The AFL's shift to Queensland amidst the evolving COVID-19 situation in Victoria has been thrown into disarray.
Multiple clubs were forced to sit out players and staff during round 18 after they were found to have been exposed to the virus at some of Melbourne's hotspots last week.
Among them are several players - including GWS Giants star Toby Greene and Sydney's Callum Mills - who attended the rugby Test match between Australia and France at AAMI Park, which has since been listed as a hotspot.
Read below for all the latest updates on the AFL's COVID-19 situation.
ST KILDA RUCKMAN ROWAN MARSHALL RULED OUT OF WEST COAST MATCH
St Kilda have suffered a blow to their chances of making the AFL finals after it emerged Rowan Marshall will miss the West Coast match after he attended a Tier 1 COVID-19 exposure site.
It had already emerged prior to the Saints' loss against Port Adelaide on Saturday that Marshall had been to the Wallabies match at AAMI Park with team-mate Darragh Joyce - a Tier 3 exposure site for the duo - with both testing negative to COVID-19 to allow their availability for the Power game.
However, it has since been determined that the nearby Precinct Hotel in Richmond is a Tier 1 exposure site, with both Marshall and Joyce attending the venue for 45 minutes after last Tuesday's rugby union contest.
After informing St Kilda of his presence at the hotspot, Marshall immediately isolated in the club's Western Australian hub and will continue to self-isolate while arrangements are made for him to return to Victoria.
The Saints have said that Marshall and Joyce - who has remained in Victoria - will currently be available for selection in Round 20 with the timings of their isolation period.
Marshall, Joyce, the St Kilda playing group and staff have all been tested for COVID-19 on at least three occasions, with only negative results recorded.
ADELAIDE AND PORT ADELAIDE TO BE RELOCATED TO VICTORIA
South Australia's AFL teams - Adelaide and Port Adelaide - will both relocate to Melbourne for an indefinite period after their state was plunged into a seven-day lockdown.
With the week-long SA lockdown beginning at 6pm on Tuesday night, the two scheduled AFL games at Adelaide Oval this weekend - Port Adelaide v Collingwood on Friday and Adelaide v Hawthorn on Sunday - will need to moved elsewhere, with the two Victorian teams unable to travel to SA.
According to reports, Port Adelaide and Adelaide will head to Melbourne at 4pm today and have been told by the AFL they could be in Victoria for up to five weeks, at this stage.
It is believed both the Round 19 matches that were scheduled at Adelaide Oval are likely to be played at Marvel Stadium.
BULLDOGS STAR DUNKLEY FORCED TO QUARANTINE
Western Bulldogs midfielder Josh Dunkley has been ordered to isolate for two weeks after attending a venue deemed a tier 1 exposure site last week.
With Dunkley asked to quarantine for 14 days from the date he visited the cafe, on July 14th, it means he'll miss this weekend's clash against Adelaide despite returning a negative test result.
Presuming he is safe to return, Dunkley will come out of isolation on July 28th.
“Western Bulldogs midfielder Josh Dunkley has been directed by the Victorian Department of Health to undergo 14 days of home quarantine, after visiting a Tier 1 coronavirus exposure site last week," a Bulldogs statement read
“Dunkley visited his local café on July 14, which was later declared an exposure site. He was contacted yesterday by the Department of Health, and his mandatory quarantine period begins from the day he attended the site.
“Since July 14, Dunkley has received two separate negative coronavirus test results.
“The entire Bulldogs travelling party also received a negative result during their trip to the Gold Coast, as part of the AFL’s testing regime.
“Dunkley is complying with quarantine requirements and will be unavailable for this weekend’s Round 19 match, while the rest of the Bulldogs squad will continue their preparations as normal.”
15 PLAYERS AND STAFF FORCED TO MISS SWANS-GIANTS CLASH
The Swans and Giants were forced to rule out a combined 15 players and staff from their derby match moved to Metricon Stadium after they attended the Australia-France Test rugby match in Melbourne.
The AFL confirmed on Saturday several clubs would be impacted by the rugby match at AAMI Park being classed as a hotspot, after players and staff from seven different clubs attended.
Initially those in attendance were deemed tier three contacts, meaning they had to monitor for symptoms and get tested and isolate if they presented themselves.
However, less than an hour before the two clubs were due to face off, the Swans and Giants players who attended the rugby match were re-classified as tier 2 contacts by the Victorian Department of Health.
It forced Sydney to ommitt Callum Mills, Harry Cunningham and Colin O'Riordan, and the Giants to withdraw Toby Greene and Matt De Boer from the match. Each of the players and staff affected will undergo 14 days in isolation from the date of exposure, July 13th, meaning they'll be unavailable for their respective round 19 fixtures.
After the Giants roared to a first-half lead off seven straight goals in the opening quarter, Sydney remarkably clawed back the lead in the second-half to claim an exhilarating 15.8 (98) to 11.6 (72) victory.
SEVERAL CLUBS IMPACTED BY ATTENDANCES AT MELBOURNE HOTSPOTS
On Saturday, just moments after Port Adelaide defeated St. Kilda, the AFL revealed players and staff members across multiple clubs had visited Victorian exposure sites.
Collingwood, Essendon, GWS GIANTS, Hawthorn, North Melbourne, St Kilda, Sydney Swans and Western Bulldogs were the clubs impacted, the majority of which had flown up to Queensland to enter hubs.
It was revealed multiple players and staff had attended the Australia-France rugby Test match in Melbourne last Tuesday night, which was later deemed a tier 3 exposure site after a positive case was found to have been at AAMI Park.
