COVID & AFL 2021

[Rab D Nesbitt 8,767]

With two Melbourne based clubs competing on Queen's Birthday it should still take place at the G. It's just a question of whether there will be a crowd or not. Both Collingwood and ourselves have a bye the following week and both our games in round 15 (almost a month away) are to take place in Melbourne as well. 

Fingers crossed things improve to an extent that we can get at least 50% capacity by June 14 as that should see our entire membership having the chance to attend. 

[Demonland 73,482]

7 minutes ago, Rab D Nesbitt said:

With two Melbourne based clubs competing on Queen's Birthday it should still take place at the G. It's just a question of whether there will be a crowd or not. Both Collingwood and ourselves have a bye the following week and both our games in round 15 (almost a month away) are to take place in Melbourne as well. 

Fingers crossed things improve to an extent that we can get at least 50% capacity by June 14 as that should see our entire membership having the chance to attend. 

15 Days.

There is no way we go back to crowds straight away. Certainly not 50% in 2 weeks time. I seriously doubt there will be any crowds at that stage not even 25% even if we are out of Lockdown.

I posed the question in another thread but where would you prefer this game be played? At the G with no crowd or interstate with some crowd and gate takings?

I doubt we will be given the QB home game next year again.

[Dr. Gonzo 24,443]

1 hour ago, layzie said:

It would be likely we’d probably go back to the 50% capacity at best. Gee wiz too much to fathom right now.

And how long does that last? Will we have full crowds by September?

[censored] over this

[Dr. Gonzo 24,443]

1 hour ago, Jaded said:

Totally different scenario. It was a very small outbreak with minimal exposure sites. It was hot. It was a different variant. And the key is we went very early. We needed to go to lockdown on Tuesday last week. Then it would be 7 days. We will be lucky to get out in 14 days. A month would not surprise me either. This is clearly running away from contact tracers. 

Why they didn't lockdown immediately on Tuesday is beyond my comprehension. Utterly farcical.

[Dr. Gonzo 24,443]

11 minutes ago, Demonland said:

15 Days.

There is no way we go back to crowds straight away. Certainly not 50% in 2 weeks time. I seriously doubt there will be any crowds at that stage not even 25% even if we are out of Lockdown.

I posed the question in another thread but where would you prefer this game be played? At the G with no crowd or interstate with some crowd and gate takings?

I doubt we will be given the QB home game next year again.

How long did it take WA to get crowds back after no crowds for the Derby?

[Rab D Nesbitt 8,767]

3 minutes ago, Demonland said:

15 Days.

There is no way we go back to crowds straight away. Certainly not 50% in 2 weeks time. I seriously doubt there will be any crowds at that stage not even 25% even if we are out of Lockdown.

I posed the question in another thread but where would you prefer this game be played? At the G with no crowd or interstate with some crowd and gate takings?

I doubt we will be given the QB home game next year again.

Hi DL. I agree that we're unlikely to be given a third crack of the whip hosting the QB game but would having 5,000 people pay to attend the game at the SCG (for example) outweigh the cost of flying two teams and their support staff up to Sydney and back (perhaps with overnight accommodation) and renting out the ground for the day ? I'd rather our boys get to sleep in their own bed on Sunday night and have their usual game prep. 

[Clintosaurus 7,926]

Contact tracing relies on honesty. Seems many Victorians struggle with that. No doubt Filth, Tuggers and Peptides supporters.

[Dr. Gonzo 24,443]

12 minutes ago, Demonland said:

15 Days.

There is no way we go back to crowds straight away. Certainly not 50% in 2 weeks time. I seriously doubt there will be any crowds at that stage not even 25% even if we are out of Lockdown.

I posed the question in another thread but where would you prefer this game be played? At the G with no crowd or interstate with some crowd and gate takings?

I doubt we will be given the QB home game next year again.

I would play it at the G with no crowd. How much are we going to get playing in Sydney? Would be lucky to get enough to break even. Better for the players to stay in the normal environment and play it at the G, limit travek especially considering we have a few on the road in the back end of the year.

[titan_uranus 25,174]

1 hour ago, Jaded said:

Totally different scenario. It was a very small outbreak with minimal exposure sites. It was hot. It was a different variant. And the key is we went very early. We needed to go to lockdown on Tuesday last week. Then it would be 7 days. We will be lucky to get out in 14 days. A month would not surprise me either. This is clearly running away from contact tracers. 

You're entitled to be pessimistic given what's happened over the last 15 months.

But this is pure pessimism.

It isn't "clearly running away from contact tracers". If it were, we'd be seeing spiralling new case numbers. Testing rates are significantly up (over 45,000) but positives are flat at 4-5. That's not "running away" from us.

And we went about 1 day earlier in February than we did this time. It's not that big of a difference.

[dl4e 5,851]

Okay we play the bears in sydney ( hopefully giants stadium instead of the putrid SCG ). Then we come home and play our next games at the G, even if empty, and avoid all this interstate rubbish.

[Demonland 73,482]

10 minutes ago, Rab D Nesbitt said:

Hi DL. I agree that we're unlikely to be given a third crack of the whip hosting the QB game but would having 5,000 people pay to attend the game at the SCG (for example) outweigh the cost of flying two teams and their support staff up to Sydney and back (perhaps with overnight accommodation) and renting out the ground for the day ? I'd rather our boys get to sleep in their own bed on Sunday night and have their usual game prep. 

I doubt it would be our decision to be honest and I hope the AFL is flipping the bill for the travel and accommodation.

[Jaded No More 68,975]

7 minutes ago, titan_uranus said:

You're entitled to be pessimistic given what's happened over the last 15 months.

But this is pure pessimism.

It isn't "clearly running away from contact tracers". If it were, we'd be seeing spiralling new case numbers. Testing rates are significantly up (over 45,000) but positives are flat at 4-5. That's not "running away" from us.

And we went about 1 day earlier in February than we did this time. It's not that big of a difference.

We already have a mystery case and it’s an aged care nurse. And somehow only half the residents have had their first vaccine. The mind boggles. 
I have absolutely zero confidence in anything to do with this state and their ability to manage this pandemic. We have shown utter inaptitude for 18 months now. 
I hope you are right and this is over on Thursday night. But I bet my bottom dollar it won’t be.   

Edited May 30, 2021 by Jaded

[Demonland 73,482]

3 minutes ago, dl4e said:

Okay we play the bears in sydney ( hopefully giants stadium instead of the putrid SCG ). Then we come home and play our next games at the G, even if empty, and avoid all this interstate rubbish.

All depends on the COVID situation in Victoria. If we're still in lockdown and there is a risk of COVID still being in the community the Victorian clubs will be forced on the interstate road so as to minimise the risk of players and staff unwittingly either contract COVID or be put in a situation where they are at a Tier 1 site and then derail the entire season.

Just because the games can be played with no crowds minimising community transmission to spectators doesn't account for the risk of players and staff staying in Victoria.

[Macca 17,113]

From an overall point of view the games need to go ahead (anywhere, elsewhere) to satisfy the broadcast partners (for the time being)

Without that broadcast money the whole AFL will break down.  So crowds elsewhere for any of the teams needs to be seen as a bonus (by the fans and clubs)

And the broadcast partners would obviously prefer to see the games played in front of good crowds.  That won't necessarily be happening in Victoria for the time being (certainly not next weekend at least)

In the meantime, the clubs need to once again, tighten their belts

From our club's point of view, we simply need to get on with it and not complain.  When the going gets tough, the tough get going.  Doing it tough can galvanise and strengthen

[Rab D Nesbitt 8,767]

2 minutes ago, Demonland said:

I doubt it would be our decision to be honest and I hope the AFL is flipping the bill for the travel and accommodation.

Maybe so but why would they then hand over the (paltry) gate takings to us if they do wear the bill ? The AFL more than anyone need to save money right now. 

[Jaded No More 68,975]

1 minute ago, Demonland said:

All depends on the COVID situation in Victoria. If we're still in lockdown and there is a risk of COVID still being in the community the Victorian clubs will be forced on the interstate road so as to minimise the risk of players and staff unwittingly either contract COVID or be put in a situation where they are at a Tier 1 site and then derail the entire season.

Just because the games can be played with no crowds minimising community transmission to spectators doesn't account for the risk of players and staff staying in Victoria.

They will put players into lockdown before they do more hubs. I am sure most players would rather be confined to their houses and training rather than be away from family again. 

[Demonland 73,482]

5 minutes ago, Jaded said:

They will put players into lockdown before they do more hubs. I am sure most players would rather be confined to their houses and training rather than be away from family again. 

Not that simple. The players don't live alone. They have wives, children, partners, family and housemates that can't be controlled nor tested regularly. Sure for the moment we're all lockeddown but they're not in "isolation".

[Demonland 73,482]

 

[Demonland 73,482]

 

[Demonland 73,482]

Which AFL Clubs are still in Victoria?

Carlton - Sydney - Play WCE presumably now in Sydney in Rd 12 - Bye in Rd 13

Collingwood - Victoria - hoping for a FIFO exemption to travel to Adelaide in Rd 12

Essendon - Perth - Rd 12 Rich in Perth - Bye in Rd 13

Geelong - Victoria - Bye in Rd 12 - Play Port in Rd 13

Hawthorn - Sydney - Bye in Rd 12 - Play Sydney in Sydney Rd 13

Melbourne - Victoria - in limbo - Rd 12 Alice?, Rd 13 QB

North - Victoria - Bye in Rd 12 - Play Giants in Tas Rd 13

Richmond - Sydney - Rd 12 Ess in Perth - Bye in Rd 13

St. Kilda - Flying to Sydney to play Sydney Rd 12 - Play Adelaide in Cairns Rd 13

Western Bulldogs - Flying to Sydney to Play Freo in Perth in Rd 12 - Bye in Rd 13

[Demonland 73,482]

 

[Superunknown 4,240]

1 hour ago, Jaded said:

We already have a mystery case and it’s an aged care nurse. And somehow only half the residents have had their first vaccine. The mind boggles. 
I have absolutely zero confidence in anything to do with this state and their ability to manage this pandemic. We have shown utter inaptitude for 18 months now. 
I hope you are right and this is over on Thursday night. But I bet my bottom dollar it won’t be.   

The feds are managing Pfizer procurement and RACF vaccination. 

[Jaded No More 68,975]

24 minutes ago, Superunknown said:

The feds are managing Pfizer procurement and RACF vaccination. 

Please do not confuse my dismissal of the Victorian government’s ability to handle our pandemic, with my rage regarding our Federal government’s failure to roll out the vaccine properly. 
Half my family overseas has been fully vaccinated for 6 months. Our vaccination program is beyond a joke. 

[Bring-Back-Powell 15,246]

A bit of left field thinking here but if the situation isn’t looking great (but not dire) by this time next week,  why not cancel Queens-birthday and give both sides the bye for the weekend of 11 June - 14 June (round 13)

Then fixture the Melb V Pies game on the night of Saturday 19 June and have the big slide on that occasion. Hopefully get 45,000 and recoup a bit lost earnings.

A crowd of 750-1,000 at Giants stadium or the SCG on a potential Queens Birthday matchup is just pathetic.

[Demonland 73,482]