AFL 2021 grand final: Gillon McLachlan says league will consider October Perth Stadium match in case of lockdown
The grand finalists could be left to navigate a three-week break between games in the event of a Covid lockdown in WA. Here’s how it could play out.
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The AFL will not hesitate to push back its season decider into October and force a three-week break upon competing grand final teams if new host city Perth is locked down with a last-minute Covid outbreak.
AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan finally confirmed the league’s biggest game would be held at Perth Stadium on September 25 after agreeing to a deal with the Victorian government.
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The post-preliminary final bye will allow Perth to host a Sunday Brownlow Medal at the start of a grand week — with players from as many as six AFL teams at the big night, a grand final parade, a Carbine Club lunch and presentation of the two teams to tens of thousands of footy fans leading into the playoff.
As revealed by the Herald Sun on Monday, the Victorian government has extended the MCC grand final contract to 2029 and handed the ground eight more games over five seasons as well as securing more AFL and AFLW content for regional Victoria.
The 2021 grand final is expected to be a twilight event in Perth, but McLachlan would not confirm a starting time.
He would say only that it would be later than the customary 2.30pm and that an announcement would be made in coming weeks. A 5.30pm opening bounce in Perth would be 7.30pm for the eastern states.
Despite calls to forge ahead with a September 18 grand final, McLachlan said the pre-grand final bye allowed all clubs to quarantine for 14 days and then be allowed out in the Perth community for at least a week.
The Sunday night Brownlow would have attendees from two competing clubs, with contenders from Adelaide and even Queensland a good chance to fly in for the September 19 event.
The AFL will not disclose how much it has secured from the WA government for the right to host the game but Queensland was understood to have paid as much as $15 million for The Gabba grand final.
McLachlan confirmed the Herald Sun’s report of last month which stated the league would be prepared to postpone its grand final by a week if WA premier Mark McGowan banned Perth Stadium crowds in the event of a handful of cases in grand final week.
He will be part of a group of about 25 AFL operations staff who will leave for Perth in coming days to pull off the second grand final in a row outside of Victoria.
He admitted Covid cases emerging in grand final week would likely push back the game but said an outbreak could happen in any state.
“It plays on my mind. It would apply in most states right now,” he said.
“It is clearly relevant in Perth but it would apply in Adelaide, there was a Tasmanian game cancelled in an hour.
“That issue applies everywhere given the way people are controlling this pandemic which is quick, dramatic lockdowns.
“We won’t play our grand final in front of no people so we will work through that if it happens.
“We feel we are in safe hands but we know it’s a risk and if it happens we will deal with it.”
McLachlan said the league never seriously considered whether to forge ahead without a bye.
“I think the answer is if you are going to play a grand final you have to contemplate all of the teams, all the supporters and having the time to get people through quarantine and do justice to the biggest day in Australian sport,” he said.
“This is the biggest single day of sport on the Australian calendar and we are going to do it properly and Perth is going to do it properly.
“They are very keen to have a parade over there, there will be a Brownlow event on the Sunday night, there is the Carbine Club, an AFL lunch on the Friday, the logistics of a full parade will be challenging but we will present the teams and celebrate this cup.
“It’s so hard fought. We have an opportunity now, our players, our staff, our clubs, their partners who have worked so hard, and there will be two lucky teams to make it and with a bit of luck we will have an incredible full house and it will be one of the hard fought and celebrated wins we have ever had.”
The league is unlikely to have mandatory vaccinations for all players next year, but McLachlan confirmed the league would push players strongly to safeguard the league.
“When we have supply, you can feel comfortable we will be aggressive pushing and advocating for everyone to get vaccinated. If you want to get back here with full houses (at the AFL) and save your local coffee shop or small business there is only one way out, this is clear. That is what we have got to do.”
MCC chief executive Stuart Fox said losing the grand final for a second straight year was heartbreaking.
“We have explored and exhausted all available opportunities to be able to host this year’s grand final, however the current landscape in Victoria precludes us from welcoming members and fans into the MCG’s stands,” Fox said.
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