Pies, Cats heading to Perth hub

The Eagles and Dockers are preparing for a return to Perth but will have unexpected company from Victoria.

Cats duo Joel Selwood and Esava Ratugolea train at GMHBA Stadium Picture: Peter Ristevski

Collingwood and Geelong will spend three weeks in a West Australian hub from mid-July as the AFL continues its ambitious campaign to finish the 2020 season.

In a bonanza for football fans in WA, the powerful Victorian clubs will be the first two sides to head to Perth to form a hub and will spend three weeks in the state.

They will play against each other while still in quarantine and then take on West Coast and Fremantle on alternate weekends before returning home in early August.

It is anticipated other clubs from Victoria and NSW will visit for similar stints in WA later in the season, turning Perth into the AFL’s winter wonderland.

West Coast and Fremantle are expected to draw a capacity crowd of 60,000 to Optus Stadium when they play a round seven derby to welcome them home from their Gold Coast hub.

AFL fixture boss Travis Auld said the WA clubs, which are yet to win in Queensland, deserved recognition for relocating to enable the AFL season to resume.

“They have done a big job for the competition on the Gold Coast but it is time for them to head home,” Auld said.

Magpies head coach Nathan Buckley will take his team to Perth for several weeks

The Magpies and the Cats will share a flight to Perth to enter quarantine after completing their round six games in Melbourne.

St Kilda will host Geelong at Marvel Stadium on July 9, while Collingwood will play Brisbane at the MCG the following night before departing for WA.

The AFL is still in discussions with the WA government regarding quarantine protocols.

But it is expected Geelong and Collingwood will clash the following Friday night in a match that could draw up to 30,000 fans to Optus Stadium given both clubs have a strong following in Perth.

“We have spoken to both of those clubs and they are looking forward to the challenge,” Auld told the Seven Network.

The Dockers will play Melbourne on the Gold Coast and West Coast will take on the Crows at the Gabba in their final matches in Queensland on July 11.

Port Adelaide will bring an end to the Gold Coast hub when they host the ­Giants at Metricon Stadium a day later.

Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir said the opportunity to play in front of a capacity crowd on returning home after the difficulties of 2020 was something both Perth clubs would appreciate.

“It is exciting for WA football. It is exciting for the two teams involved. It has come around a little quicker than everyone expected, but it is great news,” he said.

In a rarity, the AFL has scheduled two matches on a Saturday night in Melbourne, though the fact crowds cannot attend has lessened the impact.

Essendon will play the Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium while the Hawks host the improving Suns at the MCG.

The final two matches of round six will see Carlton play the Swans at the MCG on Sunday afternoon before Richmond tackle the Kangaroos at Marvel Stadium in a night match.

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The AFL is still to reschedule the match between Essendon and Melbourne which was postponed after Bombers star Conor McKenna tested positive to coronavirus on Saturday.

The Irish recruit, who is serving a fortnight in quarantine with teammate James Stewart, has since tested negative to the virus, leaving Essendon coach John Worsfold bewildered.

“There’s some pretty smart people out there who will assess what Conor’s testing results are saying, but he has had a positive test with some negatives around that,” Worsfold said.

“If you said, ‘Has he definitely got it?’ I couldn’t answer that. I would say that I couldn’t say that he definitely has or he definitely hasn’t.”

The Bombers gathered at their Tullamarine headquarters on Wednesday for the first time since being temporarily stood down on Saturday as a result of the COVID-19 scare.

Essendon’s main contact session will occur on Thursday ahead of Saturday night’s game against Carlton at the MCG as the Bombers seek to keep their unbeaten record intact.

Worsfold said the Bombers would continue to swap their training groups around to minimise the risk of fielding a depleted team should another player test positive.