AFLW match called off due to COVID case
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A positive COVID-19 case in the GWS women’s football program has led to the Giants’ AFLW practice match against Adelaide being called off.
The Giants and Crows were due to meet at Adelaide’s Norwood Oval on Saturday, ahead of the season proper starting next month.
The cancellation is a blow to their preparation, but AFL competitions manager Laura Kane said health and safety remains the league’s priority.
“The decision to cancel the practice match between the Adelaide Crows and the GWS Giants was made in consultation with each club and the AFLPA to minimise risk to all players, staff and officials ahead of the Christmas and New Year period,” Kane said.
“Players and staff are looking forward to the holiday period and spending time with their family and friends and when you consider the time of year together with current quarantine requirements across respective states, it was determined the safest decision on this occasion is to cancel the practice match.”
Six other AFLW practice matches will go ahead as planned over the next few days.
The Carlton-St Kilda and Richmond-Geelong matches – both scheduled in Melbourne on Saturday – will be closed to the public.
Meanwhile, A-League Men’s team Macarthur FC confirmed on Friday a member of their team had tested positive to COVID-19.
The double-vaccinated person tested positive in a PCR test on December 16 and is in isolation.
The Bulls say no other member of the club’s playing or off-field staff are showing symptoms but they have undergone PCR testing and are self-isolating until they return a negative result.
It’s unclear what impact the situation will have on Sunday’s game between Macarthur and Newcastle, with the Jets having had two of their players test positive earlier in the week.
On Thursday, the league postponed Perth Glory’s remaining fixtures in 2021 against Brisbane and Adelaide after the entire Glory squad were deemed close contacts of a player who tested positive.
Unless they can strike a deal with the Queensland and WA Governments, Glory will have to spent two weeks under hotel quarantine.
Glory coach Richard Garcia is concerned for his players’ mental welfare, but said it was also a huge blow physically for the group.
“As far as a physical point of view, there’s going to be guys who are fully focused in here, and there will be other guys who are going to be going through issues and not really concerned about their bodies due to the fact it’s been a long road trip,” Garcia said.
“And now this is the straw that probably broke the camel’s back.
“The guys will get de-conditioned, and no matter how much you try to do things in here with bikes and weights – you can have three sessions a day in here, it’s not like playing football.
“It’s like asking a boxer to do a marathon – it’s a completely different type of fitness.”
