Queensland Covid lockdown: AFL players turned back as NRL and Super Netball in chaos
Queensland #Queensland
The NRL, AFL and Super Netball schedules have been thrown into chaos with south-east Queensland about to enter a snap three-day Covid lockdown.
The Queensland government announced the lockdown, starting at 4pm on Saturday, after recording six new community cases of the virus in the past 24 hours.
All six cases contain the highly contagious Delta variant with authorities desperate to prevent a further spread.
When asked if the lockdown applied to professional sporting fixtures, Queensland chief health officer Jeanette Young replied: “There will be no football matches.
“No community sport, no professional sport, nothing for the next three days.”
The ban has huge ramifications for three codes.
Melbourne players were on a flight to the Gold Coast on Saturday morning for their clash with the Suns at Metricon Stadium when the south-east Queensland lockdown was announced. The AFL confirmed the charter flight will now return to Melbourne later on Saturday.
That game, as well as Saturday’s clash between Essendon and Sydney and Sunday’s match between GWS and Port Adelaide, are all expected to be postponed by the AFL.
The Giants are one of three interstate teams, including Sydney and Essendon, currently based in Queensland along with the Suns and Brisbane.
The NRL is in urgent talks with the Queensland government with the lockdown threatening most of this weekend’s matches.
St George Illawarra and South Sydney’s match in Rockhampton on Saturday afternoon is in doubt due to teams from the competition’s Brisbane hub being unable to play in a different location.
Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium was meant to host a double-header on Saturday with Newcastle against Canberra and Melbourne facing Penrith.
There are also games scheduled for the Gold Coast and Rockhampton on Sunday.
The Super Netball competition, relocated entirely to south-east Queensland for its remaining rounds, is also facing issues with three games scheduled for Monday and Tuesday that will have to be rescheduled.