AFL SET TO RELAUNCH
Players face testing time as competition gears up for restart
ALL players will be tested for coronavirus twice a week after league chief executive Gillon McLachlan yesterday confirmed the competition will resume on June 11.
Players will resume modified training from Monday in groups of up to eight, with full contact training from May 25 ahead of the season restart.
McLachlan said an initial four-week block of fixtures would be released within 10 days.
Four clubs – West Coast, Fremantle, Adelaide and Port
Adelaide – will be based in hubs at two resorts on the Gold Coast for the early part of the season resumption.
“Our 2020 AFL premiership season will resume on Thursday June 11,” McLachlan said.
“Today is a significant step in getting footy back for everyone … we know as this situation continues to evolve we have to be agile and continue to adapt as necessary. Importantly we must not place any burden on the public health system.”
The AFL season – already shortened to 17 rounds – was suspended on March 22 after just one round because of the coronavirus pandemic.
McLachlan said all players and football department staff would be tested for COVID-19 twice every week – one test will be held within 24 hours of a club’s weekly main contact training session.
Players will also be subjected to daily health checks by club doctors.
“We have daily screening by the doctors of every single player on the list,” he said.
“We have biweekly testing of every player (with one test) at least 24 hours before the contact session and we will have the results back before they’re allowed to do contact sessions or play games.
“And there are a whole series of other measures. All of those will then determine if there is an infection, who has had close contact and what actually plays out after that.”
While West Coast and Fremantle won’t have to enter their hubs until the season resumes, the Crows and Port will shift to the Gold Coast by May 25.
Under SA laws, contact training is banned until June 8, meaning the SA clubs must move interstate sooner, while WA has no such restriction.
AFL Players Association boss Paul Marsh played down fears footballers could be forced out of home if their living arrangements weren’t up to standard.
“The industry is not trying to come in here and move players away from their families or their housemate,” he said.
“Obviously there is risk depending on who players live with, but there are some steps that can be taken (before it comes to that).”