No vax needed for AFL Cairns players, clouds remain for patrons
AFL Cairns has outlined its approach to Covid vax mandates as preseason commences and the season draws near.
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AFL Cairns has no plans to enforce a Covid vaccine mandate for its clubs, but time will tell if fans will need proof they’ve been jabbed in order to attend games.
AFL Cairns general manager Craig Lees said current health restrictions in Queensland mean on-field participants don’t require vaccinations, but attendees to licensed premises such as club stadiums did.
Preseason training for most clubs is in full swing, with players - vaccinated or otherwise - already hitting the turf.
With the home and away season not starting until April, Lees conceded legislation is likely to change in that time.
“There’s some framework and structure we need to work through to see what that looks like, but that’s not going to preclude anyone from playing if they’re unvaxxed,” he said.
“That’s not just AFL, that’s all sports here in Cairns.
“We expect the policies and procedures to change in the next three months.”
This is different to the Northern Territory Football League, where state legislation has resulted in players and club staff needing to be fully vaxxed to participate in footy.
“The rules for Queensland and the rules for the Northern Territory are totally different at this stage,” Lees said.
“There’s three months before the season starts so we’re expecting a lot to change in that space.
“Unvaccinated players can play in the competition, they still have to follow the rules at licensed premises.”
The 2022 AFL Cairns season will begin on April 9 for all senior competitions.
Three AFL Cairns women’s games you won’t want to miss this year
CAIRNS’ brimming talent pool of promising female Aussie rules players will have another platform for exposure to wider and higher competition.
AFL Queensland on Tuesday announced a North Queensland and South Queensland representative match will be held in July for the first time.
Similar to the men’s representative match, players from Cairns, Townsville, Mackay and Capricornia will play for NQ, while Wide Bay, Darling Downs and South Queensland QFAW competitions will represent SQ.
Seasoned Manunda Hawks women’s co-coach Kareena White has been involved in footy for two decades, and said having an NQ women’s team gave talented Far Northerners a chance to test their mettle against their southern counterparts.
“That would be good for a lot of the younger ones, it’ll be a great opportunity to make the NQ team to go down and play against people from different comps and different standards,” the three-time premiership winning player said.
“Up here, we’re so isolated that we don’t really know what it’s like until you get down there.
“For some of the up and coming girls it’ll be great for them.”
One such emerging talent is Cairns City Lions midfielder Laquoiya Cockatoo-Motlap, who would be one of the top players earmarked for NQ.
“There’s a lot of talented players up there and it’ll be really good to show them our key players,” she said.
“I reckon it’d be a close game, it won’t be easy.”
The announcement marks another major step into the limelight for AFL Cairns, with the annual All Stars game slated as curtain raiser for the AFL premiership match between Port Adelaide and St Kilda at Cazalys Stadium on April 30.
“Should the stars align, that’ll be played as a curtain raiser,” AFL Cairns general manager Craig Lees said.
“Imagine 5000 people coming to watch our All Stars game as the crowd builds to that 7.25 timeslot.
“I think a lot more players will be jumping out of their skin to be playing in that game.”
We’ve looked through the AFL Cairns women’s season fixture to bring you to the top three games to mark on your calendar.
Round 3, Cairns Saints v Manunda Hawks (April 23)
It will be the same teams that faced off in the 2021 grand final, but expect significantly different rosters with both sides experiencing key departures.
Both squads will play their hearts out in this early season bout, with season tone-setting implications for the winner, and loser.
Round 12, Cairns Saints v North Cairns Tigers (July 9)
It feels like eons ago the Tigers and Saints were exchanging blows as the comp’s top two sides, but it was only in 2020 the twain last played in a grand final together.
With the Tigers hoping to put a tough 2021 behind them, this match against an old rival will serve as a solid litmus test.
Round 11, Manunda Hawks v Centrals Trinity Beach Bulldogs (June 25)
After last year’s thrilling semi-final, both the Hawks and Bulldogs will take eachother on in a Pride round duel for the ages.
The Doggies came within a mere point of making the grand final the last time these two teams met, making this game a must-see.
REVEALED: The seven AFL Cairns games you can’t afford to miss
The slate is clean and history is waiting to be written as the AFL Cairns released its men’s and women’s 2022 fixture.
With 2021’s profound season – culminating in the Cairns City Lions winning their first flag in 28 years – well in the rear-view mirror, teams have begun their preparation to take a step toward immortality in April.
The 19-round fixture will feature plenty of themed rounds similar to previous years including pride and Indigenous rounds.
“Last year, we took a massive step forward with the progression of the competition,” AFL Cairns general manager Craig Lees said.
“We saw five or six really challenge half way through the year – the top six was up in the air, (and) who was going to play finals.
“I’m really buoyed by the standards of coaches we have in this year’s competition … it’s great that we’re going to have seven coaches who are going to come and challenge the competition.”
A new addition to this year’s season will be an Far North all stars game to open the AFL premiership match between the Saints and Power at Cazalys in late April.
With North Cairns eyeing a return to relevancy in 2022, Lees said parity between the sides was something the competition emphasised going into the season.
“For the seniors and women’s, this is first year where at the start of the year you could flip a coin and have six people who are going to give you different predictions about who will win the premiership,” he said.
The Cairns Post has combed through the Seniors fixture to bring you the top seven matches you won’t want to miss this AFL Cairns season.
Round 2, Cairns City Lions v Cairns Saints (April 16)
Fans will be treated to an all-time premiership rematch early in the season, with the Lions and Saints going at it at Holloways in a 2021 finale replay.
Will the Saints reaffirm their spot as the top team of the competition? Or will the Lions’ pride assert themselves as the new squad to beat?
Round 4, Port Douglas Crocs v Cairns Saints (May 7)
There’s plenty to be excited about when arguably the two most formidable teams in FNQ go at one another for what will be another ‘pink in the tropics’ game.
Tensions are always high and the ferocity aplenty when Brad Cooper’s Crocs go up against prodigy Wes Glass and his Saints.
The Port-based game will serve as the new-look Crocs’ first true test of the season against the 2021 runners up.
Round 4, South Cairns Cutters v Centrals Trinity Beach Bulldogs (May 7)
The Cutters may have brought gun midfielder Lachie Rhook to the Far North, but it’ll be Luke Morgan and the Bulldogs who will reap the benefits of his stay in Cairns.
The team of the year wingman left Fretwell for Crathern Park at the end of last season, but will make his return in May for what might be a less-than-warm welcome back to Souths.
Round 19, Port Douglas Crocs v Cairns City Lions (August 27)
It wasn’t until the Lions felled the vaunted Crocs in front of a stunned crowd at Cazalys in the semi final that fans realised how far Cairns City had come.
With last season behind them, both teams have plenty to prove in 2022, and it might all come down to a final round battle at Holloways with seeding implications potentially on the line.
Round 1, North Cairns Tigers v Port Douglas (April 9)
Every year fans and players yearn to see if Norths will be a competitive team in the competition, and 2022 is certainly no different.
It will be a trial by fire against the fearsome Crocs, but the Tigers’ opening draw will give us a glimpse into what kind of team we can expect going forward this season.
Round 3, South Cairns Cutters v North Cairns Tigers (April 25)
The North-South divide in Cairns might mean more to some, and in footy it hasn’t been as hyped up of late.
Nonetheless – depending on the Tigers – we can still hope for a firey renewal of the geographical rivalry as both teams can test their mettle in a high stakes Anzac Day game.
Round 19, Centrals Trinity Beach Bulldogs v Manunda Hawks (August 27)
This final round game has do-or-die written all over it.
While it’s hard to predict what the rest of the season holds for the Bulldogs and Hawks, one can imagine this match will be a ‘win and you’re in’ scenario for at least on of these two teams.
Full fixture below
ROUND 1, April 9
Souths v Saints (Res 3:00pm, Snr5:00pm) at Fretwell Park
Lions v Centrals (Res 12:30pm, Snr 2:30pm) at HBSC
Norths v Port (Res12:30pm, Snr2:30pm) at Watsons Oval
BYE: Hawks
ROUND 2, April 16
Norths v Hawks (Res 6:00pm, Snr 8:00pm) at Watsons Oval (Thu 14th Apr)
Port v Souths (Res 12:00pm, Snr 2:00pm) at PDSC (Fri 15th Apr)
Lions v Saints (Res 12:30pm, Snr 2:30pm) at HBSC
BYE: Centrals
ROUND 3, April 23
Centrals v Port (Res 12:30pm, Snr 2:30pm) at Crathern Park
Saints v Hawks (Res 12:30pm, Snr 2:30pm) at Griffiths Park
Souths v Norths (Res 12:30pm, Snr 2:30pm) at Fretwell Park (Mon 25th Apr)
BYE: Lions
WEEKEND 30th APRIL - Local Representative Football
All Stars Game - TBC
AFL Game (St Kilda v Port Adel) at Cazalys
ROUND 4, May 7
Port v Saints (Res 12:00pm, Snr2:00pm) at PDSC
Souths v Centrals (Res3:00pm Snr5:00pm) at Fretwell Park
Hawks v Lions (Res 12:30pm, Snr2:30pm) at Cazalys
BYE: Norths
ROUND 5, May 14
Port v Lions (Res 12:00pm, Snr2:00pm) at PDSC
Centrals v Hawks (Res 12:30pm, Snr 2:30pm) at Crathern Park
Norths v Saints (Res 12:30pm, Snr 2:30pm) at Watsons Oval
BYE: Souths
ROUND 6, May 21 (Indigenous Round)
Lions v Norths (Res 12:15pm, Snr 2:30pm) at HBSC
Hawks v Souths (Res 2:45pm, Snr 5:00pm) at Cazalys
Saints v Centrals (Res 12:15pm, Snr 2:30pm) at Griffiths Park
BYE: Port
ROUND 7, May 28
Centrals v Norths (Res 12:30pm, Snr 2:30pm) at Crathern Park
Hawks v Port (Res 12:30pm, Snr 2:30pm) at Cazalys
Lions v Souths (Res 12:30pm, Snr 2:30pm) at HBSC
BYE: Saints
ROUND 8, June 4
Saints v Lions (Res 12:30pm, Snr 2:30pm) at Griffiths Park
Souths v Port (Res 12:30pm, Snr 2:30pm) at Fretwell Park
NorthsvsHawksRes12:30pmWatsons OvalSnr2:30pm
BYE: Centrals
ROUND 9, June 11
Port v Centrals (Res 12:00pm, Snr 2:00pm) at PDSC
Hawks v Saints (Res 12:30pm, Snr 2:30pm) at Cazalys
Souths v Norths (Res 12:30pm, Snr 2:30pm) at Fretwell Park
BYE: Lions
ROUND 10, June 18
Saints v Souths (Res 12:30pm, Snr 2:30pm) at Griffiths Park
Centrals v Lions (Res 12:30pm, Snr 2:30pm) at Crathern Park
Norths v Port (Res 12:30pm, Snr2:30pm) Watsons Oval
BYE: Hawks
ROUND 11, June 25 (Pride Round)
Port v Lions (Res 12:00pm, Snr 2:00pm) at PDSC
Hawks v Centrals (Res 12:30pm, Snr2:30pm) at Cazalys
Saints v Norths (Res 12:30pm, Snr 2:30pm) at Griffiths Park
BYE: Souths
SAT 2nd JULY - NQ v SQ Representative Football (Southport)
Competition Bye
ROUND 12, July 9 (NAIDOC Week)
Port v Saints (Res 12:00pm, Snr2:00pm) at PDSC
Centrals v Souths (Res 12:30pm, Snr 2:30pm) at Crathern Park
Lions v Hawks (Res 12:30pm, Snr 2:30pm) at HBSC
BYE: Norths
ROUND 13, July 16 (Show Weekend)
Lions v Norths (Res 12:30pm, Snr 2:30pm) at HBSC
Souths v Hawks (Res 12:30pm, Snr 2:30pm) at Fretwell Park
Centrals v Saints (Res 12:30pm, Snr 2:30pm) at Crathern Park
BYE: Port
ROUND 14, July 23
Norths v Centrals (Res 12:30pm, Snr 2:30pm) at Watsons Oval
Hawks v Port (Res 12:30pm, Snr 2:30pm) at Cazalys
Souths v Lions (Res 12:30pm, Snr 2:30pm) at Fretwell Park
BYE: Saints
ROUND 15, July 30
Hawks v Norths (Res 12:30pm, Snr 2:30pm) at Cazalys
Saints v Port (Res 12:30pm, Snr 2:30pm) at Griffiths Park
Centrals v Souths (Res 12:30pm, Snr 2:30pm) at Crathern Park
BYE: Lions
ROUND 16, August 6
Souths v Saints (Res 12:30pm, Snr 2:30pm) at Fretwell Park
Lions v Centrals (Res 12:30pm, Snr 2:30pm) at HBSC
Port v Hawks (Res 12:00pm, Snr2:00pm) at PDSC
BYE: Norths
ROUND 17, August 13
Saints v Lions (Res 12:30pm, Snr 2:30pm) at Griffiths Park
Norths v Souths (Res 12:30pm, Snr 2:30pm) at Watsons Oval
BYE: Hawks/Port/Centrals
ROUND 18, August 20
Hawks v Souths (Res 12:30pm, Snr 2:30pm) at Cazalys
Port v Centrals (Res 12:00pm, Snr 2:00pm) at PDSC
Norths v Lions (Res 12:30pm, Snr 2:30pm) at Watsons Oval
BYE: Saints
ROUND 19, August 20
Lions v Port (Res 12:30pm, Snr 2:30pm) at HBSC
Centrals v Hawks (Res 12:30pm, Snr 2:30pm) at Crathern Park
Saints v Norths (Res 12:30pm, Snr 2:30pm) at Griffiths Park
BYE: Souths
FINALS
Semi-Final: Friday 2nd/Saturday 3rd September 5:00pm
Preliminary Final: Saturday 10th September 5:00pm
Grand Final: Saturday 17th September 5:00pm
Originally published as No vax needed for AFL Cairns players, clouds remain for patrons
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