Two Melbourne players self-report for COVID-19 breaches, Brandon Zerk-Thatcher, Ollie Wines banned
Two Melbourne players are the latest to be suspended by the AFL for breaching the AFL’s tough COVID-19 rules. And it means one of them has been ousted from their clash this weekend.
Port Adelaide
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Melbourne players Kysaiah Pickett and Charlie Spargo have been suspended by the AFL for attending friends’ houses in the latest COVID-19 breach.
The punishment came after the pair travelled via an Uber to an unauthorised house for a non-essential gathering.
The Demons self-reported to the league after the players came forward.
Spargo has received a two-match suspension, while livewire Pickett has copped a one-match ban.
It means Pickett has been ousted from Melbourne’s team to take on Carlton, previously named in the forward pocket.
Spargo was not in the Round 2 side after being one of seven omissions on Thursday night.
The Demons are yet to name a replacement for Pickett, but previously axed small forwards Alex Neal-Bullen and Toby Bedford appear the most likely to earn a reprieve.
“The two players attended a non-essential gathering and travelled via Uber, which is a clear breach,” Melbourne football boss Josh Mahoney said.
“Both Charlie and Kozzy acknowledged that they knew the rules, admitted their mistake and openly participated with the AFL investigation.
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“On the whole, our players and staff have been compliant to the strict measures. However, on this occasion, there has been a clear breach against the AFL protocols, and we accept the sanctions.”
However, both players are able to take part in their scheduled scratch match against Carlton’s reserves on Saturday morning.
Essendon’s Brandon Zerk-Thatcher was suspended for a week after he had a friend around at his place.
Port Adelaide’s Ollie Wines was also suspended for an unauthorised interview on his front verandah with a Channel Seven journalist.
The suspensions underline the AFL’s hard-line stance, but AFL boss Gillon McLachlan was unapologetic this morning.
“You are not allowed to bring people back to your house. It feels tough but there are a set of protocols that need to be followed.
“People make mistakes, there is an accountability and they move on.”
Wines conducted an interview with Channel 7 on his front veranda and while it was socially distanced it was a clear breach of AFL rules.
Players must conduct interviews either over the internet or at the club, and Wines’ breach will be viewed poorly given he was conducting a paid interview as part of a commercial deal with Seven and not a media arrangement connected to a club request.
The 25-year-old was absent from Alberton for the side’s main training session on Thursday while the club worked with the AFL to look into the matter.
Wines says he regrets breaching the AFL protocols.
“Although not intentional, I acknowledge this is a breach of the current AFL protocols and I take responsibility for the part I played,” Wines said.
“I accept the sanction handed down by the AFL in the circumstances. It serves as a reminder that as AFL players we need to take a leadership position throughout this uncertain period.”
He spoke to the AFL’s integrity team yesterday and after missing training will need a negative COVID-19 test to return to the club.
The Power have a captain’s run at 9.30am on Friday and were hopeful they will have his test results back by then.
Now he will have to work his way back into the side with solid form in scratch matches.
“The protocols are very clear that players and officials should only have essential visitors attend their homes,” AFL general counsel Andrew Dillon said.
“We acknowledge Ollie’s remorsefulness for his mistake, but all players and match-day officials need to abide by the protocols in place at the time.”
Earlier on Thursday, Essendon defender Brandon Zerk-Thatcher became the first AFL player sanctioned for breaching the league’s COVID-19 protocols.
Zerk-Thatcher has been suspended for one game after self-reporting he had broken strict guideline regarding the living arrangements of players.
The Herald Sun first reported that Bombers defender Zerk-Thatcher was suspended for one game after self-reporting that a friend had been a his home.
He was self-aware enough to realise his mistake and informed the Essendon hierarchy.
Zerk-Thatcher, one of the finds of the pre-season for the club, might have lost his Round 1 spot with Patrick Ambrose and Cale Hooker returning from injury.
Having realised his error he got up in front of the Essendon playing group to explain the circumstances and apologised this week.
Zerk-Thatcher twice tested negative for coronavirus while the AFL investigated.
He has returned to the club and resumed training but will miss Sunday’s match against Sydney at the SCG.
Bombers football manager Dan Richardson said Zerk-Thatcher knows he made an error of judgement.
“All AFL players and staff are aware of their social responsibility to adhere to the return to play protocols. The club will continue to educate Brandon,” football manager Dan Richardson said.
“Brandon will continue to train with the playing group and will be available for senior selection next week.”
Zerk-Thatcher made his AFL debut in Round 22 last year.
The league has a set table of penalties it can use to assess transgressions for COVID breaches after they were ticked off by the AFL Commission last month.
The penalty shows the AFL’s hard-line stance on protocol breaches, with AFL House aware a coronavirus positive could throw its return plans into chaos.
Wines wasn’t allowed to attend his club’s 10am training session this morning following the breach.
According to the AFL’s strict COVID-19 protocols, which were distributed to players prior to the season restart, all player interviews should be completed either via an online platform or at their respective clubs.
Wednesday was a day off for the Port players and the interview was conducted in Wines’ free time as part of a “side deal” with the AFL broadcaster.
Wines was suspended and will undergo education after what Port’s general manager of football Chris Davies described as an “inadvertent” breach.
“Ollie needs to own the fact that it happened,” Davies said.
Port knew the interview was scheduled but assumed it would abide by the league’s protocols.
“The club was aware that the interview was going to happen and so we could have been clearer in terms of knowing where that should have occurred,” Davies said.
“Ollie should have known what the protocols are so this situation should have been avoided … this is something that we could have done a whole heap better.”
Davies said the coronavirus risk from Wines’ interview was “no greater than a player going to a supermarket”.
“But at the same we also understand it’s a breach,” he said. “The AFL will need to deal with what’s in front of them and make an assessment.
“We’ll make representation in the best regard we possibly can to make sure the circumstances around it are mitigated.
“Ultimately we’re not trying to shift blame here. This is something that we could have done better.
“(But) I can’t imagine that the AFL need to make examples of anyone.”
Today was scheduled as a COVID-19 test for Port players and Wines will be tested.
He won’t be allowed at the club until a negative result from the test was known.
“Whether Ollie is playing or not on the weekend, not being able to train today is a significant impact for both the individual and also the team,” Davies said.
“He’s disappointed … and he won’t be back until we and the AFL are satisfied that he doesn’t have anything that is going to impact on anyone else.”
The AFL Commission last month approved a specific set of fines and suspensions for players who breach protocols.
Clearly Wines’ transgression is at the lower end of the scale of a set of penalties that even extent to deregistration for a severe and deliberate breach.
But the league will be keen to set an example for future issues given the continuing status of the game depends upon players remaining free of COVID-19.
Over 5000 tests have already come back negative from AFL players and officials.
- with AAP
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Originally published as Two Melbourne players self-report for COVID-19 breaches, Brandon Zerk-Thatcher, Ollie Wines banned