Covid 19 and footy - season (suspended) now resumed

[Boddo]

Resumption of season

Commence training May 18. Mid June start.

Report on 7news site

“AFL clubs have told players to prepare for a return to training on May 18 and play around June 8-11, according to 7NEWS sports reporter Tom Browne.

The season has been suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic since March 22 and the governing body is working to restart the competition in a quarantine hub city.”

“The AFL are still looking at hubs all over the country but Browne reports two Victorian clubs have told to prepare for an early June restart.”

Put a link in Covid-19 thread but it’s gone haywire so I’ve put up a new thread.


***Mods if possible add this to Covid-19 thread

[Blood Fever]

Is it worth the 'mental' cost? Buckley questions hubs plan

Fair comment from Buckley. Lots of potential stress emanating from a desperate desire to recoup money. Seasons have been suspended before in time of crisis.

[stevoswan]

Interesting discussion going on here and to me, a slightly confusing one. For over thirty years we've been following our team in this so called "national" league, knowing it's Vic-centric. We've rightly complained about the favouritism Vic clubs receive and the shoddy treatment interstate clubs occasionally get, particularly our club. We've celebrated our triumphs over adversity and our ultimate successes in Grand Finals. Our loyalty has grown as has our hopes that this league will one day become truly and fairly national.....then along comes a pandemic and the footy is off for awhile and some of us are ready to walk? I don't get it.....what's happening now in regard to Vic-centricity is no different to what's been happening since the league became "national".
The AFL are hardly responsible for the tight Covid rules that Victoria has at the moment and it's actually the AFLPA that is being recalcitrant towards non Victorian hubs and an earlier restart. Yes, this might be due to Vic based 'mummy's boys' not wanting to be away from home but the league itself is sort of stuck between a rock and a hard place it seems. We know they're naturally Vic-centric but at the moment, having to please the fans, the clubs, the players and the current pandemic regulations.....there's not a lot of wriggle room.
I like watching the best standard footy even if it is in an imperfect world....so I won't be walking away.

[barry]

I think the Vic bashing is probably slightly up at the moment because Corona is taking away a lot of the reasons Vic use to justify their bias. Like they need a 100,000 seat stadium for all their fans. Yet the bias persists.
Then coupled with the fact that the NRL seemed to be turning over every stone to get the season started, while the AFL just tries to stop anything Non Vic, like earlier training....

[bloodspirit]

Very interesting, if correct. Can't wait for resumption. Early June is the earliest we could have possible hoped for. But it's still another six weeks. At least we may have footy on tv for the coldest part of the year when you want to be inside.

What is also interesting, is to think about what the changes in the season's shape will mean for us and the competition. Some of the many, significant changes include:

* fewer games - 16 more instead of another 21

* shorter games, 16 minute quarters instead of 20

* likely bigger interchange benches

* shorter time between games (possibly 5 days or less - they are talking about playing 7 games in 5 weeks after the resumption)

* players possibly/probably being based in hubs - potentially for an extended period of time, away from home and family and friends (apart from team mates).

Many are speculating about the impacts these changes will have. I've heard talk that the shorter quarters and bigger interchanges will favour younger and faster teams (which we are). However, I think it will be really valuable to have people who can keep up morale and offer strong leadership (these may, or may not, be older, fitter and more experienced players. It will be a test of playing groups' emotional resilience.

One thing that has clearly shifted against our prospects is we will no longer get the softer draw afforded to bottom 6 teams.

At the same time, extended interchange benches (assuming they happen, but it makes sense) will give us a great opportunity to give games to more young players and start getting experience into them (and the same for all the other teams too, of course). Can't wait to see more of McInerney and get a look at some of our draftees. I wonder whether Bell will get more games.

[707]

Shorter games and especially extended bench assists Buddy in his return. We were happy with the 22 that played against the Crows and that didn't include Buddy or Hweitt or the two highly rated draftees. I think we're nicely placed with how the season is shaping.

Still can't believe the NFL is going to jump us by three weeks.

[barry]

Aside from inherent vic bias, there is one powerful reason the AFL will choose Melbourne as a hub, and that is because a lot of vic players are not going to go in a hub, they are going to stay home, "self isolate", while there non-vic friends are couped up in a hotel.

End result, an even more compromised season.

Until this is resolved, the AFL season could be delayed further, since corona would need to even more contained to allow this, and the NRL will have many more weeks head start.

---

If we end up with this compromised solution of some players in a hub, some out, or we end up being 6 or 7 weeks behind the NRL, Gill must be replaced. He wont be the first Sporting CEO to be exposed by bad times, but in bad times you need someone with a bit of spine like V'landys.

[dimelb]

From a letter by Tom Harley:

'The AFL is awaiting guidelines from government for the return of sport, which are expected to be outlined at a Federal Cabinet meeting on May 10. We had been hoping to have clarity on a return to play model by the end of April, however we are now expecting an update from the AFL in the week commencing May 11. Once we have that update, we will be able to present membership options to you.'

Seems as if we are observing the ancient recommendation: hasten slowly.

[barracuda]

Very interesting, if correct. Can't wait for resumption. Early June is the earliest we could have possible hoped for. But it's still another six weeks. At least we may have footy on tv for the coldest part of the year when you want to be inside.

What is also interesting, is to think about what the changes in the season's shape will mean for us and the competition. Some of the many, significant changes include:

* fewer games - 16 more instead of another 21

* shorter games, 16 minute quarters instead of 20

* likely bigger interchange benches

* shorter time between games (possibly 5 days or less - they are talking about playing 7 games in 5 weeks after the resumption)

* players possibly/probably being based in hubs - potentially for an extended period of time, away from home and family and friends (apart from team mates).

Many are speculating about the impacts these changes will have. I've heard talk that the shorter quarters and bigger interchanges will favour younger and faster teams (which we are). However, I think it will be really valuable to have people who can keep up morale and offer strong leadership (these may, or may not, be older, fitter and more experienced players. It will be a test of playing groups' emotional resilience.

One thing that has clearly shifted against our prospects is we will no longer get the softer draw afforded to bottom 6 teams.

At the same time, extended interchange benches (assuming they happen, but it makes sense) will give us a great opportunity to give games to more young players and start getting experience into them (and the same for all the other teams too, of course). Can't wait to see more of McInerney and get a look at some of our draftees. I wonder whether Bell will get more games.

Apparently only 32 players per team will enter the hub. Not sure how that works if they have very short turn around between games. Also looks to be disastrous for young players who get left out.

[sprite]

Barry why this ongoing drivel about the NRL? They need the MONEY from broadcasting as they are basically broke hence the rush to get back.

A majority of AFL supporters couldn't give a rotund rats rectum about NRL.

You seem to be following the Trump methodology throw @@@@ out there and see who runs with it. You continue to speculate without any evidence.

Gill is the CEO but remember the AFL is run by independent commissioners.

Footy is just a F%$#ing game and not the be all and end all. The game will continue whatever happens.

Personally I don't care if the season goes ahead or not I have other more important things to be concerned about.

So take your tinfoil hat off, take a chill pill and relax. Oh and don't drink the Trumpaide

[Blood Fever]

Barry why this ongoing drivel about the NRL? They need the MONEY from broadcasting as they are basically broke hence the rush to get back.

A majority of AFL supporters couldn't give a rotund rats rectum about NRL.

You seem to be following the Trump methodology throw @@@@ out there and see who runs with it. You continue to speculate without any evidence.

Gill is the CEO but remember the AFL is run by independent commissioners.

Footy is just a F%$#ing game and not the be all and end all. The game will continue whatever happens.

Personally I don't care if the season goes ahead or not I have other more important things to be concerned about.

So take your tinfoil hat off, take a chill pill and relax. Oh and don't drink the Trumpaide

+1

[Mountain Man]

It would be interesting to hear the reaction if the hubs were to be based on the 6 top finishers playing each other rather than just geography

[barry]

Barry why this ongoing drivel about the NRL? They need the MONEY from broadcasting as they are basically broke hence the rush to get back.

A majority of AFL supporters couldn't give a rotund rats rectum about NRL.

You seem to be following the Trump methodology throw @@@@ out there and see who runs with it. You continue to speculate without any evidence.

Gill is the CEO but remember the AFL is run by independent commissioners.

Footy is just a F%$#ing game and not the be all and end all. The game will continue whatever happens.

Personally I don't care if the season goes ahead or not I have other more important things to be concerned about.

So take your tinfoil hat off, take a chill pill and relax. Oh and don't drink the Trumpaide

You are right that majority of AFL supporters dont care about the NRL. But this is not a site for all AFL supporters. This is a site for Sydney swans fans, and the Sydney is not silent.
The majority of Swans fans are from NSW (and dont bother arguing that, because countless surveys have conslusively proven it), and NSWelsh people are fully aware of what the NRL doing, and it impacts the swans a lot because we compete in a market where they are top dog.

NRL are motivated by money. All sporting codes are. AFL' major sponsor is bankrupt. NRL is also motivated by fans and its broadcaster. Foxtel is desperate for live sport.

Also, this site is made for speculation. Its a supporters site talking about a footy club. What will happen if, when, and then what is a big part of most topics.

So its maybe you who needs to take a chill pill and quit with the personal attacks. Id rather talk about NRL, AFL, Swans than about you.

[KTigers]

Even before the virus came along interest in many of the “traditional” sports in this country has been waning for a long time.
Basically the market for entertainment (and that is what sport is) is just a whole lot more crowded than it ever was. If I was
to hazard not much of a guess I'd say the large bulk of people who post on this forum grew up in the 60s, 70s and 80s, a period
where there were basically a few major sports and four or five TV channels in each state vying for people's attention.
These days there are way more sports, there is the internet, smart phones, social media, a hundred TV channels and streaming
services and even ultra cheap travel all sucking up the entertainment/recreational dollar and people’s free time.
On top of this there are entire sections of the population that are relatively new to the country that have very little interest in
professional sport. A lot of them have much more pressing concerns, like trying to get by and finding their way in a new country
and that is totally understandable.
There is only so much money to go around, and Covid-19 has just hastened the financial reckoning that was always coming to
these sporting codes and clubs that have been living way beyond their means for a long time. Just the same as it is hastening
the demise of many businesses that were basically living week to week and would eventually fail anyway.
Even if the AFL season doesn't resume this year, it will pull through. But it's going to have to adapt to a whole bunch of new
things long after the virus has gone away.

[707]

If all the games are played in Melbourne, the eight interstate sides will be disadvantaged by not playing any games on their home ground.

The AFL should therefore create a level playing field (is that delerious laughter I hear) and ensure no team plays on their home ground.

So all the MCG tennants play their matches at Marvel or Kardinia Park, Marvel tennants play at MCG and Kardinia Park, Geelong play at MCG & Marvel. The interstate sides rotate between the venues.

Only exceptions are when MCG tennants or Marvel tennants meet in which case they could both play at their home ground.

Chances of this very fair suggestion happening?