Mini-draft to top up teams as squeeze looms

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 yesterday the league is 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 — we have to slow this down and accept as an inevitability it’s going to get worse,” he said.

“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 inferring maybe it won’t be quite as dramatic as that.”

It is believed that the league is investigating private planes for the six teams travelling in Round 1, with its hotel chain, AccorHotels, to isolate teams onto a single floor.