Victorian families’ hub future still uncertain, as AFL unveils Round 8 fixture

Patrick Dangerfield says it ‘seems inevitable’ that Victorian players will be forced to stay in hubs for longer than planned. Meanwhile, family members hoping to catch up with players now face a two-week quarantine of their own. Dangerfield, who is now in Perth with Geelong after a week in Sydney, said he expected talks with the league to resume as soon as this afternoon. “The agreement is that the time away for clubs, players and staff sits at 35 days. And anything that would be extended beyond that is something that would have to be reviewed with and agreed upon by the PA on behalf of their players, with the AFL,” he said on SEN. “Clearly, the goalposts are shifting for us all and everybody is trying to do the best that they possibly can … it’s just trying to keep the season alive and running. “It would seem that way (that a longer stint will be required). So far, the AFL have said that nothing has been agreed upon and they’re just trying to work through the logistics of where the fixture’s at. It seems that way from the outside, there’s so many intricacies to work through. “It’s really a day by day, case by case … but certainly if you look at Victoria and the shutdown period that they’re in at the moment, it doesn’t make a huge amount of sense to go back there given the circumstances and how tough that would be to continue the flow of the season, in my personal view.” Dangerfield said it would “absolutely” become a source of strain for players to remain away from their families and partners, though many Cats had opted against bringing their families on tour. “No doubt about that,” Dangerfield said. “It puts a huge amount of strain on families, particularly those in metropolitan Melbourne base, because of the lockdown that they’re currently in. And because everything has changed so rapidly … that puts a huge amount of strain on the families to see the rumour and innuendo … some of it has been true, but we’re not getting the information until it’s concrete, and a lot of the time, that is really late in the piece. “That’s the real challenge for partners … it’s just such an ever-changing landscape. At the moment, I think it seems inevitable that it will be extended, but we’re still working through the details and we haven’t heard anything from the AFL as yet. I daresay that will change in the next few days.” Melbourne has called its entire playing list to its Sydney hub as Victoria’s coronavirus situation continues to escalate. With another 270 cases recorded today, the Demons are now working with the AFL to get their entire squad on the road given “the likelihood of more games being played over this period”. “Our decision to set up a Sydney and Melbourne hub was based on the information at the time, that we will be away for five games over a period of five weeks,” Melbourne football boss Josh Mahoney said. “With the likelihood of more games being played over this period, we have been working with the AFL to allow for more players to join our hub. “The AFL are working with the relevant governments to seek approval and appropriate quarantine requirements. We look forward to the full squad joining us when possible.” Meanwhile, Demons players are bracing for the potential that families and partners who hope to join them in their next hub stint could face two weeks of quarantine away from the team before they can be reunited. Queensland border restrictions dictate that Victorians or people who have been in Victoria in the preceding 14 days to entry cannot enter the state, unless they obtain an exemption. Melbourne has been based in Manly for 10 days and is preparing to go to the Sunshine State for a Round 8 clash with Brisbane, with some clubs investigating sending families to their next destination first in order to get a headstart on any required quarantine before the teams arrive. Star Demon Christian Petracca said it was one hurdle that may have to be crossed. “It’s out of our hands and out of our control, really,” he said. “It’s up to the government, and much higher up than me. We’d like them to come straight away to us and not quarantine, but I presume that they probably would have to for a bit of time.” The team and officials can travel straight into Queensland without serving any quarantine as they will have been out of Victoria for more than 14 days. Petracca said there was a keen sense among players to get more families and partners into the hub. “If guys are struggling or if guys are not in a great head space, it’s really important for the players to get their partners or their family up there,” he said. “(Demons football boss) Josh Mahoney and the club has done an incredible job of doing that and providing an environment where it’s like a little family. “There’s been a lot of kids running around, I know the Melkshams and the Joneses brought their kids up and it’s been really fun. It’s created a really lighthearted atmosphere here in the hub.” VICS TO JOIN PERTH HUB, AFL UNVEILS FIXTURE Hawthorn and Carlton will join Geelong and Collingwood in the AFL’s Perth hub immediately after their Round 8 matches, when six clubs will briefly be based in the west. Perth Stadium will host three Round 9 games in front of crowds of 30,000 – Hawthorn-Carlton, Fremantle-Collingwood and West Coast-Geelong – as football’s portable season relocates out of New South Wales and Victoria. The West Australian government will consider allowing capacity crowds of 60,000 again in two weeks. Crowds of 25,000 will also be welcome at Adelaide Oval for its three games in the next two weeks, with St Kilda set to face both South Australian clubs and Essendon off to meet the Crows in Round 8. SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE FULL ROUND 8 FIXTURE The Herald Sun understands the AFL is forking out around $3 million every week on interstate hubs to keep the season rolling. They are expected to continue for the bulk of the season. Western Bulldogs and North Melbourne each took around 90 people to Gold Coast’s Mercure Resort while Carlton vacated that hotel for RACV Royal Pines, which is five minutes down the road. The AFL is paying for everyone’s meals, accommodation, transportation and COVID-19 tests. The Dogs took all 45 players plus six partners, eight kids and around 30 staff members and are trying to create a family atmosphere. Melbourne and Richmond left about a dozen fringe players at home last week but are now trying to get them into their hubs. The enormous bill is a far more viable option than failing to get all of this year’s 153 home-and-away matches played, with the AFL being kept afloat by its TV deals. Expansion clubs Gold Coast and GWS will light up prime time in Round 8. The emerging Suns will show off Andrew McLeod-type debutant Izak Rankine and 200cm spearhead Ben King when they host the Dogs on Thursday night at Metricon Stadium. The Giants will host Richmond in this season’s only Grand Final rematch on the Friday night. The Bulldogs are likely to be among the third rotation of clubs sent to Perth for a round-robin of matches after their stay on the Gold Coast, which could extend to 42 days when the AFL compresses Rounds 9-12 into three weeks. It is understood the AFL is working on getting the Bulldogs home to Melbourne for one week to visit family after their stay in Queensland. The league is working through travel arrangements and possible exemptions with the WA government. The Hawks and Blues will play each other at Perth Stadium while serving their 14-day quarantine periods before each facing West Coast and Fremantle. The Hawks are one of just four unbeaten teams at Perth Stadium (minimum two games played), along with Hobart Hurricanes (Big Bash), Subiaco (WAFL) and English Premier League giant Manchester United. Similarly, Geelong and Collingwood clash this Thursday night at Perth Stadium while in quarantine before games against West Coast and Fremantle in Rounds 8 and 9. The quarantine periods have forced the AFL to introduce Monday night football. St Kilda’s 14-day quarantine period in Queensland expires on Sunday and they will then fly into Adelaide on Monday for that evening’s game against the Crows. The Saints will play back-to-back games at Adelaide Oval – they will meet Port Adelaide in a Saturday night blockbuster in Round 8 – but will return to the club’s Noosa hub between matches. Fremantle will host Geelong on Monday night in Round 8. While a Richmond-Essendon ‘Dreamtime’ clash in Darwin has been mooted there are no guarantees it will take place. The AFL will release the fixture for Rounds 9-12 either late this week or early next week, with four rounds set to be crammed into three weeks as clubs play midweek games off four and five-day breaks. ROUND 8 FIXTURE Thursday, July 23 Gold Coast v Western Bulldogs (Metricon Stadium) 7.40pm Friday, July 24 GWS Giants v Richmond (Giants Stadium) Saturday, July 25 North Melbourne v Carlton (the Gabba) Sydney v Hawthorn (SCG) Port Adelaide v St Kilda (Adelaide Oval) Sunday, July 26 Adelaide v Essendon (AO) West Coast v Collingwood (Perth Stadium) Melbourne v Brisbane Lions (Metricon Stadium) Monday, July 27 Fremantle v Geelong (Perth Stadium) CROWDS OF 25,000 FOR ADELAIDE OVAL R8 DOUBLE – Simeon Thomas-Wilson Adelaide Oval will host two games in Round 8 as Port Adelaide play its first game on SA soil since Round 2. Footy will return to Adelaide Oval on Monday when Adelaide hosts St Kilda in front of a crowd of up to 25,000 and fans won’t have to wait long to get their AFL fix in SA with both the Crows and Power scheduled at home in Round 8. The Power will take on St Kilda on Saturday, their first game at Adelaide Oval since their Round 2 Showdown thrashing. The Crows will play the next day, when Essendon flys into SA. In a boost for Crows and Port supporters they will get free Footy Express public transport paid for by the State Government in a move embraced by both clubs struggling with the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic. Adelaide City Council has also confirmed it will slash carparking fees by 50 per cent, meaning some supporters could pay as little as $4 to attend the footy.