The AFL has today announced a revised fixture for Rounds Six and Seven of the 2020 Toyota Premiership Season.
Round Five will continue as fixtured and Victorian based clubs will fly out at the conclusion the round with all 10 Victorian-based teams to be temporarily relocated to other states across the country.
We’re heading to NSW. ?
— Melbourne Demons (@melbournefc) July 3, 2020
We'll now take on the Gold Coast SUNS + the Hawks in Round 6 + 7.
??: https://t.co/vU8fHqmOAT
The amendment to the fixture has been made based on relevant State Government and Medical officer advice to firstly ensure the safety of not only the clubs, players, officials and the wider community, but also to provide certainty to clubs and fans on the next block of games.
The temporary relocation of all 10 Victorian-based teams out of the state will see them move to bases in Queensland, NSW and WA where they will undergo the various quarantine regimes while also continuing to adhere to the strict protocols the AFL has in place.
AFL Chief Executive Gillon McLachlan said the announcement today was the next step as the AFL continued to make the necessary changes to navigate the impact of Covid-19 on the 2020 Toyota AFL Premiership season.
“The health and safety of our people and the wider community is paramount. We will continue to make decisions that are anchored in the advice of Governments and designed to protect our people and the wider community.”
“I have said on a number of occasions that this would be a season of challenges. And that the one certainty is that before we completed the 2020 Toyota AFL premiership season there would be more unique challenges along the way.”
“I want to thank the Governments in NSW, Queensland and WA for their support in helping us set up a series of high-performance centres that will see interstate teams based in their state in accordance with all the strict local protocols and playing games,”
“I would also like to thank all of our clubs, players, coaches, umpires and officials for their continued support and ability to adapt quickly as we navigate through the changing environment.”
“The Victorian clubs now temporarily moving interstate are playing their part in ensuring our season endures in a year that will continue to challenge us all.”
I have also often talked about the need for us to continue to be flexible and agile. As situations change across Australia so has our response. And it will continue to do so.”
