AFL 2020 fixture: Trent Cotchin says Tigers a ‘genuine chance’ to stay home

Richmond skipper Trent Cotchin says some of his teammates could choose to stay home as the AFL scrambles to fix its fixture.

Crows players are keen to get home. (AAP Image/Darren England)

AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan wasn’t joking when he said the footy fixture could change daily.

Tuesday’s decision by the South Australian Government not to open its borders to Victoria as originally scheduled on July 20 is the latest spanner to be thrown into the season.

It’s becoming increasingly likely the league will have to create a number of isolation hubs outside of Victoria to complete its season — a proposition which creates its own new headaches.

Richmond captain Trent Cotchin said there was a “genuine chance” some of his teammates would choose not to go into a hub.

“I think it is going to be a challenge,” he said.

“(There’s) no doubt our footy club will be there (in a hub) and will partake and do what we need to do to continue the season.

“But there’s going to be a number of different individual cases or scenarios.

“We have guys with pending babies and other challenges or things going on in their life that we will just have to manage accordingly, and that is something we will manage inside of the club and make sure everyone is comfortable and happy.”

SA PREMIER SAYS NO TO VICS

The AFL had tentative plans for SA clubs Adelaide and Port Adelaide to return home for longish stints after they follow month-long stays in Queensland with round seven matches in Melbourne.

Achieving this will now require significant manouevring because of the difficulty in bringing Victorian teams in.

SA premier Steven Marshall made the announcement on Tuesday, saying his state was “not in a position” to remove its hard border with Victoria. Opening SA to NSW and the ACT is still being considered and a further update would be provided later this week, he said.

QUEENSLAND TURNS AWAY TIGERS

It comes after three games scheduled for this weekend had to be changed following a decision by the Queensland Government to force 14-day isolation periods on anyone entering its borders from Victoria.

Port won’t mind where they play as long as they keep winning. (Photo by Jono Searle/AFL Photos/via Getty Images )

The Queenslanders didn’t want Richmond coming to town to play West Coast on the Gold Coast on Thursday night after Victoria recorded a spike in COVID-19 cases.

So the Tigers will stay in Melbourne and play the Demons, who were scheduled to play Sydney.

The Swans will instead travel to Queensland to play the Eagles, who have been located in the Sunshine State for the past few weeks.

Carlton’s clash against St Kilda was also shifted, to the prime time Thursday night slot, giving both teams just five days to recover from their Saturday matches in round four.

ROUND FIVE — NEW SCHEDULE

Thursday, July 2

Carlton v St Kilda at Marvel Stadium, Victoria — 7.40pm

Saturday, July 4

West Coast Eagles v Sydney Swans at Metricon Stadium, Queensland — 1.45pm

Sunday, July 5

Melbourne v Richmond at MCG, Victoria — 3.35pm