What WA Covid-19 positive means for AFL Grand final

A truck driver has tested positive to Covid-19 in Western Australia but the AFL already has some plans in place for any issues.

PERTH, AUSTRALIA – SEPTEMBER 21: AFL Grand Final Premiership Cup Presenters Garry Lyon (L) and Chris Grant pose for a photograph at Yagan Square on September 21, 2021 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

A NSW truck driver has sparked fears for the AFL Grand Final after he tested positive to Covid-19.

WA health Minister Roger Cook has revealed the driver tested negative on September 13 before travelling into Western Australia on September 16 before leaving on the 17th. On September 19, he tested positive, although his co-driver tested negative.

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The two drivers travelled through South Australia and made stops in WA at Coolgardie, Southern Cross and Northam in the regions on their way into the state before arriving in Kewdale in Perth.

The infected driver had received one dose of the Pfizer vaccine and Mr Cook warned the details surrounding the case could change as contact tracers frantically worked to confirm the information.

Scary scenes for the AFL. Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

He said the drivers had minimal contact with the public and they had told health authorities they wore masks at all times while outside of the truck cabin and has high hopes that there won’t be an outbreak because of the positive.

“Anyone who has visited any listed exposure site should get tested immediately and isolate until they receive a negative result or as directed,” Mr Cook said.

“We will keep you updated this afternoon and provide any information as it comes to hand.

“Given that the other driver is negative, that we understand their movements and the short time they were in WA, I’m confident (there won’t be a mass outbreak) but I’m not an expert.”

But just days out from the AFL Grand Final, it’s a scare the AFL didn’t need.

Selecting Perth's Optus Stadium solely for the reason of playing in front of a crowd, the AFL should rightly be nervous by the incident.

Having had a week off between the preliminary finals and the Grand Final, AFL boss Gillon McLachlan told the Herald Sun recently that the AFL was prepared to delay the grand final for a week to play in front of a crowd.

“If something happened – we’ve been dealing with this for two years, and we would be able to find a way of dealing with it,” McLachlan said last week.

“If for some reason things changed, we’d deal with it. It wouldn’t be ideal. It’s not something we’re contemplating or think is going to happen.”

Optus Stadium has locked out fans before. Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Earlier this year Western Australia played behind closed doors on short notice.

In June, fans were turned away from the door of the West Coast-Western Bulldogs clash.

The call was announced just a couple of hours before the opening bounce.

It’s a drama that may just make the AFL a bit nervous ahead of the biggest game of the season.

— with NCA Newswire