AFL season thrown into chaos again as Victoria locks down, matches moved to Metricon Stadium

Richmond’s must-win clash with the Brisbane Lions on Friday night has been shifted from the MCG to Metricon Stadium after Victoria announced a snap five-down lockdown.

The AFL season has been thrown into chaos yet again as Victorian health authorities attempt to get the state’s latest COVID-19 outbreak under control.

The fixture scramble means there will be four games played at Metricon Stadium this round.

The Lions arrived in Victoria on Wednesday ahead of Friday night’s scheduled match against the out-of-form reigning premiers, which will be Tigers legend Jack Riewoldt’s 300th game.

However, those clubs will now head north and play their game in the same timeslot but at the Gold Coast venue.

Jack Riewoldt says he’s humbled to be joining three greats who have played 300 games for Richmond. Credit: AAP

Riewoldt earlier on Thursday said he would understand if his milestone match was affected in any way due to the COVID-19 situation.

“It is an important game of football for me but there are more important things at stake here at the moment and that’s obviously the health and wellbeing of everyone here in Victoria,” Riewoldt said.

“The whole week has been special to me. There could be one person or 100,000 people in the stands on the weekend and it would still be as important to me.”

Jack Riewoldt during the Round 10 match against the Brisbane Lions on May 21. Credit: DAVE HUNT/AAPIMAGE

Sydney and GWS flew out of Melbourne on Thursday morning after being told of their latest move late on Wednesday night.

The Western Bulldogs, who are due to play Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium on Saturday, were departing earlier than planned on Thursday.

Essendon’s match against the Kangaroos on Sunday has now moved from Marvel Stadium to Metricon Stadium. Credit: Getty

And the Victorian exodus is not ending there with the Kangaroos’ match against Essendon on Sunday now moved from Marvel Stadium to Metricon Stadium on the Gold Coast.

The Bombers are scheduled to play GWS in round 19, before a date with the Swans the following week.

Those games will likely be played in Queensland, especially if the Victorian situation worsens.

The Sydney teams were due to play their derby in Ballarat on Saturday but that will now be played at Metricon Stadium on Sunday night.

The Sydney Swans and GWS Giants have been relocated to Queensland ahead of their derby due to COVID. Credit: AAP

Both clubs have been based in Victoria since June 22 due to NSW’s coronavirus crisis but will now call Queensland home for the immediate future.

With Melbourne to enter a fifth lockdown, it means the Demons’ clash with Hawthorn at the MCG on Saturday, St Kilda’s match against Port Adelaide at Marvel Stadium on Saturday night and Collingwood’s encounter against Carlton at the MCG on Sunday will all be lockouts.

As has been the case in previous lockdowns, the AFL moved swiftly to relocate clubs.

‘Keep the season moving’

“The decisions we have made this morning regarding the locations of a number of teams have been taken out of an abundance of caution,” the league’s club and broadcasting manager Travis Auld said.

“Our approach remains to take risk out of the season where the opportunity presents.

“We continue to work towards our priority of reuniting the families of both the GWS Giants and Sydney Swans and the decision to relocate both sides to Queensland provides maximum flexibility required to achieve that.

North players and staffers have been told to pack for a three-week stint away from home.

“We need to do what we can to keep the season moving,” North’s chief executive Ben Amarfio said.

Queensland’s chief health officer Jeannette Young said she was not worried about Victorian AFL teams entering the state.

“They’ve got really good plans,” she told reporters on Thursday as Victoria reported 10 new local COVID-19 cases.

“The NRL and the AFL have been absolutely fantastic because they’ve been doing this for so long.”

Updated Round 18 Fixtures (all times AEST)

Friday

Richmond vs Brisbane Lions at Metricon Stadium, 7.50pm

Saturday

Melbourne vs Hawthorn at MCG, 4.35pm

Gold Coast vs Western Bulldogs at Metricon Stadium, 4.35pm

St Kilda vs Port Adelaide at Marvel Stadium 7.25pm

Sunday

North Melbourne vs Essendon at Metricon Stadium, 12.35pm

Collingwood vs Carlton at MCG, 3.20pm

Adelaide vs West Coast at Adelaide Oval, 4.40pm

GWS vs Sydney at Metricon Stadium, 6.10pm