Adelaide and Port Adelaide to be granted special exemptions to fly in and out of South Australia
Adelaide and Port Adelaide are set to be granted special exemptions to fly in and out of South Australia for games but there’s a catch — and it means there could be no footy in the state.
AFL
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Special exemptions are set to be granted to the AFL’s two South Australian clubs allowing the 2020 season to resume next month.
The ruling would permit Port Adelaide and the Adelaide Crows to avoid the state’s strict 14-day quarantine rules after returning home from matches.
But interstate teams will not be permitted to enter South Australia, meaning the Power and Crows will be forced to play all of their games on the road until the state’s border restrictions are eased – potentially for the duration of the season.
No formal decision has been made but SA Premier Steve Marshall said: “My personal preference is for us to be essentially operating in a modified fly-in, fly-out model with South Australian teams based here and flying out for games.
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“I have been in touch with (AFL boss) Gill McLachlan today to let him know South Australia’s chief medical officer Nicola Spurrier … is now doing a final look at the various models that have been proposed … and will reply to him directly”.
The Western Australian Government is taking a harder line and will not allow the state’s two teams, West Coast and Fremantle, to fly in and out of Perth without a two-week quarantine.
The Eagles and Dockers could instead relocate to an eastern seaboard state, most likely Victoria, to allow the competition to restart as early as June 18.
The AFL is finalising a fixture that could see all games – for at least the first half of the season – played outside WA and South Australia.
Crows CEO Andrew Fagan said on Thursday morning: “Our wish will always be to play games under a traditional home and away format, which includes hosting opposition teams at Adelaide Oval and in a perfect world with our members and fans in attendance to cheer us on.
“However, in these unprecedented times, we will always heed the advice and direction of medical experts and acknowledge that we must put the health and wellbeing of the community first and foremost.
“With this in mind, our club is open minded and willing to be flexible to ensure the return of football as soon as possible.
“We are also aware of ongoing discussions between the AFL and State Government, albeit our club is not directly involved.”
An AFL spokesman said: “We continue to work with all the state governments and their chief medical officers as we finalise our return to play model. An announcement on the restart to the 2020 premiership season will be made next week.”
Clubs have nominated Thursday June 18 and Thursday June 25 as the most likely resumption dates.
More to come.
MORE NEWS:
Collingwood open to restarting season on Queen’s Birthday against Melbourne for FightMND
AFL clubs nominate June 18 and 25 as possible dates for season to resume
WA premier Mark McGowan says state won’t be dictated to by sport leagues when easing border controls
Originally published as Adelaide and Port Adelaide to be granted special exemptions to fly in and out of South Australia
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