A-League and national codes' stubbornness shows where priority lies in Australian sport

The government had 2 months to be prepared for the pandemic. They are reacting now , but have been pretty ordinary at it . Morrison wanted to watch Cronulla last week . They are not switched on , it’s like the government live in a bubble that isn’t in tune with the real world Now you are praising them for allowing people to access their own super etC , so what , they are saying socialism is ok now because full on capitalism failed . People’s life savings have been destroyed for years by these guys and there casualisation of the workforce, their punishing the poor with $200 a week and no job , they’re sucking up to mining sector instead of research abd development , the selling off of our university spots, their beholden to Murdoch media . Sure the anger is based on years and years of neglect for many Australians, not just the boofhead running the show now . But they fell short and the horse has bolted in this pandemic. How does Sydney like its new football stadiums now , when we should be building hospitals in Nsw

Many other people in Australia will loose their jobs. Why should sport get an exemption? Increased unemployment services were announced yesterday by the government- they will have to make do like many others will. 'What is the likely difference in infection/hospitalisation rates amongst players if the games stopped versus if it continued'?? Difficult to know- and a question I hope no doctors and medical experts would be wasting a second of their time on right now trying to answer! The point of quarantine is to stop the spread of corona virus not just to vulnerable groups but to stop the spread amongst any groups! It is not okay to accept the spread of the virus through an age group just because they aren't 'vulnerable'. Players may still get corona virus, but if they used common sense and followed non-essential travel advice and isolated themselves as best they can there would be much less risk to themselves and anyone around them.

Russel Brand also thinks highly of Jurgen Klopp: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1sbp5oyVh4

To add, there are mental health benefits for society. Except NZ Warriors fans, they have been mentally tortured for years. The competition stopping maybe a sweet blessing.

This is very one dimension take on this. For many players, their health is tied to the game. They have no other job options. This issue should be looked upon in terms of trade-offs. Players get infected, but they also may be infected outside of the game. The risk to the individuals themselves is very low, due to their age and health status. The point of social distancing is to prevent spread to vulnerable groups and others. They may mitigate this with quarantining amongst players and support staff. What is the likely difference in infection/hospitalisation rates amongst players if the games stopped versus if it continued. If the games stop, their income and livelihood stop. Their mental health declines. For many players, this is all they have and their status is intrinsically linked to the game. Drug and alcohol abuse climbs. Domestic abuse may increase. It is not clear cut that stopping the competitions benefits societal health. I think it is important to look at this issue from more than one dimension.

I saw all the young people at Bondi Beach the other day, and the night before I saw a nightclub which was packed and rocking in England. The thing that both situations have in common? Young people. It was mainly young people and they think they are bulletproof. All of them think they won't get Coronavirus. I remember when I was young , that was exactly how I thought when all the serious strains of imported flu arrived on our shores. Looking back now I realise I was an idiot and through pure luck I remained flu free. This time at 67 years of age and having been in intensive care ten times with pneumonia, over a period of three years, I'm taking things very seriously. I can't even afford to have my grandkids visit me and my wife. I just pray I don't get cabin fever. Stay safe, stay smart everybody.

It's great they're playing because I need to watch A-League. I'm just sad I can't be playing in lower leagues or watch the local AFL club's seniors rock & roll. Meh, back to videogames and Hitler docos.

I agree and if you note the response from the UK where fans lapped it up because it took away the boredom and gave them something to watch. The chairman of Southampton suggested the EPL should start up again as a service to the community and bring some norm back into peoples lives.

Last year, Morrison announced the budget was back in black...next year. Next year, Morrison will announce policies to halt the coronavirus...last year. It's pentecostal Zen at work.

Yes I’m not judging their choice, just explaining why they made it. As a family with a primary school teacher we were hoping for some action on that front by now

Sporting codes playing in empty stadiums and just carrying on while outside those stadiums only essential services are being allowed to operate. AFL has suspended the season. Time for the A-league and NRL to recognise what’s going on outside their HQ bubbles.

I respect your view on this, because you are at the forefront, but it has to be said that Singapore has done the very best of everyone in keeping an absolutely flat curve, and as I understand it, they have kept schools open. The Australian curve has started skewing upwards, in part, because people have been doing dumb things, but also in part, because we have let so many people into the country who were already carrying the virus, and incredibly, until the last few days, we have allowed people with the virus to step onto a dock with little trouble.

Sadly, whether one was pro or con, we have now hit the end of the line. I can't see the A-League continuing beyond this point.

For God's sake stop blaming the government for everything that is going wrong from floods to bushfires to coronavirus and everything else. What would all you critics have done? It takes a lot of planning to organise a proper response that is the most effective. We are spending well over 100 billion dollars to fight it and helping the most effected, the vulnerable, the unemployed, small business, self funded retirees whose life savings are going down the gurgler. And why? Because the population is going crazy. If we do the right thing the chances of attracting this disease are relatively limited. Blame the idiots that do the wrong thing and disembark from cruise ships without proper testing or go to Bondi Beach in spite of the Governments directions to stay away from there. Its not the government that is causing the problems, its the idiots that ignore them. I challenge all you critics to respond with your plan. I am absolutely fed up to the teeth with all these ridiculous claims and accusations. Let's enjoy our beautiful game and congratulate the FFA, the clubs and players to see our favourite teams in action.

It appears from the comments many people still do not grasp the seriousness of this, and how poorly the government have handled it. This is the single greatest disaster any of us have faced in our lifetimes. There will be Roar readers who will be dead by the end if this. Look at Italy. This is us in 3 weeks. We were warned and have chosen to ignore it. Let's all go to Bondi...

It is time to lock ourselves away though. The countries doing well with COVID have moved early and hard.

And in "stepping in" they have moved far too f#$%€n slow, which will lead to many more deaths

The CMO had blood on his hands. He's allowing economic decisions to override medical ones. The lag in the decision to close schools will kill many.

Agree Kanga. Every step taken to stop the spread of COVID must be taken. Every life counts. Social distancing can't happen in football

Bloody hell! I’m reading one of his books right now. Get well Geoff.