‘Lightning carnival’ could wrap up AFL season
The AFL will foot the bill for its quarantine hubs in a season that could culminate in a Melbourne 18-team ‘lightning carnival’.
The AFL will foot the multimillion-dollar bill for its quarantine hubs this year in a season that could culminate in a Melbourne 18-team “lightning carnival” to finish the regular season.
The league is adamant that despite the easing of some community restrictions the only way to start the season in June or July will be those hubs with significant quarantine measures.
The Australian understands clubs have been told players would be given permission to house their families in hubs alongside them in special circumstances.
The league is warming to the idea of two hubs of nine teams rather than three.
The league wrote to club presidents last night with a general update ahead of Friday’s meeting of the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee.
The AFL will present their detailed plans to that committee in the hope they will be given official approval.
That committee could give guidance or even throw up suggestions to the AFL on its return to play, with the national cabinet expected to ease restrictions by one level on Sunday, May 10.
It will allow the league to present its proposal to clubs on May 11.
Players could have temperature tests daily and be subjected to coronavirus tests multiple times per week to ensure they are free of the virus and able to play.
The AFL does not believe states will have eased 14-day quarantine periods after state border crossings, which means the hubs will be vital to at least some home-and-away football this year.
The AFL had hoped the prospect of state governments tipping in to help financially might ease the burden of more than 800 footballers being housed in Olympic-style villages.
But as WA premier Mark McGowan said on Sunday, states have many priorities ahead of funding AFL clubs.
“I’m not going to put taxpayers’ money into that when we have all these other priorities with our health system education. We’ve had huge declines in revenue across the board.”
One option that has emerged in recent days is hubs being located in universities with elite facilities and accommodation. Brisbane has been approached by Bond University to house a hub.
The odds of the AFL finishing the season with 18 clubs in Melbourne continue to shorten.
No matter the permutations, clubs will be left with multiple teams they need to play to finish off the home-and-away season.
It means if border restrictions finish there is a real prospect those 18 clubs would descend upon Melbourne to play a series of fixtures that finish off a 17-round year.
Coronavirus cabinet member Jeff Kennett said the league was showing great judgment in not rushing a return.
“They are looking at all options which is what they should do. We won’t start until we get a sign off from the medicos and politicians, whether that’s one hub or three. We are going to manage the cost structure, whatever that is.
“If we go into a model that is apart from the norm, the AFL would normally pick up the flights and they would continue to do that, so that will be a cost to the AFL. I have got to say observing what they are doing, they are doing it very thoroughly.”
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