The AFL season has once again be thrown into chaos after a COVID-19 outbreak in Queensland forced the postponement and rescheduling of three matches in the state this weekend.
Games between Gold Coast-Melbourne and Essendon-Sydney on Saturday and GWS-Port Adelaide on Sunday have all been moved to Victoria after the Queensland Government introduced a snap three-day lockdown for 11 local government areas after the state recorded six new local COVID-19 cases.
In further amazing scenes, a VFL game between Gold Coast Suns and Southport was called off mid-match after nine minutes of play as the health advice filtered through from authorities.
BONKERS!
— Rhett Bartlett (@rhettrospective) July 31, 2021
Here's the moment the VFL Suns vs Southport Sharks match was suddenly cancelled 10mins into the 1st quarter, due to snap lockdown announcement. pic.twitter.com/6UV05RJJ2B
UPDATE: The 2021 VFL season has been cancelled
A 2021 VFL Premier will not be awarded with the league to recognise Footscray as the VFL minor premiers after an undefeated 10-match season.
The evolving COVID-19 situation across the country with a lengthy lockdown already in place in New South Wales, an extension to the Victorian State Government lockdown and having the four remaining sides, Footscray, Southport, Geelong and Box Hill currently located in four different locations across Australia, provided too great a challenge to complete the two Preliminary Finals and Grand Final, and then crown a Premier.
The two Preliminary Finals were scheduled for Saturday September 11 with the Grand Final to be played on Sunday September 18.
Separately, the AFL, Collingwood and Geelong remain desperate to play the 2021 rebel VFLW Grand Final with various scenarios being worked through. No final decision has yet been made for the women’s Grand Final and the delay to the start of the 2022 AFLW Season will provide some additional options.
Rescheduled Round 20 games - Sun Aug 1
Gold Coast v Melbourne, Marvel Stadium (12:10pm)
Essendon v Sydney, MCG (3.10pm)
GWS v Port Adelaide, Marvel Stadium (6:10pm)
The Demons, who were due to play the Suns at Metricon Stadium on Saturday afternoon, were forced to turn around and head back to Melbourne after arriving in Brisbane in the morning, with the public health advice occuring while they were in transit.
Essendon were supposed to play Sydney on Saturday night at the Gabba, but instead they are scrambling to get a flight back to Melbourne from Brisbane.
Port Adelaide hadn't yet flown to Brisbane for their match against GWS at Metricon Stadium on Sunday, while the Giants were already in Queensland and will need to secure transport out.
"The evolving COVID situation in Queensland has seen the state announce a three-day lockdown and, as a result, we have had to postpone three games scheduled to be played in Queensland in Round 20," AFL EGM Clubs and Broadcasting Travis Auld.
"These games will be rescheduled to be played at a time to be confirmed.
"While the pandemic will continue to challenge us, the health and safety of those in our game and the wider community remains paramount and we again thank everyone associated with the game for their continued support of the 2021 Toyota AFL Premiership Season."
