So how can GWS be now playing Geelong off a 5 day break?
Perhaps Essendon have already had 1 this year and GWS haven't, but regardless how is this not compromising for GWS season at this point.
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Round 21
Friday, August 6
Geelong v GWS Giants at GMHBA Stadium, 7.50pm AEST (SEVEN)
Saturday, August 7
Carlton v Gold Coast at Marvel Stadium, 1.45pm AEST (FOX)
Richmond v North Melbourne at the MCG, 4.35pm AEST (FOX)
St Kilda v Sydney at Marvel Stadium, 7.40pm AEST (FOX)
Adelaide v Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval, 7.10pm ACST (FOX)
Sunday, August 8
Hawthorn v Collingwood at UTAS Stadium, 2.10pm AEST (FOX)
Western Bulldogs v Essendon at Marvel Stadium, 3.20pm AEST (SEVEN)
Fremantle v Brisbane at Optus Stadium, 3.10pm AWST (FOX)
Monday, August 9
West Coast v Melbourne at Optus Stadium, 6.10pm AWST (SEVEN)
Duplicate error. (mods remove please) .
Looks like pre-finals bye may be bye-bye (sorry).
https://www.espn.com/afl/story/_/id/...e-ahead-finals
AFL premiership contenders Melbourne, Geelong and the Western Bulldogs have all indicated they are prepared for the league's pre-finals bye to be scrapped, if required, to keep the season rolling.
There are just two rounds left in the home-and-away season, which has proceeded throughout COVID-19 lockdowns across the country, albeit with significant fixture reshuffles.
AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan on Thursday confirmed the league's desire to keep the season moving and complete the finals series in September has led it to consider starting the finals the week after round 23, removing the bye.
A decision may not be made until late next week as the AFL waits for news on Victoria's current lockdown, which has been extended until at least August 19.
"We're contingency planning, but I don't have a line of sight on where and how week one of the finals looks - I really don't," McLachlan said.
"At the moment we're debating whether we have the bye or not and that's as candid as I can be.
"People understand we're sort of waiting everyday and looking at what happens in Victoria and in other states, I mean, Queensland's opened up a bit the last hour.
"So I think our clubs now understand, our supporters I know do, that every day seems to count in this environment and they're giving us that leeway."
Melbourne are the only club guaranteed to finish in the top four at this stage and coach Simon Goodwin said the ladder-leading Demons are ready to roll straight into finals, if necessary.
Pre finals bye officially gone - to be held over and used during the finals series apparently.
https://www.afl.com.au/news/666123/n...pre-finals-bye
CLUBS have been informed the pre-finals bye has been officially scrapped with the week off to instead be held over and used during finals.
It's understood clubs were told on Sunday night they will roll straight from the home and away season into finals without a week off.
The week off will, however, be a fluid decision and come into effect ahead of the preliminary final or the Toyota AFL Grand Final depending on whether teams are required to be relocated to other states given the ongoing threat of COVID-19.
It comes after calls from Geelong coach Chris Scott and Melbourne counterpart Simon Goodwin over the weekend demanding clarity on whether there would be a weekend's rest ahead of the finals.
So our whole club is going into strict isolation the whole week and are only allowed out to train at Whitten Oval.
This is because of demands from the SA government. Massive leg up for Port who are free to do whatever they want.
This season is done.