AFL 2022: Gillon McLachlan is confident on a smooth season dispite the Omicron variant
The AFL are committed to ‘playing on’ in season 2022 despite the new Omicron variant that threatens the nation. Here is how they plan to battle it.
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The AFL is committed to “playing on” in 2022 regardless of the recent emergence of the Omicron Covid variant that has states and countries on edge.
The league is monitoring the situation and following health and government advice, but still planning on welcoming back big crowds in Victoria and across Australia in 2022.
“I think it’s a bit too early to have a comment really, other than to say I think this state and this country is moving forward and there’s going to be bumps and new variants, and I think we always knew that,” AFL boss Gillon McLachlan said on Saturday.
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“We’ll take the health advice and the government advice, and at the moment I’m excited about getting back to footy in January with the women and March next year with the men.”
The league is continuing to work on implementing Covid protocols for players and club staffers into 2022.
During the pre-season at both AFL and AFLW clubs, rapid testing upon arrival at training has already caught players and coaches who were Covid positive before they can infect the rest of the program.
McLachlan said protocols were subject to change, but stressed Covid would not stop the AFL and AFLW seasons from going ahead next year.
The AFLW season is just a month away.
“It’s evolving, and we keep talking to the states and the health officials and they will continue to change,” McLachlan said.
“Broadly speaking, we’ll work with the state by state rules and we’re going to play on.
“The protocols are slightly different this week to what they were last week and they’ll keep changing, but broadly we’re going to keep playing.”
McLachlan also said he was confident the Western Australian border would be open in time to prevent fixture issues next season.
“I think there is a commitment from the premier (Mark McGowan) to open up when they get the vaccination rates to a certain level,” he said.
“He sounds confident and they’re really good to deal with, the Western Australian government.
“There is a line of sight on how it’s going to open up, and I feel confident that’s how it’s going to play out.”
Footy’s MCG return could be ‘biggest ever’
Football will be back with a bang in Victoria next year when the AFL launches the new season with blockbuster games and sell-out crowds.
Australian Rules will make its magnificent return to the game’s heartland with 12 men’s and women’s matches across 10 days as part of a ‘footy festival extravaganza’.
The game’s welcome back party will include Round 10 of the AFLW season on March 11-13 followed by a new-look AFL Round 1 featuring five all-Victorian games in Melbourne, starting with what AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan predicts could be the biggest home-and-away crowd the state has ever seen.
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Anticipation will reach fever pitch when reigning premier Melbourne and Western Bulldogs open the new AFL season in a grand final rematch under lights on Wednesday, March 16.
The Demons will unfurl their premiership flag at a packed-out MCG after breaking the game’s longest premiership drought in Perth.
Richmond and Carlton will clash in the traditional Round 1 blockbuster on Thursday night, followed by Collingwood versus St Kilda on Friday night at Marvel Stadium.
Geelong and Essendon lock horns in the annual ‘Country Game’ on Saturday from 2.10pm before Hawthorn host North Melbourne on Sunday from 1.10pm, both at the MCG.
It will be the first time all 10 Victorian AFL teams play in Melbourne on the same weekend since Round 20, 2016.
The massive matches are expected to attract the first capacity crowds in more than two years due to the COVID-19 crisis and will reconnect Victoria’s passionate sporting fans with the great game 207 days since the last AFL match at the MCG.
It has been 249 days since the last match in front of an MCG crowd.
“I know there’s a bit of pain for people, a bit of a loss, particularly for the Melbourne supporters, but also for the Bulldogs supporters, who didn’t get to see the grand final (at the MCG),” McLachlan said.
“The more we talked about it, starting with the grand-final rematch made sense.
“We like the Carlton-Richmond slot on Thursday night, that’s got its own tradition and momentum now after about 15 years.
“The feedback from Melbourne supporters is really strong and I reckon we’re going to have huge games right the way through and we’ll go close to selling out that Wednesday night.
“There’s a chance I think we have the biggest home-and-away crowd we’ve ever had in Melbourne, I really feel that’s a strong possibility.”
While some fans have been put off by a game on a Wednesday night, McLachlan said it would most likely be a “one off.”
“There’s a strong push from supporters to play regular Thursday night games,” he said.
“With the Wednesday night game, we’ll have a look at it with the grand final rematch.
“I feel it’s going to be a huge way to start the season….but there’s not a plan to do it more regularly, it’s just a one-off thing to I guess showcase the two grand final teams after a unique couple of years.”
The AFL chief executive said he was “extremely bullish” Victorian fans will flock back to games in Round 1 next year after two Covid-wrecked seasons.
Melbourne superstar captain Max Gawn said the season-opener would be a special occasion.
“We can’t wait to get back to the home of football and play in front of our fans again in Victoria in 2022,” Gawn said.
Geelong champion Paddy Dangerfield added: “There is something special about footy in Victoria. It is the lifeblood.”
Richmond star defender Nick Vlastuin agreed.
“It will be great to play in front of the Tiger army and all our members at the MCG,” the premiership defender said.
There are plans to create an electric atmosphere around the venues at games with entertainment options including bands, kids’ activities and club activations set to heighten the experience for footy fans who have been starved of live action.
Victorians have been urged to head back to the footy and don their colours at pubs and parks around the state as Victoria’s recovery from the pandemic gathers pace.
AFL chief executive officer Gillon McLachlan said footy could help the state’s “heartbeat” return after two years of lockdowns and restrictions.
“The footy festival will bring people together and to be able to give all Victorians and footy fans from regional Victoria and interstate an opportunity to come to a game and see their AFLW and AFL teams across a 10-day period is a significant step bouncing back from a challenging year,” McLachlan said.
“We want to get big crowds back to the footy, the weekly ritual of being able to go to a game and the sense of community it creates, connecting families and friends is something we have missed in the state.
“We look forward to seeing fans return to our venues in huge numbers as well as to all the surrounding businesses and venues that rely on footy and big events being staged across the city.”
The Demons-Dogs season-opener is a major break with fixture tradition for the league which has taken the first game of the season off the Tigers and Blues and handed the honour to last year’s grand finalists.
The move has been warmly welcomed after playing the last two premiership deciders interstate.
Round 10 of the AFLW season will see all 14 clubs play each other in Victoria at a host of regional and suburban grounds.
They include Arden St, RSEA Park, GMHBA Stadium in Geelong, MARS Stadium in Ballarat, Casey Fields, Victoria Park and Punt Rd.
The contests are expected to draw bumper crowds with finals spots up for grabs.
“To finish our NAB AFLW season in Victoria and have these matches possibly determine final placings is huge,” McLachlan said.
“And then to launch the biggest start to an AFL season ever, including a Wednesday night season opener is going to give us a lot of momentum for the season ahead.
“Footy can hopefully help bring the heartbeat of the city back to Melbourne and back to the state of Victoria.”
The AFL has joined forces with the State Government to help launch the footy festival with football-themed functions set to help provide a big boost for businesses and bring the city and regional areas back to life.
Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Martin Pakula said it would be an exciting time for the state.
“This festival will celebrate the best of the AFLW and AFL in the home of football, cementing our standing as the nation’s events and sporting capital,” Pakula said.
“The anticipation for the return of football is growing even now and come March thousands of Victorians and visitors will be getting out to grounds around the state, supporting local businesses and jobs.”
In the four other Round 1 AFL games Sydney Swans’ champion Lance Franklin will attempt to bag the five goals he needs to crack the 1000-goal milestone when the Swans take on GWS Giants on Saturday night.
Brisbane host Port Adelaide (Gabba) later that night, while Adelaide meets Fremantle (Adelaide Oval) on Sunday before West Coast takes on Gold Coast in the final game of the opening round in the west.
In Victoria, there will also be a strong focus on community and grassroots football with fans and families urged to get to local games.
Visit Victoria chief executive Brendan McClement’s said there would be plenty on offer for sporting fans across the state early next year.
“Melbourne’s Mad March calendar just got a little madder with this footy festival to take place here in Victoria and we can’t wait to welcome footy fans to games across Melbourne, Ballarat and Geelong,” McClements said.
Gil: It’s time for footy fans to get back to their seats
Footy fans have been urged to get to live games with friends and family next season as part of a return to a more normal way of life.
AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan said fans who have been starved of live action over the past two years should “support your tribe” when the AFLW kicks off from January 7 and AFL from March 16 next year.
There have been only 30 games with crowds at the MCG since the pandemic began in March 2020, depriving Victorians of one of their greatest sporting loves.
But McLachlan said the high vaccination rates meant it was finally time for fans to return to their seats at venues and express their footy passion once more.
“Footy is one of the key parts of what makes this city and this state tick and we have been starved of it for a couple of years,” McLachlan said.
“So we are working hard to make sure every Victorian supporter can see their club – men’s and women’s – over that period and get back to the way of life that we love.
“That means pushing ourselves and making the effort and supporting your team and your tribe.
“Getting to the MCG and to Marvel Stadium, these great institutions with your family and with your friends and reclaim the way we used to go about things. It is what makes this city incredible.
“Hopefully, everyone supports that.”
The AFL completed a miraculous highwire act to keep the past two seasons alive – resulting in incredible premiership wins for Richmond at The Gabba in 2020 and Melbourne in Perth last year.
The Demons’ drought-breaking flag in Western Australia prompted the league to hand the season-opener to the Demons and Bulldogs on Wednesday, March 16, before the Richmond and Carlton clash on Thursday night.
McLachlan said the early feedback had been positive as the grand finalists prepared to meet in the first game of the new season.
“I feel very bullish about how people are going to embrace it,” McLachlan said.
“It is a real tip of the cap to Melbourne who hadn’t won the premiership in a long time, and the Bulldogs and how they played off in the grand final.
“So from that perspective, I think it (season-opener) is a really snug fit.
“But we want to create a platform for everyone in Victoria to be able to go and see their team as soon as possible and go and watch their favourite male and female players play.
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