AFL stares down the virus threat
Gillon McLachlan expressed confidence the league has made the right decision to begin the season on Thursday night
AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan expressed confidence the league has made the right decision to begin the season on Thursday night despite the clear health implications of the coronavirus crisis.
The decision to continue with the clash between reigning premiers Richmond and Carlton at the MCG is the biggest call the league has had to make since it became a national competition in 1987, given the crisis that has engulfed the world. The game will be played without fans.
Following a day of marathon meetings at the AFL’s Docklands headquarters, players received an email at 7.38pm advising them that they would be lacing up their boots for the opening round.
While the decision positions the AFL as an outlier compared to sports around the globe, though not in Australia, McLachlan said ultimately the league believed Round 1 could be played safely.
The MCG clash will be played at the same time as a fan-free NRL match between Canterbury and North Queensland at Sydney’s ANZ Stadium.
McLachlan cited the stance of Prime Minister Scott Morrison earlier on Wednesday and believes the AFL will meet the new guidelines in place nationwide to try to slow the spread of the virus.
“The Prime Minister has said this morning that we can’t lock ourselves in our house,” McLachlan said.
The marathon commission meeting chaired by Richard Goyder considered several factors before deciding on the bold decision after discussions with government and medical officials.
McLachlan said the health and wellbeing of the public as well as the AFL employees, footballers and club officials was considered.
“Tonight our industry is unified in making a decision to start,” he said. “The reality is that this season will not look like any other. It is an unprecedented challenge and it is going to take unprecedented measures to get through it all.”
Commissioners resisted pressure from the AFL Players Association to reinstate a 22-match per club season, with the radical 17-round competition to feature 153 games. McLachlan conceded it is possible every match played this season will be completed without any fans in attendance.
The decision to continue allows the league an opportunity to fulfil at least part of the broadcast contractual agreements with Fox Sports and the Seven Network.
To reduce the stress on players, amid a desire to play as many games as possible in coming weeks, quarters will be reduced to 16 minutes, plus time on.
McLachlan acknowledged that at some stage the season will be halted when the crisis worsens or when a player tests positive.
It was also decided the AFLW would forego the final two rounds of the season and begin finals immediately. The format of the series was still to be decided on Wednesday night, with an announcement to be made on Thursday.
Prior to the commission meeting, McLachlan received confirmation from every club that they would support a decision to play.
It followed a meeting of the AFL’s new crisis cabinet, which includes Collingwood president Eddie McGuire, his Hawthorn counterpart Jeff Kennett, Sydney’s Andrew Pridham and Bulldogs president Peter Gordon, who joined McLachlan, Goyder and league commissioners Paul Bassat and Robin Bishop.
There is some angst among clubs. This is not surprising given at least one in 10 footballers voted against playing when surveyed by the AFLPA on Monday night due to the significant health risk for themselves and their families.
The Australian understands some commissioners shared significant concerns about pushing on with the season as they weighed the health ramifications and economic implications.
Club chief executives were initially told they would be informed via conference call by 6pm, but they too were left waiting as discussions continued.
As a result, Richmond’s side to face Carlton was named before there was any decision on whether the game would continue.
For the record, premiership players Brandon Ellis, who has joined the Gold Coast, and Bachar Houli, who has a calf problem, were the only two changes from last year’s grand final side.
Jack Graham and Sydney Stack, who were unlucky last September, are their replacements.
Carlton co-captain Sam Docherty was named to make his comeback from a knee injury following 936 days on the sidelines.
At the AFL season launch last Tuesday, Richmond star Marlion Pickett’s life story was told as the league stressed the importance of believing in the impossible.
Pickett debuted in the 2019 grand final. He will play the first AFL match played without fans on Thursday night.
As McLachlan said, these are unprecedented times.
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