Coronavirus: could the 2020 AFL season be called off?

[Twodogs]

Speaking of indoor sports. Handshaking is out so after the game we were doing the foot touching thing. Got through the game no problems, injured myself when I fell over while i was foot touching...

[Bulldog4life]

https://www.afl.com.au/news/385050/n...navirus-crisis

VICTORIAN AFL clubs are considering pulling their involvement from the 2020 VFL competition.

The move has been canvassed on Saturday in a series of conference calls and meetings with AFL officials, as the industry continues to wrestle with contingencies pertaining to the coronavirus outbreak.

CORONAVIRUS CRISIS AFL makes call on round one

A day after publicly committing to playing its round one series of matches as fixtured, the AFL again briefed club CEOs and presidents on Saturday morning and early afternoon about plans for round two and beyond.

It emerged during those discussions that several clubs believe they need to remove their players from any involvement with their VFL organisations, where they come in contact with people who are outside their own heavily-controlled and medically-focused work environments.

If a majority of Victorian clubs withdrew their players from VFL involvement, it would place the 2020 VFL season in jeopardy.


In other developments on Saturday, it emerged that:

- The AFL was prepared to cram up to six rounds of football into four weeks beyond round one, as a potential measure to stockpile some of the required 198 premiership games before the near-inevitability of the competition being shutdown indefinitely when the Coronavirus outbreaks peaks in Australia;

- There are mixed views among the AFL and its clubs as to what will happen if a player is diagnosed with coronavirus – some clubs believe the competition should be shut down immediately, others have the view that removing that player from the club and closely monitoring all others would allow for competition to continue;

ROUND ONE TICKETS Fans to get refunds

- Several players remain uneasy about the plans to start the 2020 season without spectator attendance when other major sports competitions around the world, including the NBA and EPL, have shut theirs down to deal with the Coronavirus outbreak;

- Some clubs are growing increasingly worried about the financial pain that is already occurring and are fearful their organisations will never fully recover;

- The clubs are attempting an unusual collaborative approach to tackle the issues which relate to members and fans.



After a dramatic day of dealings with governments and medical authorities, the AFL on Friday night revealed it planned to open the 2020 season as per its round one fixture, beginning with Richmond versus Carlton on Thursday night, but without spectators in attendance.

It is believed round two matches will stay as fixtured, too, but that every round thereafter could be altered in some form.

The AFL and the clubs are well aware, though, that this rapidly moving coronavirus situation could force it to postpone matches at any stage, including the cancellation of the round one fixture.

[bulldogtragic]

If there's no Footscray VFL playing this year, how can any of our players earn promotion to the seniors outside of training. They won't be much fit or match ready playing no games.

All signs point to a lost season. If that's the cost of avoiding a lot of preventable death, then it's a tiny price to pay.

[whythelongface]

NRL have decided to continue their season behind closed doors.

NRL boss states that ‘the game has never faced a challenge like this’. Sorry but what world are you living in. The world has never faced a challenge like this. Forget the game for a moment and think about humanity. The game will eventually recover, however if humanity doesn’t we are all screwed anyway.

[Twodogs]

I was at the supermarket this morning. Man I'd hate to see how some people would go in an actual real emergency.

About a month after our first child was born this happened:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-...osion/10299988

When you are a new parent everything is frightening enough as it is. Take away the abilty to warm up the house, cook food (luckily we were still in the stage where our wonderful Footscrayite neighbors were cooking up an extra couple of meals and dropping them off to us each day or I don't know how we would have survived) or even wash the baby and his nappies properly and you get perspective.

This is a doddle compared to that. This is dangerous but you can take steps-Longford was an ongoing pain in the arse for months. The only good thing about it was it cost Kennett the '99 election and then at least with him gone Victoria could stop arguing with itself and begin with the repairing.

[Twodogs]

Anyway like Shakespeare says "Beware, beware the ides of March"*


*that'd be today-be careful of anyone called Brutus, Cassius or Lucius.

[DOG GOD]

I just can’t see how the AFL think this is all going to work. Week by week it’s going to be a band aid solution up to the point the season is cancelled. If the NBA can do it, why the F can’t the AFL. It’s inevitable, so just make the decision now so clubs and supporters can prepare.

[Twodogs]

I just can’t see how the AFL think this is all going to work. Week by week it’s going to be a band aid solution up to the point the season is cancelled. If the NBA can do it, why the F can’t the AFL. It’s inevitable, so just make the decision now so clubs and supporters can prepare.

You could have just left it at that.

[Rocco Jones]

AFL a bit different as an ecosystem to NBA and the likes. It is not ridiculously wealthy and it is not semi-pro. They don't have billions to go back to after the wreckage. Suspension can really hurt or even kill clubs. It could change the life security of players. I am very much up for us doing whatever it takes to flatten the curve, however the comparisons to NBA are moot.

[The Adelaide Connection]

There is a pending decision coming today on potentially closing schools as early as tomorrow. It's really proactive and sensible, but the chaos that is going to cause families can't be understated.

For anyone who likes data (or just an interest in how this thing has taken hold in different places) check this out:
https://medium.com/@tomaspueyo/coron...e-f4d3d9cd99ca

[GVGjr]

I'm now of the belief that we shouldn't contemplate playing games in empty stadiums in the first few weeks of the scheduled season.
There are a few reasons for this:

1) The game is for the fans and without fans attending I don't think they should go ahead. It may get to that point but we should wait

2) Why is deemed safe enough for the players? They are in contact with family and friends and in some cases have children of their own. On top of that it's a very physical sport where contact to the head is likely. Are we sure we can contain this for the players in the games?

3) I think too many people are looking at this as a way of protecting the business of the AFL and while I get that it still doesn't mean it should be the primary focus over the safety of the players and the community.

We should hold back for another month before contemplating playing games with no fans in attendance because there are number of viable options that could be explored before we get to that scenario

I'll chip in what I can to help the club through this time

[G-Mo77]

I just can’t see how the AFL think this is all going to work. Week by week it’s going to be a band aid solution up to the point the season is cancelled. If the NBA can do it, why the F can’t the AFL. It’s inevitable, so just make the decision now so clubs and supporters can prepare.

Speaking of NBA. Christian Wood just tested positive to COVID19. He played on Ruby Gobert Saturday. The AFL think locking out fans is the answer to the troubles of the league?

[Sedat]

There is a pending decision coming today on potentially closing schools as early as tomorrow. It's really proactive and sensible, but the chaos that is going to cause families can't be understated.

For anyone who likes data (or just an interest in how this thing has taken hold in different places) check this out:
https://medium.com/@tomaspueyo/coron...e-f4d3d9cd99ca

Schools remaining open as just announced by the PM. Also all international arrivals will have to self-isolate effective midnight tonight (exact same timing as NZ). Also strict enforcement of non-essential static gatherings of 500 people or more effective immediately, with event bans to be legislated by state govts.

[Sedat]

Speaking of NBA. Christian Wood just tested positive to COVID19. He played on Ruby Gobert Saturday. The AFL think locking out fans is the answer to the troubles of the league?

The minute a player tests positive, the season will be suspended. Until that happens, there is no way that the AFEL or Ch 7 will stop the show from going on. Always back self-interest.

[bornadog]

NZ shows the way again and we follow like sheep.