NRL and AFL games cancelled as QLD goes into lockdown

The AFL has announced its revised fixtures while the NRL postpones games as Queensland’s snap lockdown sent both codes into chaos.

The remaining AFL and NRL games for this weekend in Queensland have been cancelled as the state announced a snap lockdown.

The AFL has scrambled to organise a solution to the Queensland-based fixtures, with the league reportedly set for a monster Sunday of footy.

Victoria will host the revised fixtures, with the Gold Coast Suns kicking off proceedings against the Melbourne Demons at 12:10pm at Marvel Stadium.

Hawthorn and Brisbane’s match in Tasmania is unaffected, as is Fremantle’s clash against Richmond in Perth.

Essendon and Sydney’s clash has been moved to the MCG with the first bounce scheduled at 3:10pm and GWS will face Port Adelaide at Marvel Stadium at 6:10pm to round out the day.

AFL REVAMP ROUND 20 WITH SUPER SUNDAY

The @AFL Super Sunday of footy tomorrow
12:10: Gold Coast v Melbourne (Marvel Stadium)
2.10: Hawthorn v Brisbane (Launceston)
3:10: Essendon v Sydney (MCG)
5.10: Fremantle v Richmond (Optus Stadium)
6:10: GWS v Port Adelaide (Marvel Stadium) pic.twitter.com/nZGqLbj609

— RSN927am (@RSN927) July 31, 2021

As the AFL reportedly fixed their schedule to accomodate the Queensland lockdown, the NRL have confirmed that all of Saturday’s Round 20 fixtures have been postponed.

“The NRL respects the decision of the Queensland Government to keep the communiy safe and healthy following local transmission of Covid-19 in southeast Queensland,” a statement read.

“The NRL is continuing discussions with the Queensland Government to possibly play matches tomorrow.”

All 16 clubs have also been placed on Level 4 Biosecurity Protocols.

“All clubs have been advised to inform their players to return to the team hotels and remain at the team hotels until further notice,” the statement read.

The AFL also confirmed that the games set for Queensland locations this weekend had been momentarily postponed as they search for a quick alternative solution.

AFL executive general manager of clubs and broadcasting Travis Auld said the league would continue to place health and safety of those in the game and the wider community as the first priority.

“The evolving Covid situation in Queensland has seen the state announce a three-day lockdown and, as a result, we have had to postpone three games scheduled to be played in Queensland in Round 20,” Auld said.

“These games will be rescheduled to be played at a time to be confirmed.”

The Demons have been sent to Perth as they were set to take on the Suns in the Gold Coast this weekend. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Alternative travel arrangements have reportedly been made for Essendon, GWS, Sydney and the Gold Coast Suns. All clubs have supposedly told they are flying to Victoria on Saturday afternoon.

Brisbane Lions have been allowed to travel to Tasmania on Saturday morning.

On Saturday morning, Queensland Deputy Premier Steven Miles confirmed a three-day lockdown for 11 LGAs from 4pm Saturday.

“There are now seven cases in the outbreak that we notified yesterday. We have seen from the experience in other states that the only way to beat the Delta strain is to move quickly,” Mills said.

This aged well.

— Steven May (@stevemay_92) July 31, 2021

“And so from 4:00pm today, the 11 LGAs that currently have mask-wearing requirements will go into lockdown. This will be the strictest lockdown that we have had.”

Dr Young then confirmed this weekend’s footy games would not go ahead when questioned by reporters.

“No, there will be no football matches,” Dr Young said.

“So, no community sport, no professional sport, nothing for the next three days. Starting as of 4pm today.”

Both leagues had teams move into bubbles in Queensland, but the new outbreak has thrown the future of both competitions up in the air.

The state had already played host to a number of games in Round 20 of the NRL, but all Queensland-based AFL games are set to be called off as well.

The NRL is reportedly conducting emergency talks with the Queensland government to seek exemption for the competition to continue.

Queensland health chief Dr Jeanette Young has announced the remainder of this weekend’s NRL and AFL games in the state have been called off.

The full list of cancelled NRL games include the Newcastle Knights v Canberra Raiders, Melbourne Storm v Penrith Panthers, Canterbrury Bulldogs v Gold Coast Titans and the Cronulla Sharks v Manly Sea Eagles.

Ess v Syd and GC v Melb are OFF. Demons are in transit and may have to fly straight back. Clubs waiting to hear when/if they can get out of QLD. @FOXFOOTY

— Tom Morris (@tommorris32) July 31, 2021

Breaking all @nrl players officially in lockdown level 4 restrictions as of now @7NewsAustralia@7NewsSydney@1170sen

— Michelle Bishop (@7michellebishop) July 31, 2021

NSW AFL teams have their families in hotel quarantine in SE QLD, making any relocation even more complex

The rush to get them out of Victoria has so far resulted in multiple players forced into quarantine missing games in R18-19 & now additional games postponed R20

— Corbin Middlemas (@CorbinMiddlemas) July 31, 2021

For the AFL, the games that won’t go ahead for the moment are the Gold Coast Suns v Melbourne Demons, Essendon vs Sydney Swans and GWS Giants v Port Adelaide.

The VFL game between Gold Coast and Southport was cancelled nine minutes into the first quarter after players were informed of the three-day snap lockdown and asked to leave the ground.

Dr Young has urged people to stay at home as the Delta strain outbreak begins to spread through Brisbane.

“We had six new community-acquired cases yesterday, so there are now seven in that cluster,” Dr Young told the media Saturday morning.

“They are related to two people who returned from overseas and were in hotel quarantine.

“We still don‘t have the direct link from one of those two cases through to these new seven cases, but I know through whole genome sequencing that that is where the transmission has occurred.

“We now have all five people in one household have been infected.”