Covid 19 and footy - season (suspended) now resumed

[RogueSwan]

The last two NBL finals games have been a decent spectacle on TV. I realise it is a completely different scale but it doesn't take long to just watch the game and not think about whats missing.
Well, that is until the commentators bang on about it again and again.
The potential for actually hearing what is being said on the ground is fascinating.

[Boddo]

Twitter

Expect a postponement tomorrow

[SeanM]

It is interesting that they are separating into groups of 10 for training. So even if one player tested positive then they may just need to isolate 10 players.

I assume it would be four even groups of 10. Eg split our 4 best inside mids into separate groups. Then 4 best defenders etc. So even if we lose a group we can still field a competitive side.

[bloodspirit]

No decision on round 1. Season will be max 17 games.

No NEAFL until May.

[liz]

Season cut to 17 games, call delayed on R1 start

[bloodspirit]

Some thoughts:

* the new fixture (17 games, play everyone once home and away) will relatively benefit the top 6 and hurt the bottom 6 (including us) because we won't get the double match ups against more lower ranked teams that there otherwise are to even the playing field a bit more.

* the new fixture may benefit Victorian teams more because they will have to travel relatively less.... this is not certain but I think on the cards because sometimes the double up matches help to balance out the degree of travel for interstate teams a little bit. However they may fix this by requiring Victorian teams to have one more away game (or else perhaps the more lowly ranked teams).

* the absence of crowds may benefit teams that enjoy a home ground advantage on account of the roar of affirmation e.g. West Coast at Optus Oval, SA teams at Adelaide Oval

* if the season is ruined and can't be sufficiently played out to have a grand final and a 'winner' this will hurt the teams who are more in the 'premiership window' who will lose a chance and have their stars age a year

* how will fringe players get the chance to impress if there is no NEAFL footy? what is the reason for not NEAFL footy and why doesn't it apply to AFL footy? Is it just that there is more money at stake and so they are more willing to take the risk (and perhaps more able, financially, to mitigate the risk?

* how will players cope without playing?

* how will we fans cope without being able to watch and barrack? Personally, I'm worried it could be a lonnnnggg winter. Just when we need something to distract us too!

But, as Gillon rightly said, footy is not the main game.

I feel for all the small businesses and self-employed and casual people out there who are going to get smashed financially, and yet I will be leaning towards social distancing and not going out to help slow the spread of the disease. There are going to be so may social and economic effects. Among which will be changing patterns of crime: more DV? more financially motivated crimes e.g. muggings, burglaries? fewer assaults (due to less social interaction)? more crime overall? or less?

Best wishes to all. Hang in there.

[SeanM]

Some thoughts:

* how will fringe players get the chance to impress if there is no NEAFL footy? what is the reason for not NEAFL footy and why doesn't it apply to AFL footy? Is it just that there is more money at stake and so they are more willing to take the risk (and perhaps more able, financially, to mitigate the risk?

I think the NEAFL decision is to minimise the outside exposure to reserve players who could then mix with the senior players within the club. (Not just competing with opposition NEAFL players but mixing with a large roster of academy players)

But it does it make it harder for the fringe players in terms of development and pushing for opportunities by playing good football in the reserves. Especially hard on fringe players who are playing for a contract renewal this season.

[liz]

If a post of yours appears to have gone missing, you'll be able to find it in the more general thread on Covid-19 in Open Chat.

I realise the distinction isn't always absolute. but the Covid-19 topic is broad, complex and multifaceted. Am trying to keep this thread focussed on (the more trivial topic of) AFL season itself. rather than the broader discussion of how playing AFL at this time fits into the broader societal responses. There's an active discussion in Open Chat for that. Hopefully that will make the discussions a bit easier to navigate. Thanks for your co-operation.

[707]

Good to (possibly) play teams like Richmond, WCE, Geelong, Brisbane, Hawthorn, Crows away but with no crowd influence on the players or umpires. That's if the season is played to 17 rounds.

Imagine if the season is cancelled, no chance for OOC players to press their claims for a new contract, contract re-signings with no recent form to base the contract on, drafting of U18 players with no U18 form just what they did as under agers, so many things are dependent on footy being played.

Finances, except for the strong clubs (plus GC & GWS), becomes a future millstone, as well as for the AFL itself.

But amid all the gloom, now is the time to pile into Blue Chip stocks, money to be made in the medium term, just like it was during the GFC.

[Bexl]

If a post of yours appears to have gone missing, you'll be able to find it in the more general thread on Covid-19 in Open Chat.

I realise the distinction isn't always absolute. but the Covid-19 topic is broad, complex and multifaceted. Am trying to keep this thread focussed on (the more trivial topic of) AFL season itself. rather than the broader discussion of how playing AFL at this time fits into the broader societal responses. There's an active discussion in Open Chat for that. Hopefully that will make the discussions a bit easier to navigate. Thanks for your co-operation.

Where?

[liz]

On the Open Chat forum - for everything non-AFL (or most things).

RWO - RedAndWhiteOnline.com

[Bexl]

On the Open Chat forum - for everything non-AFL (or most things).

RWO - RedAndWhiteOnline.com

Thanks

[MattW]

Playing on seems a little strange to me. If a player happens to contract it, unknowingly, and plays, there's a reasonable chance he gives it to up to 43 other players, plus medics/umpires. They would all need to manage it within families.

Reckon they'd need to test mid-week, every week, and be super rigorous with social isolation. Are the players disciplined enough? Are there enough tests?

[bloodspirit]

It does seem inevitable that the footy season is just not going to be played out, even if they start.

May I take this opportunity to say thanks to all of you. There is some comfort in having a virtual community here with whom to share one's thoughts. I am even more thankful also to have an actual community to share my thoughts with. I appreciate it may not be that way for everyone, especially as we are increasingly encouraged to self-isolate. I saw that players are being encouraged to speak about and share their feelings with others, and the same goes for the rest of us. We should not forget this if we are forced into physical isolation. We still have telephones and skype and such things to keep in contact with others. And there's always RWO.

[bloodspirit]

And a couple of relevant article from afl.com.au:

Coronavirus crisis and footy: The state of play

One of the more interesting bits is that (assuming the competition goes ahead) if a single player tests positive for coronavirus, the whole comp will be suspended for 14 days.

Cotchin backs R1 start as AFLPA surveys players