AFL suspends 2020 AFL season amid coronavirus restrictions
AFL players will return home as the season goes into shut-down mode. How will they stay fit — and avoid catching COVID-19? Clubs are still looking for answers.
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AFL players will be sent back to their family and friends immediately as clubs admit they don’t know how to integrate their players back into football clubs if they contract coronavirus.
Clubs have already started planning for a months-long hiatus that as players begin holidays that could last until the end of April.
With football not set to recommence until May 31 at the earliest, players will fulfil individual training programs but dozens could potentially catch coronavirus in that time.
Clubs believe it will be a significant challenge to get their players back match-fit and free of the virus after interaction with the community.
Experts say up to 60 per cent of Australians are likely to contact COVID-19 and players will be at risk, with clubs not able to implement the high-level isolation procedures they have used over the past week.
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Essendon midfielder Devon Smith told Channel 9 there were many unanswered questions.
“Are we allowed to train with small groups? I don’t think you are allowed to go to the footy club. It’s quite hard and we don’t know, there is a lot of grey area at the moment.”
Brisbane coach Chris Fagan said his players were “numb” after being told the news straight after their loss to Hawthorn.
“They (players) had blank looks on their faces really, there wasn’t a lot of conversation,” he said.
“Probably once we get on the bus and start to talk we will begin to work out what the next eight weeks look like and what we can do and can’t do.
“There are a lot of unknowns.”
North Melbourne midfielder Shaun Higgins said the situation presented a great unknown.
“We’re in the same boat as everyone else. We’ll adhere to the guidelines and see what tomorrow brings,” Higgins told the Herald Sun.
“We’re all probably feeling a little bit shocked like in the general community. No one can predict what’s going to happen, when it’s going to happen. It was likely that we would be on an extended break of the season at some stage and I think the whole world is surprised at just how fast things are moving. We’re no different to that.”
Higgins said returning later in the year would present no shortage of challenges.
“It’s unknown of when we come back and the preparation and lead-in would obviously cause some sort of concern,” Higgins said.
“Players are very adaptable and clubs manage these sort of situations, although this sort of situation is unprecedented.
“We’ll find a way through it. But it’s not about football at the moment. Clearly it’s a larger issue than that.”
Richmond football boss Neil Balme said the Tigers didn’t have answers on how to integrate players back into their football clubs when a decision comes to prepare for a resumption of the season.
“We have given it a hell of a lot of thought, but we have no solution for it yet,” he said.
“We have got a responsibility to help them stay in a condition where they can play later if that’s what happens, but ... you don’t want them being around the place training when they can’t play. It will be a real challenge for them.
“Wherever they are from, if they can go there with their families it would be ideal. But then they might not be able to come back. There are so many things we don’t know the answer to.”
Essendon’s banned players in 2016 trained in a small group to keep fit and keep their spirits high while they were unable to be at the Bombers’ headquarters.
GWS coach Leon Cameron said there was no ideal way to keep players fit away from their clubs.
“We are going to go into that in more detail this week around if we put a halt to the season, what do the next two or three months look like. How do we train, how do we keep fit?”
— with Jay Clark, Chris Cavanagh
GOLD COAST SENDS PLAYERS HOME
Gold Coast told its players at an emergency player meeting on Sunday night the club will support them if they want to return to family and friends interstate.
Football boss Jon Haines told the Herald Sun it would work with players on a “case-by-case basis” whether they stayed around the club or went back to their own states.
He said the meeting was a “fairly sobering gathering” but important for the players.
Some players will remain on the Gold Coast but with a large proportion of interstate players the Suns are happy if they leave for what is effectively a holiday period.
“They can stay fit and healthy wherever they are, but it’s more a case of where they want to be,” he said.
“Whether it’s with family or on the Gold Coast wherever they live, it’s very much a case-by-case basis.
“Until we get a bit more detail from the AFL and (players association) on the practicalities around that break we don’t know (how long they are off).
“We just said to our players tonight — they just left the club then — if you have questions think about them and come back to us.
“The main focus was on reinforcement — stay healthy, stay safe, do everything we ask the rest of the competition to do and then the rest was on their emotional and mental health, reinforcing where they can get that.”
AFLPA OPTIMISTIC PLAYERS WILL RETURN
The AFL Players’ Association is optimistic this year’s season will recommence “at the right time” but has supported the league’s decision to suspend games for the next two months.
AFLPA chief executive Paul Marsh said the decision to suspend the season after Round 1 until at least May 31 was the “right one”.
“The AFLPA understands the AFL’s decision to cancel the AFLW season and suspend the AFL season until May 31,” Marsh said.
“Players had clearly expressed their desire to play as long as it was deemed safe for them and the broader community.
“With the rapidly changing situation regarding COVID-19, and the announcements of the Federal Government and various State Government’s today, player and community health and safety must remain a priority.”
Marsh said the players were hopeful the season would be able to resume in time.
“We remain optimistic that the 2020 AFL season will recommence at the right time, but, for now, we believe today’s decision is the right one for players, staff, clubs and the community,” Marsh said.
“We encourage the community to heed the advice of the government and to show support, care and kindness to each other as we navigate through this unprecedented situation.”
Marsh said the AFLPA was “heartbroken” for its AFLW players after it the league determined no premier would be crowned in 2020.
“It is obviously incredibly disappointing for our AFLW finalists who have put their passion and commitment into season 2020,” Marsh said.
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“It was discussed with AFLW player delegates from all clubs last week as to their preferred finals structure and, after consultation, the majority view was to push to a top eight, knowing that there was a risk the competition might come to an early conclusion if the COVID-19 situation continued to intensify. Unfortunately, this is now the case.
“We congratulate all AFLW players on their contribution to the 2020 season.”
