Don't worry Jackson, the supporters haven't forgotten you, even if match committee plainly have.
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I'd be getting all teams out of NSW after round 8 at the latest.
That is a long spell
Quote:
Gerard: "I'm being told from a well-placed source that all Victorian clubs were told this morning that they will be based in Queensland for the remainder of the home and away season."
AFL to move hundreds of players, more games to Qld due to COVID 19 threat
More AFL games will be played in Queensland and more teams based here as Victoria’s coronavirus crisis continues to escalate.
The news, announced by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, comes as Queensland records no new COVID-19 cases.
“I can reveal that the AFL has approached Queensland to move more of its teams and players here to Queensland,” Ms Palaszczuk said
The Premier said she hoped that if the AFL was going to base more of its competition here, then Queensland could also host the AFL Grand Final.
She said the AFL was looking to book hundreds of hotel rooms over the next two months in a boon for the accommodation sector, but she said the health of Queenslanders would be paramount.
“It means more Queenslanders here can go and see the games,” she said.
“It’s more fire in the belly for the Suns and the Lions.
“I stress none of these measures can happen without strict quarantine protocols and the COVID management plan that has allowed the AFL season to proceed.
“Given the choice between not having a season and having it based in Queensland I think I know what the fans would like to happen.
“It means more Queenslanders can see more games.
“And, as I told Gil (AFL CEO Gil McLachlan), if the season is based here then the Grand Final should be played here too.
“Negotiations between the NRL and the Chief Health Officer are continuing.”
Essendon is gathering the troops by considering bringing its injured players to its Gold Coast hub.
Speaking after Premier Palaszczuk’s announcement, Bombers coach John Worsfold confirmed the club was now looking at bringing the likes of injured star Jake Stringer north.
“We’re having those discussions at the moment around Paddy Ambrose who is another one back in Melbourne and some of our younger players who are unavailable to play for a number of weeks,” Worsfold said.
“We are working through what that means for all of us up here, there’s a lot of things that you have to take into account in terms of staffing in looking after those players in rehab and what they can add when they come up and join the group.
“We need to make a decision on that fairly quickly and we’ll be having those discussions over the next day or so.”
CLUBS PREFER QLD
St Kilda has handed Port Adelaide an addition to the Power’s home ground advantage in Round 8 by choosing not to stay in SA in between consecutive games at Adelaide Oval.
The Saints will take on Adelaide on Monday night and rather than stay in SA after their match against the Crows to prepare for their clash against the Power the following Saturday night they will fly back to their Noosa base.
The decision is an internal one by the Saints with nothing stopping them from staying in Adelaide in between games.
This is because they would have served two weeks in Queensland before they fly to Adelaide for the Crows game.
Port Adelaide will again fly to Queensland to play Carlton on Sunday after a daytrip to the Sunshine State to take on GWS in which the Power were up at 4.30am, on the bus to the airport at 5.30am and back in Adelaide at 10pm.
But they are set to enjoy a run of games at Adelaide Oval with the AFL now looking at cycling teams through SA for weeks at a time to continue the 2020 season.
SA Health confirmed to News Corp that teams coming to the state from Queensland will not be subject to any quarantine requirements so long as they have served the required two weeks there.
AFL fixtures boss Travis Auld said SA was now well and truly on the cards to host some clubs for a period, but said it wouldn’t necessarily be a “hub”.
“(Been having conversations with) SA in particular in recent times now that things are opening up especially through Queensland and then how that may work not just for the two SA clubs but for other clubs that are coming to play and how we take advantage of the opportunity to have one or two clubs stay for one or two weeks and play a couple of games rather than fly in and then back out,” he said on SEN SA.
“The hub concept is really the Queensland concept where you have four to six teams here they literally park themselves in a hotel like the two SA clubs did.
“What we are seeing in WA and initially in SA is you might send one or two teams over and they play one team, then play the other and then flip over and rotate out more so of that where you would put half a dozen of your clubs into a facility there.”
Half their luck
Dogs’ stay in Queensland extended
The Western Bulldogs are set to be based in a Queensland hub for up to 10 weeks to complete the 2020 home and away season.
In a move announced by the AFL today, the Bulldogs stay on the Gold Coast will be extended.
“Today we make another decision to ensure the health and welfare of everyone and to provide greater certainty to all involved in our game for the coming weeks,” AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan said today.
“Understanding the ongoing situation with Covid-19 in Victoria, Victorian teams will be based out of Queensland for up to 10 weeks as we aim to get the majority of the season complete in that timeframe.
“Victorian teams based in Queensland that are fixtured to travel interstate to play, will travel to their game and then return back Queensland.”
Fixtures beyond round eight, where the Bulldogs will play the Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium, have yet to be announced.
Beyond that, the Bulldogs would have nine home-and-away games to play, including against the two Perth-based teams and two Adelaide-based teams.
Mr McLachlan thanked everyone involved in the game for their commitment to keeping the season alive, in a year like no other.
“This season that is literally like no other,” he said.
“Amongst all the changes, challenges, good days and bad ones, we continue to find a way through.
“We will continue to keep our game alive, for the fans, for our clubs and for the thousands and thousands of jobs the competition provides.
I might get to see more games live now than since i was a boy living Melbourne!
We're all going this Friday, glad I decided not to go last Sunday!
Good on you YHF!! Look forward to some insights which are not always evident on tv coverage.
Exciting for you to see our top draft pick debut.
Yell an extra loud “Go Cody/Flea” for all the Vic supporters.
Will certainly never take going to the footy granted again after this year. When you went to the Western Oval back in the day where did you usually sit for home games Grantysghost? Whitten stand? The Western Oval playing days were before my time. Lots used to probably come from far and wide to watch the mighty Dogs each week.
We used to sit on the fence in front of the EJ Whitten stand. Would be a family affair. Arrive for the start of the reserves, get our spot on the concrete steps, and wait for the rest of the extended family to arrive. Fantastic tradition. Ducking 20 cent pieces at half time hurled down to the Hyde St band blanket as they walked around trumpets blaring.
Dad would drive ! Ah seems like yesterday :cool:
40th year as a member no games ! I'll be back.
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