- Banned
- #1,601
Some interesting articles in today's west.
I know that public health has to be the number 1 priority, but I hope McGowan doesn't turn off the AFL with his hard stance earlier in the week insisting on 14 day quarantines. The control measures that the AFL put in place should surely warrant an exemption. Having an AFL hub will be good for WA economy and extremely important to us as a club if we want to mount a serious challenge for this years flag.
Also - Here is an article from Duffield, he raises some good points. I especially enjoyed the analogy of Viccos crawling back to the VFL like a dog crawls back to its own vomit. I think I'll try that one out on the main board.
I know that public health has to be the number 1 priority, but I hope McGowan doesn't turn off the AFL with his hard stance earlier in the week insisting on 14 day quarantines. The control measures that the AFL put in place should surely warrant an exemption. Having an AFL hub will be good for WA economy and extremely important to us as a club if we want to mount a serious challenge for this years flag.
Coronavirus crisis: Premier Mark McGowan declares Perth a ‘frontrunner’ in proposed AFL hubs for Project Return
Peter Law & Steve ButlerThe West Australian
Friday, 24 April 2020 9:06PM
AFL clubs will be housed in Olympic-style villages under a plan to restart the season next month, with Premier Mark McGowan declaring Perth a “frontrunner” to host a footy hub.
The West Australian can reveal details about Project Return, which would see hotels and resorts converted into strictly controlled villages in one or two cities.
Under the AFL’s plan, up to 600 players and staff would be based in the quarantine zones for eight weeks and undergo weekly COVID-19 testing.
Crown Perth and Joondalup Resort have been identified as suitable locations in Perth for accommodation villages, from which the general public would be banned.
Clubs would travel to the hub on chartered flights and only be allowed to leave the village to play matches, train on approved ovals and attend medical appointments.
Optus Stadium would be the centrepiece of a Perth’s multi-venue hub, which would host between six and 10 teams, including the Eagles and Dockers.
West Coast chief executive Trevor Nisbett said Lathlain’s Mineral Resources Park, Leederville Oval and Joondalup’s HBF Arena could also be used for matches.
AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan this week wrote to State and Territory leaders to gauge their support, with Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide and Darwin also under consideration.
“The AFL’s current thinking is to establish quarantine zones, limit travel and reduce contact with the public by establishing an Olympic village-style model,” Mr McLachlan wrote in a letter seen by The West Australian.
All 18 clubs would be based in one or two hubs, with clubs split into various villages — hotels dedicated solely to the AFL — where players could freely move around without public interaction.
Once in their village, players would — at first — train together in small groups and then take part in match practice, being referred to by the AFL as a three-week “pre-season”.
Mr McGowan said he told AFL boss Mr McLachlan that WA was “very keen” to host a hub, so long as health guidelines were followed.
The Premier said States would next week receive advice from chief medical officers about the plan.
“If that comes back positively then of course we would be more than happy to host the teams here to play. It would be a very exciting aspect of the competition to have a bunch of teams based in Perth and it would be great for morale in the State,” Mr McGowan said.
“A lot of people are starved of entertainment at the moment and that affects people’s mental health. So for hundreds and thousands of people to be able to watch football, it would make them feel a lot better.
“It would be a good thing for a long, tough winter which for many people which will be relatively boring because they can’t travel and some are not at work or unemployed, so to watch some football would be a godsend.”
He said it would be “appropriate” for the season to restart in late May and he believed after Melbourne, Perth was a clear “frontrunner” as the city had Australia’s “best grounds and facilities”.
“Melbourne would have to have a share of it, but I think we’d be ahead of Adelaide and the Northern Territory. What I don’t want to do is get in a bidding war — I’m not going to pay money for it,” he said. “If States want to put up millions of dollars for it, we’ll let them, but we’re not going to do that.”
Players, staff and officials would be tested before travelling to the hub and then at least weekly in the first three weeks. Players would also undergo tests on match days to be approved to play.
The AFL will purchase polymerase chain reaction test kits to ensure there was no burden on the local health system. Blood tests to detect antibodies as a result of virus exposure would also be used.
“This would showcase WA and the wonderful work that’s been done here during this pandemic,” Mr Nisbett said.
“We have the hotels and we have the venues we can play at ... we’ve got everything in place to house anywhere up to six teams.
“It is a very positive move if everyone gets behind it and we can find a way to create the opportunity in WA.”
As part of the plan, the State Government may also be asked to consider self-isolation exemptions for visiting players which would see them to travel with their teammates on buses to training venues, before returning directly to their hotels without coming in contact with any members of the public.
It could form part of their two-week isolation requirement.
WA Football Commission boss Gavin Taylor added: “We have one of the best stadiums in the world, great support facilities and a good climate that could support the model.
“If the WAFC can play any part in making AFL games possible in WA safely, we are definitely keen to support that opportunity.”
A Fremantle spokesman said the club would “clearly” be enthusiastic about WA hosting an AFL hub. But new coach Justin Longmuir told radio station SEN today that Melbourne would be a “really good place” to restart if the AFL wanted all 18 teams in one State.
Also - Here is an article from Duffield, he raises some good points. I especially enjoyed the analogy of Viccos crawling back to the VFL like a dog crawls back to its own vomit. I think I'll try that one out on the main board.
