Follow the latest news on how Victoria’s Covid-19 crisis will impact the 2021 AFL season

The blockbuster between Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs will officially go ahead with all players and staff returning negative Covid-19 tests.

Melbourne’s clash with the Western Bulldogs will officially go ahead with all Melbourne players and staff testing negative overnight.

The last tests were returned on Friday morning, with the Demons confirming the news.

“Players and staff are now clear to attend the club’s Round 11 clash with the Western Bulldogs,’’ the Demons said.

“The player who attended a Tier One exposure site will continue to undertake his 14-day isolation, as per Government regulation.”

The Herald Sun understands the exposed player visited the Mordialloc Sporting Globe on Sunday night.

The Demons confirmed on Friday morning the player had tested negative.

While the player had been around the club for three full days, he was in a rehab group recovering from a long-term injury and had not taken part in general training sessions.

AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan expected Melbourne’s playing squad would be cleared by Friday morning.

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Melbourne is expected to be given the all-clear to play on Friday. Picture: Getty Images

McLachlan admitted there would be “serious implications” if a Melbourne player returned a positive test – such as the game being called off and multiple players being forced into two weeks of quarantine.

There was no suggestion the Melbourne player broke any team rules or did anything incorrect, with more than 150 exposure sites across Melbourne.

“Melbourne players and football department staff have undergone coronavirus testing and will isolate until they receive a negative result after a player was present at a Tier 1 exposure site on Sunday,” a club statement said.

“It is expected that players and staff will be cleared in time for Friday night’s clash with the Bulldogs, pending negative test results.

“Regardless of his test result, the player present at the Tier 1 exposure site will undertake the 14-day mandatory isolation as per government regulations.

“Given the timing, the club is confident there will be little disruption to its Round 11 preparations.

“As announced by the Victorian government earlier on Thursday, there will be no crowds permitted at this weekend’s match.”

Richmond staff members prepare to leave Victoria. Picture: Michael Klein

Tiger Bigoa Nyuon packs his bags.

Liam Baker prepares to depart for Sydney.

McLachlan announced three fixture changes on Thursday afternoon as the AFL managed to salvage Round 11 amid the chaos of Victoria’s lockdown.

The Gold Coast-Hawthorn Saturday night game has been moved from Darwin to the SCG, and Richmond will take on Adelaide at Giants Stadium instead of the MCG on Sunday.
Port Adelaide will host Fremantle later on Sunday afternoon to allow umpires to fly in from Perth.

McLachlan said the league expected Friday night’s game to be played under an open Marvel Stadium, but agreed playing without a crowd was a deflating experience.

He said fans from both clubs had been robbed of a marquee contest in a full house that could have resembled the atmosphere at the epic St Kilda-Geelong clash of 2019.

Shutting out fans will cost host club the Bulldogs a bumper windfall.

McLachlan said despite a three-day lag – between the Melbourne player’s Covid-19 hotspot exposure and the Demons being tested – he was confident of negative tests.

“I have a level of comfort,” he said.

“He was in a Tier 1 spot, but I don’t think the risk is huge.

“He was also separated from the rest of the training group. But we don’t take anything for granted in this environment.

“The corporate tickets on sale had already been sold. It will be a huge game.

“It reminded us of 2009 when Geelong and St Kilda were unbeaten heading into Round 14.

“It had that feel and it was going to be a huge sellout.

“So for the Bulldogs as the home club and to our supporters it’s disappointing.

“But this is the virus and we have just got to deal with it.”

McLachlan said the AFL was adamant it did not seriously consider pulling the pin on Round 11 and using it as a bye before again kickstarting the season.

“It’s been a difficult couple of days. I think, frankly, things weren’t settled until the last hour and a half,” McLachlan said at 3.30pm on Thursday.

“We have been working through contingencies and we didn’t know how it would play out.

“We didn’t know how other states would react.

“So we feel like we are back in it, but we have no plans on not playing or finding a way through.

“There may be lumps and bumps if we can’t go forward, we might have to track sideways, but the nine games are going forward in the match-ups we planned.”