AFL fixture and Covid news updates: Demons-Suns Round 19 clash confirmed for Darwin
After two matches were cancelled earlier this season, footy will return to the Northern Territory in what is the first game confirmed for Round 19.
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Footy will finally return to the Northern Territory after the ongoing Covid pandemic forced the cancellation of two matches earlier this season.
The AFL has confirmed Melbourne and Gold Coast will clash at TIO Stadium in Darwin on Saturday, July 24 at 7.25pm (aest) in what is the first game locked in for Round 19.
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“After disappointingly having to postpone our matches in the Territory earlier this year, it is fantastic for the community in Darwin to be able to host a game this season, one that I know the locals will be very excited to be able to attend,” AFL Executive General Manager Clubs and Broadcasting Travis Auld said.
The full Round 19 fixture will be released next week.
AFL clubs overwhelmingly back Thursday night footy
AFL clubs have urged the league to schedule Thursday night football every week in 2022 — and would accept the two five-day breaks a season required for the blockbuster timeslot.
Melbourne chief executive Gary Pert told News Corp clubs would easily adjust to a pair of five-day breaks either side of the mid-season bye if it meant weekly Thursday night clashes.
Port Adelaide football boss Chris Davies also supported the idea, saying clubs were definitely on board for an extra five-day break.
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The AFL will lobby the AFLPA over summer for more flexibility to allow teams to come off a Saturday night match and play five days later given it is the only way to schedule more games in the popular timeslot.
As it stands the league can play only 10-to-12 Thursday clashes a year given the difficulty in fixturing them.
But the players would need to agree to alter the current collective bargaining agreement,
The AFLPA blocked the Western Bulldogs’ request this year to play Sydney off a second five-day break.
The AFLPA has also flagged an extended season and once-a-year state-of-origin series as ideas to help grow the revenue pool, but have ongoing concerns about the injury toll on players.
Pert said his fitness boss Darren Burgess had made it clear occasional five-day breaks were no issue to players.
The Demons CEO is keen for weekly Thursday night clashes.
“We have got our heads around five-day breaks,” Pert said.
“The hub dynamic forced clubs and heads of high performance to think about things differently.
“Someone like Darren Burgess who has headed up soccer clubs in the UK — where they play two or three games a week — he’s not worried about five-day breaks.
“As long as you know ahead and can plan for it and modify your training program, we have our head around the squad mentality and can deliberately keep two or three players fresh coming into that game.
“What we are seeing is supporters enjoy those Thursday nights and if each club is part of one or two per year, which means having them every Thursday night, I think gradually we could build to that.
“The players and PA have been through a very tough couple of years where Covid has affected revenue and it’s not a hypothetical about growing the pie or shrinking the pie.
“They have well and truly got their heads around ways we need to be open to growing the game commercially.”
The AFLPA knocked back the Dogs’ request on the grounds that it had already warned the AFL not to limit interchange to 75 and return to 20-minute quarters.
But if players were handed extra days off after a five-day break or the league could come up with ways to protect players off five-day breaks the player union might agree.
The league could even come up with novel solutions like handing clubs extra interchange playing after five days to ensure players could rotate more in any given game.
REVEALED: TIGERS BACK IN PRIME TIME TO SAVE SEASON
Richmond will return to play under the Friday night lights next week with its season – and any hopes of a premiership threepeat – in the balance against Brisbane Lions.
The Tigers were shocked to be outcast to the 4.40pm Sunday twilight fixture for this week’s game against Collingwood, but they have only been banished from prime time for one round.
The AFL has finally regained some fixture certainty and on Wednesday night finalised round 17 at the same time round 18 was locked and loaded.
It was revealed that Saturday night’s Brisbane -St Kilda clash would be played at Metricon Stadium before the Lions return to Melbourne to face the Tigers at the MCG next week.
The Lions will be looking for three consecutive victories against Richmond for the first time since 2001-2004, which was their own premiership dynasty.
Fremantle will host Geelong on Thursday night as the AFL delivers both Perth clubs a stand-alone home game after the pandemic interrupted their seasons.
West Coast is due to host North Melbourne on Monday night in the final game of round 17.
The Collingwood-Carlton arch rivalry was deemed strong enough to win next week’s marquee 3.20pm Sunday timeslot despite the struggles of both clubs this year.
A venue for the Greater Western Sydney-Sydney ‘Battle of the Bridge’ has not been finalised, although it looks set to be played in Victoria.
The AFL has explored the idea of taking such games to regional towns.
The Round 18 fixture comes as Brisbane’s Round 17 fixture with St Kilda on Saturday night was finally locked in at Metricon Stadium.
The AFL made the decision late Wednesday “in consultation with the Brisbane Lions” as Covid concerns continue to plague the sport.
The Lions have set up camp on the Gold Coast this week after arriving back in Queensland from Melbourne on Tuesday night.
The team has been unable to drive up the M1 to their homes in Brisbane as it is still listed as a Covid red zone, meaning they will be forced to spend several more days on the Gold Coast.
St Kilda are expected to fly in and out of the Gold Coast on Saturday for the match via a charter flight.
The AFL said fans from the greater Brisbane area will also be allowed to attend Saturday night’s game at Metricon Stadium.
REVEALED: HOW MANY FANS ARE ALLOWED AT THE FOOTY
The AFL has been given the all clear to sell 40,000 tickets for the Richmond-Collingwood clash at the MCG on Sunday.
The Victorian Government confirmed on Wednesday it would lift crowd levels for stadiums this weekend – 75 per cent for outdoor venues, but only up to 40,000 people; and, 75 per cent, up to 7500 people, for indoor stadiums.
There will be four matches in Melbourne for round 17: Essendon-Adelaide at Marvel on Friday night, Carlton-Geelong at the MCG on Saturday, Western Bulldogs-Sydney at Marvel Stadium on Sunday and Richmond-Collingwood at the MCG at 4.10pm Sunday.
The once blockbuster fixture between the Tigers and Magpies has fallen from grace – the AFL taking the match away from prime time and plonking it in the Sunday twilight slot.
Collingwood is languishing in 16th spot and the reigning premier, Richmond, has dropped out of the eight after losing its past two matches.
At least the Tigers get to play on their home deck, having complained about being forced to drag their members along to Marvel Stadium earlier this year.
Damien Hardwick made a point of criticising the roofed stadium after the Tigers beat Greater Western Sydney by four points in front of just 18,798 fans in Round 9.
“The truth of the matter is you can play Richmond games here (Marvel Stadium), but they don’t come,” Hardwick said.
“It’s a pretty simple solution for mine. If you want big crowds, play our home games at the ‘G.
“Mate, I hate coming here. I probably shouldn’t say that.
“The MCG has got soul, it’s got Richmond people there. Our people don’t come here. Plain and simple.
“I’d love them to come, but the fact of the matter is I can’t drive them all here.”
Richmond president Brendon Gale told the Herald Sun before the game: “To have the MCG — one of the world’s great sporting stadiums — empty this weekend just makes no sense. We should be playing at the MCG.
“Playing at Marvel this weekend will minimise crowds and that goes against everything the industry wants to deliver. We want fans at games.”
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