Visiting AFL teams not welcome in SA
adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/marsh...
adelaidenow.com.auPosted May 6, 2020, 12:44 PM UTC
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adelaidenow.com.auSouth Australia is unlikely to welcome in AFL teams during the early part of a rebooted season while interstate COVID-19 infection rates remain high, Premier Steven Marshall says.
As SA enjoyed its 14th consecutive day of zero cases – and Melbourne was struggling with an ongoing outbreak at a meatworks – Mr Marshall supported a fly-in, fly-out model for the Crows and Power.
He said if the “current infection rates continued I think we would be very unlikely to welcome players from interstate into Adelaide”.
“Obviously we are trying to predict what the infection level around Australia will be in four, six and eight weeks time, and that is extremely difficult to do,” Mr Marshall said.
He said the health of players and the wider community would need to take precedence over home ground advantage.
“And therefore it makes it much more likely that in the early rounds of the season that our games from South Australia would be away games.
“Or we would be operating out of a hub.
“My personal preference is for us to be essentially operating in a modified fly-in, fly-out model with South Australian teams based here and flying out for games.”
Mr Marshall told The Advertiser that SA would continue to listen to health advice and adjust its measures accordingly.
“I have been in touch with (AFL boss) Gill McLachlan today to let him know South Australia’s chief medical officer Nicola Spurrier … is now doing a final look at the various models that have been proposed … and will reply to him directly,” Mr Marshall said.
Amid chatter about a hub model being used to reboot the AFL season, Mr Marshall asked during national Cabinet for a risk assessment between two models – a hub or a fly-in, fly-out home and away season – to be undertaken.
Mr Marshall’s apprehension about flying in interstate clubs was echoed by West Australian Premier Mark McGowan, who told reporters in Perth that his state would not “compromise on our hard borders just to meet the needs of football”.
Victoria has recorded 34 new virus infections in the past two days, meaning it still has about 100 active cases across the state.
Crows chief executive Andrew Fagan said last night the club would be guided by health advice.
“Our wish will always be to play games under a traditional home and away format, which includes hosting opposition teams at Adelaide Oval, and in a perfect world with our members and fans in attendance to cheer us on,” he said. “However, in these unprecedented times, we will always heed the advice and direction of medical experts and acknowledge that we must put the health and wellbeing of the community first and foremost.
“With this in mind, our club is open minded and willing to be flexible to ensure the return of football as soon as possible.”
Port Adelaide chief executive officer Keith Thomas said, first and foremost, the most important element was to protect the health and safety of players, coaches, staff and the broader community.
“Every decision made has to be through the lens of protecting the community,” he said.
“Secondly, we would embrace any opportunity to restart the competition and take part in games.
“We want to play and our players are ready to go, but we must respect the laws of the land. We will support any way the AFL can get the competition up and running again.
“We know we need to be agile and flexible in our approach to this.
“Hopefully any inequalities in the competition are for the short term to ensure the integrity of the season.
“Our players love nothing more than playing at Adelaide Oval.”
8
Is there that great a difference between players coming to SA risking bringing it with them and SA players leaving to play and risk bringing it back?
8
Is this a serious question?
Of course there is.
One is two teams, so let’s say about 40 people per group for a total of 80 individuals.
Another is eleven teams or so, which works out at around 150 people coming in over multiple weeks.
1†
if you're sending 40 people elsewhere, to go sweat and tackle those 150 people you're so worried about multiple times a week for weeks on end, then there's every risk that they would bring it back with them. Which is why I see little difference in risk.
and you can shelve that condescending attitude of yours
11
2 teams, multiple times over an extended period of time. It's not like those 80 individuals are only leaving and returning once in this scenario.
3
It’s because you’re Victorian, revenge for Jeff Kennett for stealing the Australian Grand Prix
6
Time to delay the season. The AFL has indicated hubs are not feasible.
6
I guess visiting teams will have to forfeit. Its their responsibility to make sure they can get to the ground
+10 goal victory for both Adelaide and port home games
/s
5
Victorian hub, been saying it for weeks.
The VFL will rise again!
3
The VFL?
I thought you guys broke up
15
Yes, that's what we wanted you to think
9
It's the only way this works. Make it happen AFL.
We've won it other ways and I'm keen to see us have a crack via Vic hubs.
3
Didn't the VFL go bankrupt?
1
Is this because of covid or because both of their teams are shit?
2
Since we haven't won in SA in 10 years, I have no problem with this.
1
SAbias
-1
That’s it croweaters if you ever want a grand final in Adelaide you’d better get used to watching SANFL!
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I mean, 40k of us have shown up for the last few years i've been going to watch the SANFL grand final, so um, damn son, yeah, that's really gonna show us isn't it....
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It was a joke mate
1
Yeah i know you're poking fun (i'm not downvoting btw) but it was a weird joke because we already are used to doing that :P
5
I mean yeah, fair enough
I'm all for it as someone living in SA. Both WA and SA are in enviable positions as far as corona and that shouldn't be risked. There's 2 outstanding cases in South Australia currently so hopefully that's 0 soon.
I'm not exactly sure of the measures for the local teams to FIFO though and ensure safety. Perhaps being tested on their return.
Nah not fair enough, this guy is as moronic as the WA premier. It’s all well and good to say that you don’t want sports teams flying in and out every other week disregarding the current quarantine measures. But a) they’re not going to be in place forever (or even necessarily much longer), and b ) it works both ways. You can’t say you don’t want teams to visit SA, but also support a FIFO model for the crows/port. The only way it works if you don’t allow them special privilege is if they relocate to an east coast state, and then they’re not coming back till this is over - because it’s a 4 week turnaround if they want to visit home. You tell the players that, I’m sure they’ll be ecstatic.
People have gone absolutely insane over covid19. Social distancing has gone mad.