A-League Men confirms yet another postponement

Sporting codes across Australia are grappling with Covid-19 outbreaks, but none has had it tougher than the A-League Men.

Only one of the six A-League Men’s games originally scheduled for this weekend will go ahead, with the Covid-stricken league confirming yet another postponement on Friday.

After players at Wellington Phoenix returned positive PCR or RAT tests on the morning of January 7, the A-Leagues had no option but to scrap Saturday’s match with the Newcastle Jets for the time being.

Wellington won’t train on Friday. Instead, all members of the club’s men’s football department will spend the day isolating while they await the results of further Covid-19 tests.

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The last-minute change means only two A-League Men’s matches will go ahead this weekend – Saturday’s Melbourne Victory v Adelaide United meeting at AAMI Park, and Melbourne City v Western City Wanderers, which the A-League pencilled in after original fixtures were postponed.

The Phoenix won’t be playing this weekend after all. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

The NBL and BBL are both grappling with Covid-19 crises of their own, but of Australia’s major men’s summer sporting competitions, A-League Men has suffered most at the hands of the virus.

Only one game went ahead last weekend and only two were played the weekend before that.

Organisers are now working overtime to find alternative times at which to play the fixtures.

Despite the scheduling chaos, the A-Leagues insist postponing matches is the right call.

“Protocols put in place by the A-Leagues continue to be effective for screening and subsequent RAT or PCR testing in detecting the virus and ensuring immediate isolation,” a statement from the A-Leagues read.

“We continue to work closely with each government health department to implement the relevant state health directives in clubs where Covid cases are present. Our primary concern is for the health, wellbeing and safety of all players, staff and their families.

“We will continue to work with all clubs to confirm a new schedule for all postponed matches as soon as possible.”