AFL: Eagles a flight risk as Gold Coast hub tension rises

West Coast coach Adam Simpson has issued an ultimatum about the Eagles’ spell in the Gold Coast hub.

West Coast’s Josh Kennedy, Tim Kelly and Jeremy McGovern train on the Gold Coast. Picture: Getty Images

Monday looms as a crucial day for the AFL amid growing frustration from West Coast over their stay on the Gold Coast.

The league is set to unveil its fixture for the fortnight following West Coast’s Round 5 game against Richmond on the Gold Coast at the completion of this weekend’s matches.

But West Coast coach Adam Simpson has issued an ultimatum, declaring the Eagles would be returning to Perth immediately after their game against the reigning premiers on July 2 in a stance that underlines tension across the league.

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The Eagles and Fremantle had expected to be informed of a departure date from the hub earlier this week. Dockers coach Justin Longmuir called for clarity on Thursday. That is yet to happen as the AFL deals with logistical challenges on several fronts, including a concerning coronavirus count in Victoria.

It had been anticipated the West Australian clubs might need to stay on the Gold Coast until Round 7 but Simpson on Friday said recent developments made that unlikely.

Revelations the two WA clubs could be forced to quarantine in a hotel in Perth for a fortnight on returning home has added further stress and Simpson is not happy.

Should the WA clubs be forced to play another two matches on the Gold Coast and then quarantine, they may not set foot in their homes until August.

“Our position is, if we can’t quarantine in our own houses when we get back and (have to) stay in a hotel for another two weeks, we need to get home after Richmond. That’s our position and we’re pretty strong on that,” Simpson said.

“To play another two or three games here and then have to go back to Perth and sit in a hotel for another two weeks … we’re not here to complain, but we have to look after our staff and our players and it is probably a bridge too far.”

The AFL has been negotiating with the WA government in the hope of gaining an exemption to strict border restrictions that led to the creation of the hub.

An easing of restrictions in South Australia means the Power and Adelaide, who will play their first matches in Queensland on Sunday, may no longer need to stay in the hub.

The Crows and Port Adelaide are scheduled to play matches in Queensland over the next three weeks, though they play on different days in Rounds 4 and 5.

Port Adelaide arrived on the Gold Coast on Friday to prepare for their clash against Fremantle on Sunday night; the Crows land on Saturday ahead of a match against the Suns.

For a season in which cutting costs is imperative, the SA clubs and the AFL will assess the benefits of sharing charter flights to Queensland for those matches against the price of a 16-day stint in the hub. But at least the clubs now have the option of returning to Adelaide, though Power coach Ken Hinkley said that unless something changed, he had prepared his players for a stint away.

“We’re not going to get distracted by anything other than preparing to play footy and all the other stuff will take care of itself, as it has all the way through this pandemic,” Hinkley said.

Despite the harsh restrictions, the WA government has made it clear it is happy to host a hub for clubs to travel to, provided they follow quarantine restrictions in the state.

This could see Victorian clubs, along with the Giants and the Swans, travel to Perth for an elongated stint to play matches if the border restrictions do not ease.

The floating fixture adopted to deal with COVID-19 issues provides the AFL with some flexibility. The league may need to introduce a bye should clubs travel to WA and need to quarantine.