AFLW 2022: Adelaide starlet Erin Phillips fears everyone in her team will get Covid
As Covid transmissions across the country continue to grow, AFLW superstar Erin Phillips fears it is inevitable that everyone will contract the virus.
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Star AFLW player Erin Phillips says she is almost expecting herself and her Adelaide teammates to be infected with Covid-19 as the spread of the virus looms over the 2022 season.
The widespread transmission of the omicron variant threatens to seriously impact the AFLW season, which begins on Friday.
At least four Victorian teams are grappling with the impact of players in isolation.
North Melbourne captain Emma Kearney is in serious doubt for the Kangaroos’ match against Geelong after she tested positive.
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Phillips said she was bracing for the league to be hit.
“At some point there is a very good chance that I will get it, probably everyone in our team will get it,” she said.
“Hopefully it doesn’t happen I think the biggest thing is just being as cautious as possible.”
South Australia has a 10 day isolation period for positive Covid cases and a 15-minute time frame for someone to be defined as a close contact – while under new rules some close contacts may have to quarantine up to 14 days.
Phillips said this could make some player’s seasons very short.
“With the season being what it is, it is quite short so if you miss one game you could likely if you do get the virus you could potentially miss two games,” she said.
“So we are being so cautious in what we do, wearing masks while doing weights and when we are inside the club.”
But Phillips said it would be hard to avoid the virus, especially with AFLW players being part time and having to be in the community.
“We are doing our best to try and avoid it but you never know what can happen,” she said.
“I’ve got kids starting school soon … so some things are going to be unavoidable and we will have to deal with the cards that we are dealt.”
Crows coach reveals Covid diagnosis, concern for season
—Simeon Thomas-Wilson
Adelaide AFLW coach Matthew Clarke has revealed he was one of the two staff members at the Crows who tested positive to Covid-19 last month.
And Clarke said South Australia’s different regulations when it comes to classing someone as a close contact, and how long positive cases have to isolate for, have the potential to make things difficult for his side in the 2022.
The Crows announced just before players came back to pre-season after their Christmas break that two members of their AFLW program had tested positive to Covid-19.
Clarke revealed on Tuesday that one of the staff members was him.
“I was one of those staff, so I can tell you about that,” he said.
“I’ve finished my isolation so I’m pretty comfortable talking about that now.”
The other staff member will depart isolation soon and Clarke said that was the only case at the moment in the Crows AFLW program.
“Other than that we are, touchwood, and I will touch wood on that every week, clear,” he said.
“We will have rapid antigen tomorrow and we have PCR (tests) on Friday.”
Clarke and his family, including now ex-ABC morning radio host Ali, all caught the virus just prior to Christmas and had to isolate for 10 days.
He said this being different to the seven days in other states could significantly impact the Crows this season.
“Probably the big challenge for us in South Australia is that a positive Covid test will rule anyone out for 10 days as opposed to interstate where it is a seven day issue,” he said.
“So that is going to be significant for us when that occurs.
“We were really, really fortunate … we had no symptoms outside of a day of a scratchy throat and a runny nose.
“Double vaccinated and really healthy going in but basically for eight days I’ve been sitting there waiting to get out because I’ve felt 100 per cent.”
South Australia also differs when classing a close contact with SA Health defining a close contact as those who have been in a setting where there has been significant transmission of Covid-19, and a person has had at least 15 minutes of face-to-face, indoor unmasked contact with a case – rather than the four-hour time frame now in other states.
Clarke said the Crows would just have to deal with it.
“Yeah that’s the reality, it could impact us but we represent our state and our community and that’s what the rest of our community are going through,” he said.
“So we are more than happy to comply with what everyone else is going through as well.
“Yes we play in a national competition and the rules across different states are slightly different but ultimately we are more than comfortable complying and being a part of SA because that’s who we are.”
In the event of any outbreak hitting the squad, the Crows have 10 train-on players they will be able to choose from to help field a team.
Players are undergoing rapid antigen tests before they step foot in the Crows facilities, while the coaching staff will minimise indoor meetings and look at gym protocols also.
Crows captain Chelsea Randall said the players were exercising an abundance of caution.
“It is obviously a tricky thing and our whole community is trying to deal with it and we are all making sacrifices or recommendations and trying to be responsible in where we are,” she said.
“And communicating that to our girls as best as possible in that you do still have to live your live and work and have family time as well.
“So it is a balance but of course our season is so short, so we only have a matter of three months of playing some footy.
“So we are trying to make all the right choices, can we do online food ordering instead of walking through the doors or can we just go for walks instead of catching up with people inside areas.
“So we are just trying to do the best we can.”
Adelaide begins its 2022 campaign with a grand final rematch against reigning premiers Brisbane at Flinders University Stadium on Sunday.
Crows land Deni Varnhagen replacement
—Simeon Thomas-Wilson
An ex Brisbane and West Coast player has become the first player added to an AFLW list as a result of the league’s Covid-19 vaccination policy.
Adelaide has announced that forward McKenzie Dowrick will be signed to its list, to take the spot created by Deni Varnhagen’s refusal to get vaccinated.
The dual-premiership winning Crow became the first player moved to a club’s inactive list for refusing the vaccination in November.
The Advertiser revealed in October that Varnhagen had told the Crows that she was not yet willing to have the vaccine, the first known player in the AFL to do so.
Days after The Advertiser’s article, the AFL released its Covid-19 vaccination policy, making jabs mandatory for players and staff and ruling that those who refused could be sacked or placed on an inactive list and paid a portion of their salaries.
The Crows and Varnhagen came to a mutual decision to place her on Adelaide’s inactive list for the 2022 season.
While Varnhagen sits on the sidelines this season, Dowrick will get a third AFLW chance after impressing as a train-on player with the Crows during pre-season.
The 21-year-old from Western Australia has lined up in 12 AFLW games for Brisbane and West Coast.
The 172cm, left-footer recently moved to SA to play with Woodville-West Torrens in the SANFLW competition.
Adelaide Head of Women’s Football Phil Harper said Dowrick would improve the Crows as they look to avenge their grand final loss in 2022.
“McKenzie reads the play well and can break the lines with her long kick,” Harper said.
“She kicked a goal in our internal trial and looked dangerous whenever she wheeled onto her left foot.
“She’s made the big move over from WA and has been working hard to get to where she wants to be.
“McKenzie has experience at AFLW level and we think she can help make us better as a team this season.”
The Crows kick off their 2022 campaign with a grand final rematch against Brisbane on Sunday at Flinders University Stadium.
AFLW rules revealed for ‘toughest’ Covid cyclone yet
The omicron wave has already hit the BBL, the NBL and the A-League hard, and is causing havoc in sporting leagues outside of Australia.
So can the AFL keep its head above water when the AFLW begins on Friday.
Outside of the 2020 AFLW grand final, the league has been able to dodge Covid-19 over two extraordinary seasons.
But the rapid speed as which omicron has raced around Australia looks set to be the AFL’s biggest challenge so far in the pandemic.
Prior to Christmas at a meeting of Australian sport’s most powerful minds, AFL boss Gillon McLachlan delivered a stark warning to his colleagues.
“2022 will be our toughest year yet,” he told them.
So how will the AFL handle its first test in what McLachlan reckons will be the toughest year yet when the AFLW season kicks off on Friday night when St Kilda takes on Richmond?
What happens if a player tests positive to Covid?
Players are both undergoing rapid antigen tests prior to each training session and then weekly PCR tests as part of league protocols.
When a player has contracted Covid in the AFLW the squad has been placed into isolation and undergone PCR tests and follow government requirements until they test negative.
Will a game be cancelled if a player or staff member tests positive?
Under the AFLW’s guidelines if sides have at least 16 primary list players and five train-on players for a total of 21 players available then games can continue if there are positive cases.
If numbers drop below this, clubs have 30 primary-listed players, then the league will consider rescheduling matches.
Regarding staff numbers being impacted ahead of a game clubs will need to raise this with the AFL general manager of football operations, legal and integrity.
Have games already been impacted?
Yes. Prior to Christmas Fremantle’s Round 2 match against GWS was moved to Melbourne.
And then the AFL had to make further changes post Christmas when the Western Australian government ramped up border restrictions on South Australia and Queensland.
Round 1 was set to see Adelaide and Brisbane both travel to Perth, to take on the Dockers and West Coast respectively.
But after the border changes the Crows and Lions will face off in Adelaide in a grand final rematch while the two WA teams will begin with a Western Derby.
The Eagles’ Round 2 match against Gold Coast has been moved to Melbourne, as has their Round 3 match against the Crows.
Them and the Dockers should play their original Round 1 fixtures, in Perth, in Round 8.
Is there a chance teams will have to move into hubs to keep the season going?
West Coast and Fremantle are heading to Victoria after Round 1 to keep the season going.
Western Australia is scheduled to open up its borders in February and the AFL will be hoping that WA premier Mark McGowan keeps to this with the part-time nature of AFLW players making a hub quite problematic for the league.
How have clubs handled Covid-positive players so far?
With an abundance of caution with entire playing lists and football departments placed into isolation to undergo PCR testing after a positive test has been returned.
Because the players aren’t full-time though there will be a tricky balancing act for clubs with trying to limit their players potential exposure to the virus.
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