly 18,000 — underwhelming numbers for a dated venue now being spoken about as being in the box seat for a Grand Final.
Prime Minister Paul Keating once said that “if you’re not living in Sydney, you’re camping out”, and NSW Sports Minister Geoff Lee has called on the AFL to do its big show justice if the COVID-hit MCG is out of commission.
“NSW has open arms for the AFL to bring their showpiece event to the Harbour City to give the AFL Grand Final the perfect stage to shine,” Lee said.
“Stadium Australia is the second biggest stadium in the country outside of the MCG and can host a world-class spectacular for the two best teams in the competition this year.”
There is talk the AFL may try to host its entire finals series in the one State to eliminate travel and quarantine difficulties.
Appointed Chair to the soon-to-be created Venues NSW, Tony Shepherd — who is also Chairman of GWS — said Sydney should be well placed under that scenario.
“We understand that they will have to assess taking into account all the factors, but the AFL will recognise that Sydney has a lot going for it,” Shepherd said.
“A very good track record in playing sport during the COVID-19 outbreak.
“It’s got adequate facilities with the SCG, Giants Stadium and ANZ Stadium. And it’s got sensible controls on entry and exit from other States. It’s a complicated arrangement but obviously it should be in the mix. Sydney has a strong case and would make a sense.”
V’Landys has managed to sidestep the Queensland Government’s strict border closure to NSW, but the catch is that teams that have played against a Sydney club must effectively quarantine themselves for 14 days afterwards.
That’s what made Brisbane Broncos star Pangai Junior’s ill-fated trip to the barber a biosecurity breach, and — for the sake of keeping Sydney teams in Sydney A — the AFL is not prepared to impose those harsher restrictions on the mass of teams based in the Sunshine State or risk the potential for clubs to be confused over what they can and can’t do depending on who they played the week before.
GWS chief executive David Matthews said if the border between Queensland and NSW was to reopen, the Giants would hope for a home final and declared ANZ Stadium would be the best Grand Final alternative to the MCG.
“Certainly you’d hope the position was that we’d be able to host finals if we end up in a position to qualify,” he said.
“I’ve been a proponent of, if the circumstances allow it, then you’d take (the grand final) to the second biggest stadium in Australia and in Australia’s biggest city … we know what ANZ Stadium is capable of being able to showcase.
“I’m not 100 per cent sure what the AFL’s process will be but I’m pleased and supportive of the NSW Government’s decision to basically say, ‘let’s be in the conversation and let’s be considered.’”
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Sydney Swans and GWS Giants will be forced to finish their seasons in Queensland because the AFL is unwilling to risk their own Tevita Pangai Junior barbershop embarrassment.
NRL boss Peter V’landys has managed to sidestep the Queensland Government’s strict border closure to NSW, but the catch is that teams that have played against a Sydney club must effectively quarantine themselves for 14 days.
The AFL is not prepared to impose those harsh restrictions on the mass of teams based in the Sunshine State for the sake of the Sydney teams being allowed to sleep in their own beds and therefore will dispatch the Swans to Cairns and GWS to South East Queensland to finish the regular season.
There will be no more matches in Sydney for the rest of the regular season in a massive blow to AFL in NSW.
Brisbane Broncos star Pangai Junior is facing the sack after breaching protocols by going to a barbershop opening.
Under normal circumstances pre the border closure, Pangai Junior would have been allowed to go for a haircut, but the new restrictions meant that after playing a match in Sydney he should have been isolating at home.
Admittedly, other factors may have played a role in his sacking.
On the surface it looks like V’Landys has outsmarted the AFL once again by being able to fly teams in and out across the closed border, but there are hidden sacrifices and complications, like the fact the Melbourne Storm are now effectively locked down for six weeks in quarantine because they’re regularly playing Sydney teams.
NRL players are essentially restricted to training, playing and being at home.
However, the decision to relocate the Swans and the Giants, when they don’t necessarily have to, is an expensive exercise.
The AFL has announced that the Swans and Fremantle Dockers will relocate to Cairns for rounds 15-18 of the competition and play out of Cazaly Stadium.
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The next phase of the fixture is set to be released on Thursday and it’s expected GWS will move back to somewhere in south east Queensland following their current stint in Western Australia.
There is some frustration among the Sydney clubs that they could be playing at home in front of crowds, yet have had to take players and staff away from their families for months on end.
However, there is also an acceptance that the AFL has done an enormous job to keep the season functioning and their priority is getting the matches played, however that fits in.