Positive test may not stop the AFL schedule

The AFL could continue its early-season schedule even if a player tests positive to coronavirus.

AFL clubs may play as many as five matches in three weeks to counter the problems caused by the coronavirus Picture: Getty Images

The AFL could continue its early-season schedule even if a player tests positive to coronavirus, as it prepares to update its senior coaches on a dramatic overhaul.

AFL football boss Steve Hocking will on Monday morning meet with coaches and football bosses to discuss plans to schedule five games in just three rounds as early as Rounds 2 to 4.

The league’s presidents will be briefed on Monday afternoon as the AFL continues to work through ticketing, membership and other financial issues.

But clubs believe they will need to play on average every four days during that early period, with a mini-draft to come as early as next week before Round 2.

Medical experts including Dr Peter Brukner have said an AFL shutdown is “inevitable” in coming weeks because of the certainty a player, coach or official will contact coronavirus.

But the league is still working through protocols that could see a player testing positive immediately quarantined and the rest of the club and list tested for the virus.

If the virus had not spread to players or coaches, the season might continue without an immediate postponement.

Richmond senior club adviser Neil Balme said on Sunday the league was suggesting one positive test wouldn’t see the season immediately postponed.

“We have asked that question 100 times and not got an answer. The overall philosophy we understand (is) we have to slow this down and accept as an inevitability it’s going to get worse,” he said.

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“But if one of our people got it, we don’t know what would happen. One part of you says everyone would be out of business (for the moment), but the AFL is implying maybe it won’t be quite as dramatic as that.”

It is understood the league is investigating Virgin putting on private planes for the six teams travelling in Round 1, with the league’s hotel chain Accor Hotels to isolate teams into one floor in their hotels.

The mini-draft would need to come before that glut of games and could see teams adding five or six players from state leagues or even out of retirement.

But there are complex insurance questions regarding those players, including what happens if they suffer serious injuries.

Clubs across the competition continue to test players with colds and sniffles and have been told the current 36-hour wait for results will dramatically shorten within the next week.

The league remains in continual contact with health and government authorities over its plans to play Round 1, and as of Sunday night it was determined to move ahead. However, the health guidelines around coronavirus are moving so fast there is still a prospect the season will be postponed before Thursday night.

Pay cuts to players and club officials would seem inevitable given the demand to cut millions from club balance sheets. It is understood one club is set to ask staff on more than $100,000 to take a 10 per cent pay cut.

If clubs return to profitability in coming seasons, those staff might eventually have that money returned to them.

The AFLPA says no figure has been raised in terms of player pay cuts, but if they ended up taking a 10 per cent cut it would save clubs $1.2m for the season.

Hocking is set to update coaches on the AFL’s plans and will also ask them what they would need if the AFL were to play a packed suite of games.

Ideas being put forward include shorter games, unlimited interchange and access to top-up players to boost list sizes.

The feedback from the coaches will instruct the league’s decision-making, with every option on the table but no firm ruling yet on when games would be played.

The league is keen to pack the early schedule with multiple games but it is not known if that would commence from Round 2 onwards or in subsequent weeks.

Herald Sun