Impact of COVID on AFL season 2022

That if the players get COVID now, they won’t during the season.
Assumes a lot of things that may not be accurate.

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If you were going to do it, start of Christmas break would have been optimal. All done an dusted prior to return to training and natural immunity for the whole season.

I have serious doubts they open on Feb 5th and even if they do the restrictions placed on people will make it simply unworkable for AFL teams. The AFL has the upper hand and should be telling the WA teams what will be happening and end of story

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it’s not like chicken pox parties.
if you can avoid it wouldn’t it be better to avoid it,
covid effects could be long lasting throughout the season. maybe there is an advantage for a WA team that doesn’t get it? or will they be locked out of their state?

This seems to be headline news, but at worst the players that attended might miss the first week of post-Xmas pre-season. This is going to become more and more prevalent…

:scream::exploding_head::face_vomiting::sneezing_face:

Don’t know how many times I tell people not to get married. Nothing good ever comes from getting married.

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Players may miss the odd game here or there BUT nothing too dramatic will happen unless WA backflips on opening up on Feb 5, then the WA based clubs will be spending their season interstate - Also fixturing should be much easier for the AFL in 2022.

Any news on what happened to the Bomber lads who were at Hurls wedding? Did they end up testing positive?

To the above: they WERE positive* – the speculation was whether they got it at the wedding.

*medical privacy says we don’t know, but take it as given

AFLW protocols announced today. Nothing actually mandated, just “expected to” fluff.

The protocols are supported by the AFLPA, have been implemented immediately and will be reviewed in a fortnight, ahead of Round Three.

In summary the revised protocols include:

  • Players and essential club staff expected to not attend indoor events with over 100 people
  • Attendance at weddings, funerals and/or cultural or religious ceremonies indoors with more than 100 people is permitted with club approval
  • Players and essential club staff expected to not attend outdoor events if social distancing cannot be maintained
  • Reminder that high density locations such as shopping centres present as high risk
  • Reminder that congregating in the home is the highest risk setting and to avoid socialising with other AFLW players and staff in this setting.
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so basically, don’t have a life

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Really?

It’s not for very long and they have worked hard to be able to play. Surely self-interest would be to do all that? You have a lot of other time to have a life as an AFLW player.

Many would have jobs that could place them in vulnerable situations I’d think so going to be hard to avoid one would think

IIRC some of them take leave without pay from their existing jobs for the duration of this. Also it isn’t about no one getting it, it is about doing all you can to avoid it as best as possible which is a sensible thing to do.

It’s sending a few people to hospital and icu and a few mainly geriatric people with underlying health issues are dying each day but there’s thousands thousands more dealing with it at home and recovering just fine.

Perhaps it’s already at the flu/common cold stage?

(Although it wasn’t normal for that 23 year old to die from it in NSW, it’s fairly common afaik for unvaccinated elderly people to die from influenza still)

I caught the flu once imported from a traveller from the US and I honestly thought it was going to have the best of me. I was only in my 20s. Get vaxxed every year now for flu as a result.

AFL clubs have questioned whether it is possible to protect players from the COVID-19 surge

Clubs have labelled the AFL’s restrictions, including daily testing, as ‘pointless’ - with a belief league wide that it would be best for players to contract the virus before the season starts.

AFL clubs have questioned whether it is possible to protect players from the COVID-19 surge with “pointless” restrictions and daily testing requirements.

One club on Thursday said it did not agree with the need to test players and staff every day before training as it was a “waste of money and community resources”.

The senior official, who spoke to News Corp on the basis of anonymity, said the players were suffering from restriction fatigue and could not continue to be kept separate from the rest of the community when the men’s preseason resumed on Monday.

There is a belief it could be best for the playing cohort to contract the virus before the season starts to help minimise in-season interruption.

“Unless you keep the players away from their housemates and their family members - like their partners who are working and their children who are going to school - how can you possibly stop them from getting it?” the official said.

“It is impossible, really, when you consider what is happening around the rest of the country.

“I understand why we have had to do everything we have done over the past two years, and the game is grateful to have been able to continue, but it is time for a rethink on how it all works.

Clubs want a rethink around how to handle Covid. Picture: Michael Klein

Clubs want a rethink around how to handle Covid. Picture: Michael Klein

“Why do we need to test players and staff every day, when they have no symptoms? If they have symptoms, we tell them to stay home.

“Otherwise, it is a complete waste of tests at a time when some people who are genuinely sick can’t get their hands on one.”

The official said it was time the AFL players fell in-line with the standards across the rest of the community which allowed people to enjoy social settings where they could wear masks and social distance.

Adelaide small forward Lachie Murphy, who has been re-signed for two more seasons, agreed.

“At what point do we scrap the testing, and we treat Omicron like the flu or common cold?” Murphy said on Twitter.

“You have symptoms, you stay home and wait until you feel better.

“Why do we have to get tested and a positive result to justify the (sic) you’re sick.

“Waste of time, money and resources.”

The AFL’s Covid-19 requirements are a hot topic in club land as teams prepare to return to training from January 10.

Meetings have been held in recent days in an attempt to identify clearly which players will be sidelined due to Covid-19 protocols.

News Corp confirmed there were more than 50 players currently isolating as a positive case or close contact.

However, club officials contacted on Thursday believe that number could rise to triple figures by Monday, pending latest test results and symptoms across the weekend.

At least one club is set to be missing as many as 15 players for the first training session.

Clubs face the prospect of daily rapid antigen testing, but it remains unclear whether all clubs will have ample supplies and guaranteed access from Monday.

In some cases, staff may be asked to stay away from the club if there are not enough tests to go around the player and coaching group, officials have warned.

The testing regime has become increasingly unpopular at a time when governments do not require people to undergo PCR testing to confirm positive cases.

Regardless, clubs are considering splitting its list up into small groups for indoor gym sessions and urging players to avoid congested areas such as busy cafes, shopping centres, pubs and clubs.

But fatigue is becoming an increasingly bigger issue for players who have been forced on the road and required to live in bubble environments away from family members over the past two years.

Club coaches and players are expected to comment publicly on the issue when the first press conferences of the year are held on Monday.

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Inevitable.

Surely the league gives in re this within the next few days

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Daily testing is fine as many individuals want to know if they have COVIS - The other rules are unnececsary.

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