Cairns seek clarity on crowd sizes

CAZALYS Stadium management will today find out how many fans will be allowed when at least three AFL games head to Cairns.

The next round of fixtures for the season will be released this week, and Cairns will get as many as four games and two teams moving into a Far North Queensland hub.

AFL Cairns will meet Queensland Health officials today for guidance on spectator numbers.

AFL Cairns boss Gary Young recently travelled to the Gold Coast to see how Metricon Stadium juggled matches and COVID-19 protocols.

“We are hoping for 4000 to 4500 people,” Young (pictured) said. “Our capacity is 13,500 so we think that can work. We have a hill, a grandstand and corporate areas to spread people out.”

Numerous teams have been linked with a Cairns visit, including Carlton, Hawthorn, Geelong, North Melbourne, West Coast and Essendon.

Brisbane and Gold Coast are also in the frame.

“That would be great if the two Queensland teams could come up and play games,” Young said. “There is a lot of excitement around at the prospect of games coming up here.”