That's a wrap for another remarkable day of footy news. Stick with your News Corp masthead to see the teams for all the Round 1 games and live coverage of tonight's season opener between Richmond and Carlton at an empty MCG – and live coverage all weekend. Scroll down to recap all today's headlines and join us again at 7am on Monday for another edition of AFL Daily.
AFL Daily: AFL teams take measures to protect from coronavirus in Round 1, rolling footy news for Thursday, March 19, 2020
After the AFL made the huge call to proceed with the 2020 season, clubs are taking unique and creative measures to keep their players safe during Round 1.
Melbourne will take a chartered flight to Perth and be isolated away from other guests at the team’s hotel to help protectits players and coaches from coronavirus.
The Demons will fly west tomorrow to face West Coast on Sunday and coach Simon Goodwin said his club was happy to do so withthe extra provisions that will be in place.
“We’re really comfortable (with flying), we know we’re going to be travelling on Saturday,” he said.
“With all the regulations that are in place it is going to be a chartered flight with Virgin.
“They’ve committed to getting us over and back to Perth.”
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While it is not yet confirmed, the Demons were also hopeful they'll be able to avoid airport crowds by getting dropped off and picked up at the tarmac.
“If we can avoid going through the terminal then at some point I’m sure they will make that available,” Goodwin said.
Melbourne will unveil two debutants against the Eagles, with first-round draft pick Kysaiah Pickett and fellow small forward Toby Bedford selected for the Demons’ opener.
There has been strong buzz surrounding Pickett – the nephew of former North Melbourne and Port Adelaide star Byron - fromthe moment the Demons snaffled him at pick No.12 in last year’s national draft.
“He’s just got genuine excitement for us,” Goodwin said of Pickett.
“He’s the small forward that brings a lot of aerial presence but also ground level pressure.
“He has an enormous amount of talent and we think he’s going to offer our forward line a different look.”
Veteran Nathan Jones (achilles) and Christian Salem (glandular fever) will miss the club’s opener, but both are close to a return.
Goodwin said his side was looking forward to an empty stadium in Perth given what visiting sides usually experience.
“They’re a very parochial crowd and a very parochial state so to play West Coast over there, who we know is an unbelievable side, with no crowd, we think that evens up the playing field from our end," he said.
“We’re looking forward to getting over there and playing them in that sort of environment.
“We had a practice run at Casey on Saturday with no crowd down here and no music and having a simulation in silence.
“We tried to use that as an experience we’ll take into this week.”
Scroll down to recap today's headlines in our live blog
Updates
Face masks in vogue
Mask on for the Dockers.
The West Australian's Jordan McArdle spotted Fremantle players – including superstar Nat Fyfe – taking the health precaution amid the coronavirus outbreak.
The Dockers take on Essendon in their season-opener at Docklands.
The moment you've been waiting for, St Kilda fans.
Max King will pull on the Saints guernsey for his first AFL game this weekend.
The prized key forward is sure to be a fan favourite – both for Saints supporters and SuperCoaches alike.
Full list of debutants:
ADELAIDE
Fisher McAsey
CARLTON
Jack Martin
COLLINGWOOD
Tyler Brown
WESTERN BULLDOGS
Alex Keath, Josh Bruce, Ben Cavarra
NORTH MELBOURNE
Josh Walker
GWS
Tom Green
MELBOURNE
Toby Bedford
Kysaiah Pickett
PORT ADELAIDE
Mitch Georgiades
ST KILDA
Max King
King set for Roos debut
The moment you've been waiting for, St Kilda fans.
Max King will pull on the Saints guernsey for his first AFL game this weekend.
The prized key forward is sure to be a fan favourite – both for Saints supporters and SuperCoaches alike.
Full list of debutants:
ADELAIDE
Fisher McAsey
CARLTON
Jack Martin
COLLINGWOOD
Tyler Brown
WESTERN BULLDOGS
Alex Keath, Josh Bruce, Ben Cavarra
NORTH MELBOURNE
Josh Walker
GWS
Tom Green
MELBOURNE
Toby Bedford
Kysaiah Pickett
PORT ADELAIDE
Mitch Georgiades
ST KILDA
Max King
We have another one!
Adelaide's first selection from the 2019 AFL Draft draft Fischer McAsey will play his first game against Sydney this weekend.
McAsey was taken with the pick No.6 by the Crows and impressed new coach Matthew Nicks in his first pre-season
The intercept defender is priced at $184,800 in SuperCoach and can be selected as a defender – will you be picking him?
Adelaide young gun to debut
We have another one!
Adelaide's first selection from the 2019 AFL Draft draft Fischer McAsey will play his first game against Sydney this weekend.
McAsey was taken with the pick No.6 by the Crows and impressed new coach Matthew Nicks in his first pre-season
The intercept defender is priced at $184,800 in SuperCoach and can be selected as a defender – will you be picking him?
MICHAEL RANDALL
I’ve always been one to flirt with unconventional KFC SuperCoach teams.
The mid-priced madness strategy has worked for me over many years.
I got bored of the time-honoured rookies and premos strategy, given I can’t win the cash anyway.
This year, I flirted with a team packed with GWS and Western Bulldogs players early on, before settling on one that many would consider laughable — mostly blokes priced between $350-500k.
When Gill announced the competition would be reduced to 17 rounds, with no byes and a crammed schedule, I thought my strategy was cooked.
FULL STORY: https://bit.ly/3bcfqtR
Always listen to Jonathan Brown
Browny’s KFC #SuperCoach 🔒 for 2020!
— SuperCoach AFL (@Supercoach) March 19, 2020
Jonathan Brown Team Reveal | https://t.co/QwuArVf1x1
1⃣7⃣ game season strategy | https://t.co/5swFk6MTUv
Cheat Sheet 📝 | https://t.co/m8fFtV61oS pic.twitter.com/baxJMweq2x
The Phantom's last minute KFC SuperCoach guide
It’s been a long pre-season for KFC SuperCoaches around the country with The Phantom taking charge in December
But, just like at amateur footy clubs throughout Australia, there are always a few who roll up on the last week expecting a game in Round 1.
If that sounds like you and you’ve left it until the last minute to get your KFC SuperCoach team in order, you’re in the right place.
Or even if you are just reshuffling your side after the official announcement of the 2020 rule changes, The Phantom’s last-minute guide is here to help.
FULL STORY: https://bit.ly/3a8CTMM
Nui Te Koha, Herald Sun
A leading psychologist says crowdless AFL games may result in unmotivated play or dirty tricks due to lack of supporters.
Psychologist Sandy Rea said: “There is a lot of motivation gained from having a crowd. It’s one of the reasons we don’t like booing. Booing is a disincentive to playing. Conversely, applause and crowd support incentivises and motivates players.
“This is where we have intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation means it comes from within yourself, like ‘I don’t care what was happening in the world around me, I did things to the best of my ability."
FULL STORY: https://bit.ly/33rwiuf
