AFL 2021: Fixture could be scrapped after one round due to WA border controls
The WA Government’s hard-line stance of COVID-19 transmission is causing more issues for the AFL, which could have to scrap its current fixture after just one round.
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The AFL admits it might have to scrap its current fixture after only a single round as tight West Australian border restrictions threaten to cause fixture chaos again.
The league has Fremantle flying to Victoria in Round 1 to take on Melbourne, with West Coast scheduled to play the Western Bulldogs in Melbourne in Round 2.
It means Fremantle could not fly back into Perth to host GWS in Round 2 because the players would be forced into a 14-day quarantine after having visited Victoria.
West Coast would have an identical problem for its Round 3 fixture.
The WA government has stated it will need 28 days without community transmission in Victoria before dropping border restrictions, which means Melbourne’s two cases on Friday effectively re-sets that marker to zero days.
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AFl fixturing boss Travis Auld conceded on Friday that the league was still in talks with the WA state government about how the fixture could proceed.
The tight restrictions might force the WA-based teams on the road for the early weeks of the season again in a reprise of last year’s nightmare fixture.
“The Round 1 fixture as it stands, we can proceed with that. The challenge will be Fremantle coming to Victoria to play Melbourne. It presents an issue as it stands for Fremantle going back to WA, they would have to quarantine,” Auld said.
That causes issues for them but it causes issues for us as a competition and West Coast play Gold Coast in Round 1, but in Round 2 they come to Melbourne.
“So it’s the same issue for them. We have a challenge in West Australia. We have got to work through that challenge. Our goal is to work through the fixture to the extent we can but clearly we have to work with those clubs and the WA government to see if there is a better solution without compromising the health of the community.
Asked what that compromise might be, Auld replied: “I wish I had the answer to that”.
The AFL has short-term options including cycling those clubs through Queensland for several weeks after playing Melbourne sides to effectively “cleanse” them for 14 days.
It means they could continue playing each week then fly from Queensland back into WA, with no border restrictions between those states.
But the Herald Sun understands if either West Coast or Fremantle play any team which has played a Victorian side within the past 14 days, the WA-based teams become “dirty” again and have to quarantine for 14 days upon their return.
All of it shapes up as a recipe for disaster unless the WA government relaxes its hard-line stance after the state election on Saturday March 13.
The league could also seek exemptions for WA teams to have tighter COVID restrictions when they leave Perth and be able to return without quarantining.
But the league will have to hope for almost no positive COVID cases across the country helped by a vaccine rollout if West Australia does not relent.
“What I do know is we will explore every opportunity., It’s what we did last year, we have to start the season and when we encounter some speed humps we will find our way around those and I am confident that as an organisation and industry we will be working with our partners and players and clubs to work through it.
“As it stands today it feels difficult to find a way through those restrictions. What we do know is that many things can change between now and March 18 and we have to remain open to differing options. We are having conversations with those clubs and the government and it may not be an issue, it may be an issue for a round or a week and I don’t think anyone knows.”
INTERSTATE TRAVEL CANNED FOR PRE-SEASON GAMES
Glenn McFarlane
The AFL has pulled the pin on interstate travel for its clubs during next month’s AAMI Community Series as a COVID precaution.
All 18 clubs will remain in their home states as the league looks to minimise any travel heading into the start of the home-and-away season on March 18, with four matches affected by the announcement late on Wednesday.
The Hawthorn and North Melbourne pre-season clash, originally scheduled to be played in Launceston on Saturday, March 6, will now be played at Arden St.
That switch could add fuel to the fire in the ongoing standoff between the Tasmanian Government and the AFL, with the loss of the pre-season fixture to deprive Tasmanian football fans of more elite football action.
There were no AFL matches in Tasmania last year due to the COVID pandemic and the Tasmanian Government is currently in a standoff with the AFL after league boss Gillon McLachlan last week delayed a decision on a timeline for a stand-alone state team for at least another 12 months.
North Melbourne CEO Ben Amarfio said the club was disappointed that the clubs couldn’t play in Tasmania, but understood the decision to move it to the Kangaroos’ home base at Arden St.
“We all have to be flexible and need to adapt in this uncertain environment to ensure the safety of everyone, and we must do whatever it takes to get the home and away season underway and completed,” Amarfio said.
“Of course we are disappointed our Tasmanian members and fans won’t get to see us play next week, but we are cognisant of the fact these decisions are being made in the interests of managing a very real risk, and ensuring the safety of the community, players and staff.”
Matches already locked into Victoria remain unchanged, but clubs from South Australia, Western Australia, New South Wales and Queensland will stay at home and play against their local rivals.
AFL Executive General Manager of Clubs and Broadcasting Travis Auld said the league wanted to ensure there were no unexpected hurdles leading into Round 1.
“The AAMI Community Series continues to play an important role for AFL clubs and supporters across the country and we thank everyone in the game for their understanding as we continue to work through the safest and most straightforward options for players, staff and supporters,” Auld said.
“The changes to the fixture are consistent with the league’s approach to best managing the risks around COVID by minimising travel for teams where possible across both the men’s and women’s programs.
“As a result, we have had to make changes to some venues and we thank the people of Canberra, Fremantle and Launceston for their understanding – each of those areas plays an extremely important role in our game.
“We hope to be able to return to Fremantle in the near future and we look forward to Canberra and Tasmania hosting AFL games as part of the 2021 Toyota AFL Premiership Season.
“While we share the disappointment of these areas, we are also looking forward to supporters being able to safely attend AAMI Community Series matches, particularly in states where supporters have not been able to attend a men’s game in over a year.”
The Giants and Swans will now play each other at Giants Stadium on March 7, with Adelaide and Port Adelaide now playing at Noarlunga Oval instead of playing the two WA teams across the border.
The following night Brisbane will meet Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium.
TIGERS REVEAL CROWD HOPES FOR FOOTY’S MCG RETURN
—Nick Smart
Richmond is hopeful of having 50,000 fans at the MCG season opener, when it will become the first club in VFL-AFL history to unfurl two premiership flags at the same time.
The Tigers last year deferred unfurling their 2019 flag until they could share the moment with their fans at the MCG.
Unless the COVID-19 situation in Victoria worsened between now and the March 18 season opener, a reduced capacity of fans will be there for football’s triumphant return to the MCG.
The blockbuster clash between Richmond and Carlton is set to be the hottest ticket in town, although Tigers chief executive Brendon Gale said he still did not know how many fans would be let in for the yellow and black celebration.
“Things change on the flip of a coin (with the COVID situation),” Gale said.
“We’re hopeful we could have 50 per cent capacity but that might change, as the events of the last week show.
“We’ll keep doing what we can do as a football community and we’ll continue to rely on the advice of the Victorian Government and the AFL.
“It’s a moving feast.”
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Major Events Minster Martin Pakula said on Tuesday the size of the crowds allowed in for the start of the season was still to be determined.
“I’d love to be able to tell you but I’m not able to do that today,” he said.
“I’m pretty optimistic we’ll have a decent crowd (for the season opener), but ultimately it will be up to the chief health officer.
“And I know the AFL is working closely with the department of health about their COVID safe plans.
“There will be an announcement closer to Round 1, but I’m hoping for the biggest crowd we can possibly get within the parameters of COVID safety.”
Tigers spearhead Tom Lynch said the Richmond players were counting down the days until they can play in front of their fans at the MCG again.
“We can’t wait,” he said.
“To play on the MCG, there’s nothing better and a full Tiger army behind us would be awesome.
“Hopefully we’re allowed to get a good crowd in Round 1.”
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