AFLW 2022: Covid guidelines revealed as Fremantle clash against GWS moved from WA
The effects of Covid-19 are already being felt on the AFLW with a match being moved. Meanwhile, the league has set out guidelines for cancelled and postponed matches.
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AFLW clubs will have to postpone or cancel matches next year if a Covid-19 outbreak leaves them with fewer than 21 available players.
The AFL released new guidelines for the women’s competition on Thursday as it attempts to navigate another pandemic-hit season.
The league has moved an AFLW game from Perth to Melbourne as the looming Omicron crisis threatens to play havoc with its 2022 season.
The Round 2 clash between Fremantle and Greater Western Sydney will be played at Whitten Oval instead of Fremantle Oval on Sunday, January 16.
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The Western Australian government’s hardline border restrictions will pose significant problems for AFLW sides to fly in and out of the state if they have a positive case in their squads.
It comes as more than 10 Sydney Swans players tested positive to the virus this week during their Christmas break.
The Swans players, who were not expected back at the club until January 6, will be forced to isolate during their holiday period.
The league stated that AFLW teams would need the following number of footballers to play on: at least 16 available primary list players as well as five available train-on players.
Each club has 30 primary list players and 10 train-on players.
If these numbers are not met, the AFL will either reschedule the match or “in the most extreme consideration cancel the match”.
“Over the last two seasons the AFL have taken a very cautious approach when dealing with the pandemic,” AFL General Manager Competition Management Laura Kane said.
“We have planned for every possible contingency and circumstance, and it is an approach that has successfully helped us navigate both our competitions through a really uncertain time.”
The league cancelled a practice match last week between Greater Western Sydney and Adelaide in South Australia because of a positive among the Giants playing group.
But the AFL was more concerned about the prospect of GWS players being forced into isolation or quarantine in Adelaide because of stricter SA border rules.
“In a national sport, played across many states and territories, we need to be able to adapt, and adapt quickly to the covid conditions at any one time at locations where home teams are based, or away teams are travelling to,” Kane said.
Christmas saves AFLW players in Covid scare
The AFL has pulled the pin on a women’s practice game in South Australia to avoid the risk of players and staff spending Christmas in quarantine.
A Greater Western Sydney footballer tested positive to Covid-19 on Thursday, prompting the league to cancel the Giants’ Saturday match against the Crows in Adelaide late that night.
SA Health’s strict quarantine rules meant that if they deemed any of the Giants to be close contacts upon arrival in Adelaide, those affected would have been forced to isolate for seven days, a week out from Christmas.
If another Covid case emerged within the GWS squad after entering the state, that person would also have to quarantine in South Australia.
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Although the league planned to play through Covid next year with positive cases coming in and out of teams like injuries, it was extra cautious on this occasion because it was a scratch match and they did not want teams missing Christmas.
Everyone else at the Giants has since tested negative.
The AFL’s decision came a day after Australian cricket captain Pat Cummins was ruled out of the Second Ashes Test in Adelaide only hours before the start of play because he was a close contact of a positive case at a city restaurant.
League competition management boss Laura Kane said the decision was made in consultation with both clubs to “minimise risk to all players, staff and officials ahead of the Christmas and new year period”.
“Players and staff are looking forward to the holiday period and spending time with their family and friends and when you consider the time of year together with current quarantine requirements across respective states, it was determined the safest decision on this occasion is to cancel the practice match,” Kane said.
GWS was set to fly to Adelaide on Friday afternoon and would have been tested again on arrival.
AFL officials explored several alternative scenarios before abandoning the game.
Melbourne AFLW star midfielder Karen Paxman said Covid disruptions during the season were now to be expected.
“I think we’ve kind of gotten to the point now where it is almost just part of day to day,” she said.
“We understand there might be hiccups along the way and we just roll with the punches.
All we can do is what’s in our control as well as us being cautious in what we do away from football, because ultimately we don’t want to miss games.
“But if it happens, it happens and we just carry on and do our best.”
The Giants could have played the match if it was against another side that was already in New South Wales.
Sydney does not yet have a team and is set to enter the competition at the end of 2022.
The league is working with the Giants to try to schedule another practice match before their Round 1 clash on January 9.
Giants head of women’s football Briana Harvey said cancelling the match was the right call.
“The decision wasn’t made lightly and we thank the AFL for their proactiveness and support of our program,” Harvey said.
New South Wales health regulations allow the Giants to continue training as normal – while the positive case sits out – so long as they test negative.
GWS will hit the track in Sydney on Saturday.
They will then have a week’s break.
Crows head of women’s football Phil Harper said the club was disappointed it would not get to play but understood the decision.
“The pandemic has taught us all to be prepared for things to change at the last minute and this is another reminder of that,” Harper said.
“We will still train tonight and use that as an opportunity to get a really solid hit-out in before our players have a brief break ahead of returning to the club to prepare for the 2022 season.”
Battle stations: First look at AFLW 2022 teams
It’s time for ALFW fans to get their fix.
We have listed the name of every player taking part in the six practice matches on Saturday.
Melbourne supporters will get their first look at new star forward Tayla Harris in the red and blue.
Harris and the Dees will take on Collingwood at Casey Fields with fellow stars Daisy Pearce, Karen Paxman and Steph Chiocci also set to partake.
Saturday 18 December
Adelaide v GWS, Norwood Oval, 11.30am (Cancelled)
Melbourne v Collingwood, Casey Fields, 10am
(Closed to public) Carlton v St Kilda, Ikon Park, 11am
Western Bulldogs v North Melbourne, VU Whitten Oval, 1pm
(Closed to public) Richmond v Geelong, Swinburne Centre, 2pm
Melbourne
1 G CAMPBELL
3 M GAY
4 K PAXMAN
5 T HANKS
6 D PEARCE
7 T HARRIS
8 S LAMPARD
9 L BIRCH
10 K HORE
11 E WEST
12 S SCOTT
14 L MITHEN
15 L PEARCE
16 A BANNAN
17 T GILLARD
18 C SHERRIFF
19 J PARRY
20 B TARRANT
21 M CARIS
22 E McNAMARA
23 S GOLDRICK
24 M FITZSIMON
26 L MAGEE
28 A BROWN
29 E ZANKER
30 S HEATH
31 K PETREVSKI
32 G COLVIN
Collingwood
1 S FREDERICK
2 C MOLLOY
3 B DAVEY
4 I BARNETT
5 A VELARDO
6 J ALLEN
7 S ROWE
8 B BONNICI
9 A PORTER
11 I PURCELL
12 S LIVINGSTONE
13 J LAMBERT
14 A SHERIDAN
15 E FOWLER
16 A NEWMAN
17 S CHIOCCI
18 R SCHLEICHER
19 B SMITH
20 E JAMES
22 S CASEY
23 L BUTLER
24 S ALEXANDER
25 M CANN
26 T BROWN
21 A DOWNIE
41 E CHASTON
40 A MOLONEY
50 E O’DEA
Carlton
1 G EGAN
2 J DAL POS
3 D VESCIO
4 M PRESPAKIS
5 A MCKAY
6 G POUND
7 B WALKER
9 K HARRINGTON
11 A LEE
12 L BRAZZALE
13 L McEVOY
15 J GOOD
16 B MOODY
17 C HAMMANS
18 M GUERIN
19 G GEE
20 C WILSON
21 N STEVENS
22 C JONES
23 D WALKER
24 B VICKERS
25 K SHERAR
26 P TRUDGEON
28 I MILFORD
31 B VERNON
32 N PLANE
35 P SCHAAP
46 E O’DEA
Adelaide
1 C GOULD
2 E JONES
4 Z PROWSE
5 R MARTIN
6 H BUTTON
7 N GORE
8 N ALLEN
10 E MARINOFF
11 J SIMMONS
12 C BIDDELL
13 E PHILLIPS
14 S THOMPSON
15 D PONTER
16 A CONSIDINE
17 M NEWMAN
19 J HEWETT
20 H MUNYARD
21 M McKINNON
24 A WOODLAND
25 T CHARLTON
26 C RANDALL
27 B BALLARD
28 A TONON
32 M RAJCIC
33 A HATCHARD
39 S ALLAN
2 A EVA
3 A PARKER
4 K SMITH
5 J DOYLE
6 R BEESON
7 K LOYNES
9 T HETHERINGTON
10 J GRIERSON
11 C DALTON
12 L STEPHENSON
13 C STAUNTON
14 A LISTER
15 B STACK
17 G GARNETT
19 R PRIVITELLI
20 L STEANE
21 P RANDALL
22 A MORPHETT
24 H ZREIKA
25 E LORENZINI
26 G FOWLER
28 C SIMMONS
30 A DALLAWAY
31 B MOWBRAY
32 T MACKRILL
33 E PEASE
37 E GRAHAM
St Kilda
1 M McDONALD
2 E FRIEND ^
3 A BURKE
4 A WOODWARD
5 D GUTTRIDGE
6 A RICHARDS ^
7 R WATT
8 B JAKOBSSON
9 K McCARTHY
11 I SHANNON
12 K SHIERLAW
13 R SAULITIS
14 H PRIEST (C)
17 C GREISER
18 T LUCAS-RODD
19 J MATIN
20 R OTT
23 O VESELY
25 R DILLON
26 L CUTTING
27 N XENOS
28 L BURKE
29 T WHITE
34 T MEYER
35 C PHILLIPS
36 J VAN DYK
Western Bulldogs
1 B LOCHLAND
2 E BLACKBURN
3 I GRANT
5 J WOODS
6 E MORRISON
8 T TOOGOOD
9 E BROWN
11 E BENNETTS
13 C MOODY
14 E GAMBLE
16 N FERRES
17 R CHRISTGOERGL
18 B GUTKNECHT
19 A GUEST
20 I PRITCHARD
22 H SCOTT
23 J FITZGERALD
24 A SMITH
25 N MORRIS-DALTON
27 K LAMB
29 A LING
30 R CRANSTON
33 A EDMONDS
35 A STRAHAN
North Melbourne
1 S ABBATANGELO
2 D BANNISTER
3 B EDDEY
5 T CRAVEN
6 A O’LOUGHLIN
7 A RIDDELL
8 A GILROY
9 E KEARNEY
10 K ASHMORE
11 D BATEMAN
12 N BRESNEHAN
15 A SMITH
16 T RANDALL
17 S WRIGHT
20 J FERGUSON
22 E GAVALAS
23 M KING
25 J GARNER
26 K RENNIE
27 J DUFFIN
31 D HARDIMAN
35 J BRUTON
36 B BROWN
43 G CAMPBELL
60 E KING
Richmond
1 S MOLAN
3 K BRENNAN (C)
4 M CONTI
5 M BRANCATISANO
6 C BERNARDI
8 C WAKEFIELD
9 H BURCHELL
10 K JACQUES
11 J HOSKING
12 S D’ARCY
14 P KELLY
15 R MILLER
16 L MCCLELLAND
17 S DARGAN
18 S SANSONETTI
19 K DEMPSEY
21 S LOCKE
23 H CORDNER
24 T STAHL
25 S REID
27 E YASSIR
28 G SEYMOUR
31 M KEILY
36 I HOUTSMA
Geelong
1 R CARIS
2 D HIGGINS
3 A McDONALD
4 D MOLONEY
5 J IVEY
6 J CROCKETT-GRILLS
7 M MAGUIRE
8 K DARBY
9 N MORRISON
10 G RANKIN
11 M McDONALD
13 O FULLER
14 C SCHEER
16 C EMONSON
17 G CLARKE
18 L GARDINER
20 Z FRISWELL
21 R WEBSTER
22 R KEARNS
23 P McWILLIAMS
24 M McMAHON
25 S WILLIAMS
26 C GUNJACA
27 S VAN DE HEUVEL
29 C REMMOS
30 A JOHNSON
32 G FEATHERSTON
41 G PRESPAKIS
45 M KERYK
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Originally published as AFLW 2022: Covid guidelines revealed as Fremantle clash against GWS moved from WA