AFL in another COVID grapple

Roos sweat on Tassie game

The AFL is sweating on negative COVID tests today before it can tick off the crucial Geelong-West Coast clash at GMHBA Stadium and continue its season unchecked.

Crowds have been banned in Perth as the league grapples with the latest coronavirus scare in Western Australia.

The Fremantle-North Melbourne game will go ahead tonight in an empty stadium after the AFL was given a special exemption by the WA Government.

Perth was plunged into a three-day lockdown at midnight Friday following news that a hotel quarantine breach had led to four positive cases.

West Coast Eagles players flew into Melbourne on Thursday and were still anxiously awaiting COVID test results on Friday night before being allowed to take on Geelong on Saturday at GMHBA Stadium.

The league said Friday the game would go ahead, but first the players and coaches needed to receive negative tests. The league’s decision to send North Melbourne to Perth on a chartered flight is expected to help keep them “clean” and able to return to Melbourne over the weekend.

North Melbourne chief executive Ben Amarfio said the Roos would fly back on Sunday morning.

“We think we will be able to fly out on Sunday morning as had been planned,” he said.

“The view of the WA police is they got it early and hence it’s only a three-day lockdown so the game will go ahead without a crowd.

North Melbourne is desperate to return home over the weekend to be allowed to play Melbourne in Tasmania on Sunday week.

The Roos need to play that game to fulfil their obligation, and a lucrative financial deal, with the Tasmanian Government.

Tasmania would need to make its own call on allowing North Melbourne players into the state.

Given North Melbourne is effectively in quarantine in Perth there is no reason why that game cannot go ahead.