THE Tasmanian government has denied the AFL’s application to host the Fremantle-Carlton match in Launceston, meaning Geelong’s GMHBA Stadium will host the Round 16 game.
The Dockers pushed for the match to be held in completely neutral territory considering it was originally their scheduled home fixture in Perth.
“As a result of the current national risk the game will not go ahead in Tasmania,” Tasmania premier Peter Gutwein said.
“I know that will disappoint many people, especially Carlton supporters who I’m sure there are many of in the state.”
The AFL is yet to acknowledge the announcement but AFL broadcasting and clubs manager Travis Auld on Tuesday said the game would be in Geelong on Saturday night if Tasmania was ruled out.
It comes as Australia’s deteriorating COVID-19 situation has forced Adelaide and Port Adelaide to flee South Australia, meaning all 18 AFL clubs will be temporarily based in Victoria.
The two SA clubs will fly out of Adelaide on Wednesday night, joining the six other non-Victorian teams already in Melbourne.
Despite the SA government deciding against a lockdown after the state recorded five new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, the AFL has opted to move the Crows and the Power squads.
Port’s clash with Hawthorn at Marvel Stadium on Saturday will go ahead as planned, but a new venue may need to be found for the Crows’ game, scheduled for the Adelaide Oval, against the Brisbane Lions.
SA’s chief health officer Nicola Spurrier said the round-16 match could still be played in Adelaide, but fans would unlikely be able to attend.
If the game is only allowed to be held behind closed doors, the AFL would likely re-schedule the match in Victoria instead.
But the Victorian government on Wednesday announced the expected rise in crowd numbers at sporting venues from a 25 to 85 per cent cap would be paused for at least seven days.
“Bringing the two South Australian teams to Victoria today minimises risk for the competition as we progress the season in a constantly changing environment,” Auld said on Wednesday.
“As of this evening we will have all 18 teams in Victoria and, as a competition, we will continue to remain adaptable where required.
“The two teams travelling today will fly to Victoria via a charter flight and will remain in the state ahead of this round’s matches.”
Sixteen of the league’s 18 clubs are already in Victoria after Brisbane, Gold Coast, West Coast and Fremantle arrived in Melbourne on Tuesday night due to lockdowns in south-east Queensland and Perth.
It is a contrasting situation to the same time last year when Melbourne’s second wave of COVID-19 forced all Victorian clubs to relocate north and the grand final was played in Brisbane for the first time.
The Suns’ Thursday night home clash with Richmond has already been moved from Metricon Stadium to Marvel Stadium.
Sydney and GWS are already based in Melbourne, having flown out last week because of Bondi’s growing COVID-19 cluster.
The Swans’ home game against West Coast at the SCG has been shifted to GMHBA Stadium on Sunday, while the Giants will play at the MCG for the second-straight week when they face Melbourne on Saturday.
(C) AAP 2021
