Covid-19 crisis forces AFL to move clubs out of Queensland

The escalating Covid-19 situation across Australia has prompted the AFL to move clubs out of Queensland.

Gillon McLachlan and his family lead last year’s exodus from Melbourne

The escalating Covid-19 situation across Australia has prompted the AFL to move clubs out of Queensland.

The clash between the Suns and Richmond, which was to be played on the Gold Coast on Thursday, is now set to be shifted to Victoria.

The Brisbane Lions were told to head home from the Gabba, where they were training on Tuesday morning, in order to be able to fly to Melbourne.

They will spend the next few days in Victoria in order to satisfy the necessary health requirements to enable the club to enter South Australia on Saturday.

The Lions are due to play the Crows at Adelaide Oval on Saturday afternoon and will fly in and out of South Australia on the same day.

Saturday will mark 12 months since the AFL administration, led by Gillon McLachlan, pulled the pin on Victoria during the midst of the worst coronavirus outbreak the nation has seen.

In a fragile health climate, Victoria and Tasmania now appear the safest bets for the competition’s hopes of continuing the 2021 season.

Covid-19 has created a situation where AFL scheduling is being done on the run, but the current outbreak in Sydney and concerns elsewhere have added complexity to decisions.

The decision by West Australian premier Mark McGowan to impose a minimum four day lockdown on Perth and the Peel region is the latest example of the challenges confronting the AFL.

Fremantle is due to host Carlton on Saturday. That clash will now almost certainly need to be moved. The Eagles are flying to Geelong to play Sydney on Sunday.

It is certain exemptions will be required for the WA clubs to travel. But the Dockers are already in isolation after playing in Melbourne on Saturday and Covid precautions are in place for all clubs.

As it stands, the competition has 81 games to play, comprising the last eight rounds of the season and then the finals series. The feeling at headquarters is cautious, given the current spike in Sydney, but also optimistic.

There were more concerns regarding the ability of the season to continue at a weekly tempo a month ago when Victoria was in lockdown, given 10 clubs are based in the state.

But the varying restrictions from state to state are proving as predictable as the bounce of the Sherrin and the complex logistics are again a growing nightmare to negotiate on several fronts.

South Australia has issued a pre-emptive strike by tightening restrictions, the Northern Territory has concerns.

McLachlan deemed the use of a hub this season effectively off-limits early in June. Despite the current difficulties it remains a last resort.

The AFL Players Association is opposed to its use and the significant cost of deploying it is also considered a deterrent given the financial strain.

Nor is the league keen to adopt a “footy frenzy” that saw matches played on almost a nightly basis last winter, believing the current measures in place will suffice.

Should the threat remain at the current level, the league will instead opt for the strategies already used this year.

The Swans and Giants are currently on the road in a situation similar to that experienced by the Lions at the start of the season, but are hopeful of returning home prior to their round 18 clash, which could be in Canberra.

“You really take it one day at a time down here when you’re in these sorts of situations. You try and live in the moment and you don’t project too far out,” Sydney coach John Longmire said.

“I think as soon as you start projecting too far out, you start talking about all the what ifs and which way it goes, and things change so quickly that you’ve really got to live in the moment.”

Provided current exemptions — which rely on clubs following strict biosecurity measures including isolating — can be used to fly in and out of Adelaide and eventually Perth for matches, this will also continue.

It is a challenging environment for clubs and those in contention for the eight, which include the Swans and Giants, are determined to ensure their hopes are not jeopardised any further.

The Swans are hosting the Eagles on Sunday in what shapes as a pivotal clash for both teams given their positioning in the lower part of the eight.

Sydney has opted to relocate 11 players who did not initially travel to Victoria to Newcastle in order to allow them to train in case they are required to spend more time on the road if the Sydney lockdown persists.

“We had a plan to be away for a week, two weeks at the most. That’s what we would’ve liked to have done, when we had the three hours notice,” Longmire said.

“We’re just working through what to do with a few of those boys there who we’d like to get down as well.”