AFL Grand Final: Sports Minister Mick Murray calls for venue decision delay after Queensland coronavirus spike

WA Sports Minister Mick Murray is urging the AFL to delay its decision on where to play this year’s grand final, with front-runner Queensland recording a sudden spike in coronavirus cases. Prior to yesterday, WA Government sources were privately conceding our chances of staging the event had faded. And sources said Mark McGowan’s refusal to put money towards hosting the event had also cost WA, with Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk reportedly prepared to put a multimillion-dollar incentive on the table to secure the GF. With Victoria unable to host this year’s decider because of a second wave of COVID-19, the AFL was expected to announce as early as Tuesday that the match was going to Queensland. But yesterday, Ms Palaszczuk was forced to tighten restrictions after nine new positive virus cases. Six of those were linked to the Brisbane Youth Detention Centre, with health authorities worried more cases would be confirmed over this weekend. The State’s chief health officer Jeanette Young gave residents a stark warning, saying: “In Brisbane and in Ipswich, if you’ve got symptoms of the flu, it’s most likely to be COVID, not the flu.” As a result of the cluster, strict new restrictions are now in place in South-East Queensland. Gatherings at homes across greater Brisbane are limited to a maximum of 10 people, as are outdoor gatherings. Mr Murray said the AFL now needed to defer its decision. “I certainly request that the AFL don’t be hasty in making their decisions because as we know, with this virus, it is a changing world and the situation can change within a week,” Mr Murray said. “I am sure we (McGowan Government) will be relaying the message to the AFL that it should not be hasty in its decision and lock into Brisbane due to the changes that are happening in Queensland.” WA’s business community yesterday also called on the AFL to defer its decision, with property developer Nigel Satterley claiming a decision to choose the Gabba over Optus Stadium would cost the AFL at least $20 million. Brisbane Lions chief executive Greg Swann said he was “reasonably confident” the Gabba would be announced the venue for the 2020 grand final before the end of this week, but conceded the AFL might need to have a Plan B. He said the club had been assured it could still host 15,000 fans at the Gabba today for their clash with St Kilda, given its strict COVID-19 safe plans. “They [the Queensland Government] are pretty confident that tracing will work,” Mr Swann said. “We have a COVID plan, we’ve been having between 10,000 and 11,000 every other game, so if 15,000 turn up, they will be socially distanced. The game will continue as normal.” A member of the working party aimed at getting the grand final to Brisbane, Mr Swann still believes the Gabba remained the overwhelming favourite to host the grand final — despite the coronavirus cluster in Queensland. “If WA has a hard border and if SA has [a limit] of 10,000, I am not sure how that works either,” he said. “All the players are going to be here. As of next week, 16 of the 18 clubs are going to be in Queensland, so even from a convenience point of view that has got to be in our favour. Football heavyweights, former West Coast Eagles coach Michael Malthouse and Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett yesterday agreed that Queensland was now the front runner to host this year’s grand final. They were critical of Mr McGowan’s hard border policy which they believed ruled WA out of contention. “I think Mark McGowan has put the final nail right in the coffin,” Malthouse said “You can’t have quarantining of players through finals. The quarantining is unrealistic.” Mr Kennett said that “with the passing of every day” it was becoming less likely that WA would host this year’s AFL grand final. “The border closure has just made it too difficult (for WA),” Mr Kennett said “I’d be very surprised if the AFL, for logistical reasons now because of closed borders (in WA) don’t select Queensland.” A spokesman for Ms Palaszczuk yesterday said that once the AFL ruled out the MCG as the venue for the grand final the Queensland Government would begin firm negotiations with the AFL on getting the event to the Gabba. Venues West and Tourism WA this week sent the AFL a presentation on how a grand final could be run in Perth. But yesterday Mr McGowan made it clear that softening WA’s hard border was not an option. Nor would WA put money up for the event. “If the AFL choose Perth, the same quarantine hub arrangements will need to be followed,” he said. “WA won't be providing additional funds to lure the event here. The health and safety of Western Australians is my number one priority.”