Tropical Cyclone Alfred has forced a shake-up to the AFL’s Opening Round, with Brisbane’s clash against Geelong at the Gabba postponed due to the extreme weather conditions forecast for Queensland’s south coast.
Originally scheduled for Thursday, March 7, the Gabba clash, alongside Saturday night’s match between Gold Coast and Essendon, will now be played later in the season, with the AFL confirming that safety concerns for players, officials and the wider community have taken priority.
Up to 700mm of rain and winds reaching 130km/h are expected across parts of Queensland and northern New South Wales, prompting emergency preparations.
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Meanwhile, AFL CEO Andrew Dillon said the decision was made well in advance to allow clubs, fans and the affected communities to focus on safety.
"We want to make the decision now to give clubs and fans certainty in an uncertain environment," Dillon said.
When will Brisbane vs. Geelong be played?
For now, there’s no confirmed timeline for when the postponed fixture will take place. Dillon stressed in a statement: "The AFL will announce the alternate schedule for these matches as soon as possible as we continue to work with clubs and venues on possible scenarios."
Unlike the Gold Coast vs. Essendon match, which has no clear slot in the current fixture, Brisbane and Geelong may get a relatively straightforward reschedule. Both clubs share a bye in Round 3, making that weekend the most likely option for the postponed game.
If played in Round 3, the match could take place on Sunday, March 24, where there are currently only two games scheduled—Adelaide vs. North Melbourne (3:20 pm AEDT) and West Coast vs. Fremantle (6:10 pm AEDT). This would allow enough space in the round for an additional fixture.
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Meanwhile, Geelong coach Chris Scott had earlier urged the AFL to make a quick decision, saying: "It sort of reminds me of the COVID situation. It’s a bit unpalatable talking about when you prefer to play a game of footy when people are sandbagging their houses."
Although a formal announcement is expected soon, currently, Round 3 appears to be the most logical and logistically viable solution.