Essendon coach John Worsfold throws his support behind the AFL’s controversial quarantine hub option
The AFL is considering a number of options to kickstart its season once the coronavirus crisis abates, including cluster-style quarantine hubs. But who is for the radical idea and who is against it?
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Essendon coach John Worsfold has thrown his own support behind the AFL’s controversial quarantine hub option if it means getting the 2020 season underway as he prepares to emerge from his own self-isolation.
The idea of playing in groups of six AFL teams in states with lower infection rates is one of a dozen proposals to help play resume, but it has gained traction in recent days.
Worsfold has been in 14 days isolation at his family home in Perth after choosing to return to Western Australia as it closed its borders, due to the coronavirus crisis.
He stressed he wasn’t prepared to speak on behalf of the playing group, but was personally supportive of quarantine hubs in states with lower infection rates.
“This is going to be a short-term thing, if it has to happen to get the comp running,” he said.
“If this is the only way to see out this footy season, I think the majority of players would be keen to be involved.
“I’m not going to speak on behalf of the Players’ Association … but for the way I’m wired, I am saying, ‘Let’s get it going, where do I have to be and what do I have to do’. That’s a personal opinion, but as with all these things, we need to listen to all the stakeholders.”
Premiers Richmond are open to a cluster-style format with teams playing in quarantined hubs, despite lukewarm feedback from the league’s stars.
But, while the AFL Players’ Association says it is open to listening to all ideas, union boss Paul Marsh said it had yet to be consulted by the league and the likes of Patrick Dangerfield and Taylor Walker did not react positively to the proposal.
The Herald Sun understands the AFL is considering the clusters.
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If states and territories eased restrictions, the league would be able to fly teams into states with low infection rates without having to quarantine players for 14 days.
The reality that Australia might be in some level of lockdown for the entire year means the league needs alternative proposals or find itself in a $400 million broadcast black hole.
Richmond senior club adviser Neil Balme said clubs were genuinely open to any proposal from the league.
“If that is what has to happen we would be more than happy to do it,” Balme said.
“Genuinely the clubs are very open to everything the AFL is doing to get the game back. The clubs won’t be difficult about it, I can assure you, within reason.
“Whatever way we can play, we will play, it’s safe to say.”
Collingwood president and AFL coronavirus cabinet member Eddie McGuire confirmed the three-hub idea was being seriously considered.
Marsh said the AFLPA had been in discussions with the AFL, but were yet to have any formal talks on what a resumption might look like.
“I know it’s (hubs) one of the things that they’re thinking about but we need to understand what the proposal might be here and then we’ll talk to the players about it,” Marsh said on Fox Footy Live.
“The players are absolutely committed to trying to work with the industry to get this season away and try to get as many games as possible so we’ll be very open-minded to whatever the AFL may bring to us.”
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Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein said he would be open to the concept of hosting a clump of AFL teams in his state, but said the safety of his state’s population was his chief concern.
“I saw Eddie McGuire’s comments and they are interesting,” Gutwein said.
“My only aim at the moment, my key focus, is keeping Tasmanians safe.
“If we can get through this quicker than other states, then opportunities may arise.
“There will be a lot of ideas thrown around about this and Tasmania may be in a position where it can come out of this earlier.”
AFL stars Taylor Walker and Patrick Dangerfield distanced themselves from the proposal.
“I’m not sure how comfortable I would be with it,” Dangerfield said on SEN.
“We’ve said we’ll do what we can as players.
“You’d find there’s players who would be more than willing to do that and you will have some who are vehemently opposed.”
Former Adelaide captain Walker was reluctant to embrace the idea.
“It would be quite challenging on the family front (to be sent to a hub away from home) with kids, wives and partners,” Walker said.
“Being in a footy club … if someone’s had the flu or a cold, it can spread quite quickly.
“So I reckon if you went and had six teams in one hub, if the coronavirus did happen to get inside, it could spread quite quickly and wipe out maybe six teams.”