AFL coronavirus updates: AFL shorten season; Scott Pendlebury still waiting; Garry Lyon hits out

As the sporting world comes to a standstill, the AFL has delivered its stance over just how the 2020 season will be run during the crisis.

AFL announce a shortened season.

It’s D-Day for the AFL as it decides whether to go ahead with its season or not amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Here’s the latest:

AFL REDUCE SEASON LENGTH

The AFL have pushed the decision on if round 1 of the 2020 season will be delayed until Tuesday, however AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan stated the league will hold a shortened season in 2020.

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“Given the uncertainty of what lies ahead and to give us maximum flexibility while preserving the integrity of the competition, the Toyota AFL Premiership Season will be reduced to 17 rounds; every team will play each other once,” McLachlan said.

“It continues to be a fluid situation; we have not made a final decision on the men’s and women’s commitment to this weekend, we have meetings with clubs, players and industry partners in the next 24 hours.

“Australian Rules Football is resilient. Football has had many challenges and despite the size of this one, football will find a way through.

“We are a game but we are not the main game.”

AFL boss Gillon McLachlan ...

▪️ AFL season cut to a 17-round season, with no double-ups
▪️ No decision on whether AFL or AFLW will be played this weekend
▪️ Mini-draft likely to help supplement lists
▪️ SANFL, NEAFL, WAFL, VFL starts May 31

AFLPA conference scheduled for 7pm.

— Sam Landsberger 🗯 (@SamLandsberger) March 16, 2020

Just like it was with the NBA, McLachlan says if a player did test positive for COVID-19 the entire league would be suspended.

A decision on round 1 is expected to be handed down within 24 hours, if the season is suspended for a period of time the league could play up until Christmas.

AFL and AFLW players are also filling out surveys to relay their fears over the threat of the virus and their thoughts on the best path forward. The thoughts of the playing group will determine the outcome of tonight’s meeting.

STATE LEAGUES POSTPONED

The AFL has released a statement that the state leagues have been postponed following a collective decision by the AFL State CEOs.

“The decision was collectively agreed upon based on the part-time nature of these competitions and the financial implications for the State League clubs and State Leagues,” the statement read.

“This decision is effective until May 31.”

NRL FEARFUL OF AFL VIRUS SHUT-DOWN

Nine rugby league reporter Danny Weidler has been told the NRL is worried a suspension of the AFL season could force its hand.

PRIVATE CONCERNS: There are growing concerns from within the NRL that the AFL may suspend season. NRL still keen to play on but aware of the enormous pressure they will be under IF that happens. @9NewsSyd @NRLonNine

— Danny Weidler (@Danny_Weidler) March 16, 2020

SCOTT PENDLEBURY AWAITING TEST RESULTS

Collingwood skipper Scott Pendlebury had missed the past two training sessions with the Magpies after presenting flu-like symptoms.

On Monday afternoon it was reported the skipper had been given the all clear, but the club latest advised he was still awaiting test results that should be returned in the next 24 hours.

TONY JONES CALLS FOR AFL REALITY CHECK

Nine sports commentator Tony Jones has gone whack at the AFL, calling for league officials to take a reality check in response to Australia’s coronavirus restrictions.

The league is pushing ahead with plans to continue with Thursday night’s season opener between Carlton and Richmond behind closed doors at the MCG.

However, a series of meetings between major stakeholders — including the league, clubs, government and health authorities — will continue throughout Monday and the situation could change at any moment.

Our Grandparents were asked to pick up a gun & head to war...

We have been asked to stay home more & wash our hands...#Perspective

— Josh Jenkins (@JoshJenkins24) March 15, 2020

The AFL Players’ Association is also reportedly set to conduct a teleconference with all 1240 male and female players on Monday night to address the situation and invite feedback.

Jones has criticised the AFL for failing to suspend the season, suggesting the sport is putting its self interest ahead of the rest of the country.

“My gut feel is that the season won’t go ahead on Thursday night. We’re talking about a football community with more than 700 players,” Jones said on the Today Show.

“They’ve got to get a grip on reality, the AFL. This whole coronavirus pandemic is a great leveller. It doesn’t matter who you are. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a celebrity, whether you’re a politician, whether you’re a sports star.

“It is a great leveller and the AFL, as of today, need to fall into line. But let’s never forget also, it’s not their call. As much as they like to think they’re the premier code and they run sport in this country, it’s not their call.”

Just got off a flight and a guy has a 24 pack of toilet paper as his carry on. Gotta respect the hustle. Strange times people

— Dane Swan (@swandane) March 16, 2020

He said a potentially abandoned season would push some AFL clubs to the brink of bankruptcy, but believes the game is well positioned to confront the crippling financial consequences of shutting down.

The AFL is reported to have cash reserves of around $100 million after profits of around $150 million over the last three financial years. It also has assets of around $240 million, including its ownership of Marvel Stadium.

“A whole season would be pushing some clubs to the wall,” Jones said.

“They have a war chest the AFL. The one thing they are very savvy about is money and finances in general.”

SEVEN STAR QUARANTINED, MISSES SEASON OPENER

Channel 7 commentator Brian Taylor has reportedly given up hopes of calling the AFL season opener.

Still filming Channel 7’s new Holey Moley series in Los Angeles, Taylor will be forced to self quarantine himself for 14 when he returns from the United States.

It means the veteran caller is unable to work for Seven until at least the third round of the season — if the AFL pushes ahead with the 2020 season in coming weeks.

BT in isolation and not able to commentate?

Not worth it, cancel the season.

— Ned Balme (@NedBalmeLives) March 16, 2020

Seven is also reportedly taking radical action to ensure superstar commentator Bruce McAvaney is able to continue as part of its AFL broadcast team — and is considering calling AFL games from its Melbourne based studio.

The Australian reports Seven is considering having McAvaney call games from a TV monitor inside a studio next to Marvel Stadium in order to protect the 66-year-old, who is managing a non-life threatening form of leukaemia.

LYON: ‘WHY ARE THEY THE EXCEPTION TO THE WORLD?’

Melbourne great Garry Lyon thinks the league is crazy to push on. Lyon said a proposal to condense five games in three weeks before a suspension of the season was puzzling — and a report claiming games would still go on even if a player tested positive was outrageous.

“Not only are we asking the players to do everything we’re asking the general members of society not to do, we’re now going to tell them to do it five times in three weeks,” he told SEN Breakfast.

“The question I will continue to ask – why are we playing Thursday? I can tell you why not based on everything I’ve read and learned. I’m just trying to work out why. What’s the rush?

“Back page of the Herald Sun, the AFL thinks they can play on despite a player getting tested positive. Why are they the exception to the world?

“Do you know how strange that sounds? The world is going into isolation and the AFL reckons they can push on.”

No chance Thursday

— Matthew Richardson (@mattricho0) March 15, 2020

Fox Footy host Gerard Whateley said on Monday history will judge AFL boss Gillon McLachlan “harshly” if the league pushes on with the 2020 season.

“It is incongruous to think while the world is shutting down the AFL can ramp up,” Whateley told SEN Radio.

“It seems almost every sporting competition around the planet has come to a halt, but the AFL competition is going to spring to life.

“It will be a shocking look, judged harshly initially and worse as time passes.

“How can it be that after we’ve been told to begin measures of social distancing that we’re forging ahead with plans to stage contact sport. It’s too much of a contradiction.”

LEAGUE DETERMINED TO FIND A WAY

Gillon McLachlan. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

The AFL appears resolute on staging round one of its men’s competition this week and completing the AFLW season, which has completed six of eight rounds, on schedule.

A host of scenarios have been floated for the men, including jam-packing a number of games in shortened weeks in March and April before an expected suspension of the season in May and June.

The AFL’s determination to complete a full 22-match fixture in 2020 could see them continue to hold matches in the next few weeks even if a player tests positive for COVID-19.

But an extraordinary teleconference of all 1240 AFL and AFLW players on Monday could decide the fate of the 2020 seasons.

The AFL’s season-opener between reigning premiers Richmond and Carlton, a contest that normally attracts up to 90,000 fans, is scheduled for the MCG on Thursday night.

AFL boss Gillon McLachlan has confirmed that spectators will be locked out of stadiums indefinitely.

Richmond CEO Brendon Gale told SEN every high-drawing marquee match played without fans in attendance like this week’s Blues blockbuster would cost his club $1 million, but that’s just the start of the financial pain the league expects to suffer.

The Tigers were reportedly among the first clubs to suspend their entire VFL program — before reports emerged the entire VFL season has been suspended in response to the coronavirus restrictions — but football boss Neil Balme has also backed one league proposal for the AFL to sandwich as many games as possible in coming weeks before the league’s forecast forced suspension.

Geelong’s leadership group for 2020. Picture: Alan Barber

The plan calls for teams to play multiple games per week using top-up players from state leagues and reserve-grade teams to give the league a chance of completing a full 198-game season when it eventually returns from the expected shut down.

Some club bosses have told The Age they believe the possibility of no games being played is still in play.

AFL football boss Steve Hocking will meet with coaches and footy department heads to pitch revised plans on Monday morning.

The league’s 18 club presidents and CEOs will then be briefed this afternoon, before the plans are taken to the players in an all-in teleconference this evening.

PLAYERS COULD SHUT DOWN SEASON

Foxfooty.com.au has spoken to multiple players who said there is a general sense of unease about playing at a time when much of the world is gripped by a virus with no immediate cure.

The AFL Players Association is reportedly telling players they should feel no obligation to play.

“For me, first and foremost, the health and safety of our players is absolutely paramount and then that obviously extends to our families and so forth as well,” Richmond skipper Trent Cotchin told SEN on Monday.

“So I would like to think that the decisions that are being made are purely the safest decisions and not based around just getting just a show on for our fans.”

The entry gates are locked during the 2020 AFLW match between the West Coast Eagles and the Gold Coast Suns. (Photo by Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

But the league has also suggested a positive player test would not necessarily force it into an immediate shut down.

If the player could be quickly isolated and the rest of his teammates tested negative, they may still get the green light to take the field.

“One part of you says everyone would be out of business (for the moment) but the AFL is inferring maybe it won’t be quite as dramatic as that,” Richmond adviser Neil Balme told the Herald Sun.

Several clubs — including Richmond and the Western Bulldogs — have put their VFL programs on hold and told those players to stay away from the club in an attempt to protect their AFL-listed players.

With just two rounds to run before finals, the AFLW will at this stage continue without fans in attendance.