AFL fixture complexity grows with football’s heartland in lockdown

Victoria’s worsening coronavirus count has prompted concerns the state’s AFL clubs could be on the road for longer than 32 days.

Gary Ablett has a kick at Geelong’s new base Henson Park in Sydney’s inner west

A decision to impose a strict lockdown on Melbourne until mid-August is the latest challenge for the AFL to overcome to keep the competition afloat in the coronavirus-riddled season of 2020.

AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan must now decide whether the league will need to backtrack on an agreement it issued Victorian clubs last week on interstate hubs.

The initial plan was that the 10 Victorian clubs would spend 32 days in hubs in NSW, Queensland and Western Australia before returning home.

But the strict six-week shutdown of Melbourne, which begins from midnight on Wednesday, extends through to August 19.

This is 17 days after Geelong and Collingwood, who are bound for Perth after playing matches in Sydney on Thursday and Friday, were due back in Victoria on August 2.

When announcing the plan to relocate Victorian clubs last week, McLachlan left ajar the prospect clubs might need to stay away longer should the health of the state worsen.

“That will depend entirely on what is going on in Victoria at the time. In five weeks from now, we’ll know a lot more,” he said.

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The AFL has bought itself some time to make decisions about what happens beyond Round 10, the initial trigger point for clubs to return home.

The league’s fixture boss Travis Auld could release Rounds 8 and 9 of the schedule later this week to provide certainty to clubs about their next stop on the AFL’s travelling roadshow of 2020.

Auld said on the weekend the AFL was mindful of the feedback from West Coast and Fremantle, the first clubs to go into a hub. The Dockers and Eagles said the uncertainty of not knowing how long they would be away had an impact on the travelling party and their families at home.

As a result, the league had determined to bring the Victorian clubs home in early August for a reset, which could have included a mid-season bye, before resuming play. But the Victorian borders are now firmly shut.

Geelong coach Chris Scott said his club was mindful it might yet be forced to stay away for longer than initially hoped.

Clubs are also grappling with how best to deal with players who are injured or might need to return home for family reasons, with Gary Ablett Jr an example.

The dual-Brownlow Medallist and his wife Jordan revealed on Sunday his son Levi was battling a rare degenerative condition.

Richmond veteran Bachar Houli, who became a father for the third time late last week, opted against travelling with the Tigers to the Gold Coast.

But he said on Sunday he held hopes of joining his teammates in four to five weeks. That may not be possible given the quarantine circumstances now implemented in Victoria and the border closures surrounding the state.

“We need to put some thought into how it may play out,” Scott said. “Even the scenario where we may send players home, we need to put some thought into when we might be able to get them back. We know we’re going to Perth and we’re not exactly sure where we’re going to be after that.

“That has to factor into our thinking, because the last thing that we want to do is send guys home and be away longer than expected and risk not being able to get them back into the state in which we’re playing.”

In the short-term, the AFL has abandoned the mid-season rookie draft which unearthed gems such as Richmond’s grand final hero Marlion Pickett and Essendon’s Will Snelling last year.

With the prospect of the season being delayed further, the AFL has advised clubs that it will provide an update on when the trade period and drafts will be held later this year.

The AFL Players Association, meanwhile, has stressed the sacrifices made by its members amid criticism surrounding their flight from Victoria at a time of crisis.

“Sensationalist garbage. Players left their homes and families on short notice to keep the season going, in doing so providing thousands of jobs and allowing fans to still enjoy the best sport in the world,” the AFLPA said.

Sensationalist garbage. Players left their homes and families on short notice to keep the season going, in doing so providing thousands of jobs and allowing fans to still enjoy the best sport in the world. Grateful for their commitment. Bring on round 6 🙌 https://t.co/EZzcwA3C16

— aflplayers (@AFLPlayers) July 7, 2020