AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan is increasingly confident the 2020 premiership season can be completed by the end of October.
The AFL have set a target of October 31 to complete the 2020 premiership season, with the league boss increasingly sure long-term hubs won’t be required to achieve that goal.
McLachlan believes the pathway for stalled sporting codes laid out by Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Friday has made a return to playing possible as early as late June.
A new pay deal struck with players allows the league to play games into December if required, but a June end to the COVID-19 shutdown could see a premier crowned in October.
“We have set that as a target,” McLachlan told Fox Footy on Saturday.
“We think we have the flexibility with venues to go longer.
“But given where we are, if you look ahead cautiously at when we might be able to get back to train, then into the season, we think finishing within an October framework is possible.
“I feel that every day that goes past I’ve got more confidence that we’re going to have a plan to get back on the field sooner rather than later.”
The league must work with each state on limits to gatherings that affect the ability of teams to train together and border restrictions before arriving at a model for the 17-round season.
“They’re the last two pieces and then we’ll be able to start rolling out things like fixtures and training dates and season start dates,” McLachlan said.
The recent relaxation of coronavirus measures in Western Australia allows groups of up to ten players to train together at West Coast and Fremantle.
But citing equity concerns, the league has ruled no team can train together in groups of ten until all 18 sides are able to.
Some players have baulked at the prospect of going into an isolation hub for up to 20 weeks, which has seen some stinging criticism levelled at the whole playing group.
McLachlan moved to allay fears that would be required in a teleconference with the 18 club captains on Friday and admitted the negative commentary around the worst-case hub scenario had been a misstep by head office.
“I think as an industry we’ve done okay with our communications…we had a bit of a glitch mid-week and I reckon we’re all back on track,” he said.
“I think we couldn’t be clearer now.
“The players, clubs and coaches understand that there are a series of options between flying in and flying out and being in high-performance villages (hubs).
“We will work through this together…we just need a greater level of certainty before we can be clear about what things look like.
“I feel confident that we’ll have our players, our clubs, everyone, on board knowing what we need to do and that they’re capable of getting this done.”
Martin
Roar Rookie
I would like to see the grand final played sometime in December 2020 in order of stringing out the season for as long as possible. The fans need to be satisfied with a fixture that provides matches over a decent six months in length. I know the number of rounds has been reduced to 17, nevertheless, let's make those 17 rounds last as long as possible. If need be, have a split round eight.
fabian gulino
Roar Rookie
The quicker the footy is back,the better we get back to normal. miss the footy like crazy.
Johnno
Roar Rookie
Typical politicians ploy........give out the worst case scenario, come in with a half way option and even if it’s not that good, everyone says we had a win cause they didn’t go with the original plan.
6x6 perkele
Roar Rookie
Would think you'd need numbers in Victoria to stop spiking and cotchin and co to stop throwing the toys before a grand final can be talked about, all the big talk on offsides etc from Vic journalists still missed the point of what a viral pandemic causes.
DTM
Guest
Can't see the hubs going ahead now - the AFL has caved into the demands of the Victorian players. Wherever, the AFL decides to hold the GF, they need to make a decision on this and announce it when they announce the new set of fixtures. They can't leave it till August or September to decide where it will be as people will try and make plans to be there - whether it is in Darwin, Adelaide, Perth or Melbourne. I hope if the GF is in Perth, any visiting Victorians lucky enough to get a ticket get the crap seats (as I did in 2005 even after queueing from 5am for 4 hours). I also hope that Qantas will come to the party and rip off interstate travellers with exorbitant airfares as we have experienced for every finals series since 1987.
Naughty's Headband
Roar Rookie
That's how the AFL does business.
Jwoody74
Roar Rookie
I don’t know if the hubs will go ahead but if they do it will be interesting to see where Victoria is in relation to a lift on lockdown and if the majority of the season is played away from Victoria. It could be a god send if football is played in the other heartland states of the code just to see what the competition could bring going forward. Imagine if you had a GF in Darwin this year for the simple reason that people could actually go as opposed to an empty MCG. I’d rather see a packed ground in Darwin than an empty G that’s for sure. I dunno it’s going to be a strange season regardless try something new to take footy forward and see what sticks.
Jwoody74
Roar Rookie
That’s the problem with the AFL it’s an industry well at least that’s how it sees itself and is constantly referred to and it does my head in. Let’s save 18 clubs and lose 80% of the pointless media that refer to it as such. It’s a Victorian centric competition that needs to get a grip on its perceived self importance. I love our great game but perhaps this is the shake up it needed.
Stevo
Roar Rookie
Keep loving the reference to “industry.” As if.
Gyfox
Roar Rookie
There's an amazing store in little Kaniva........Australian Puppet Shop. They sell puzzles!
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Tigers n Pies ppl are Flat Earthers with their world ending at Kaniva.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
He inspires no confidence. I think he's a dilettante.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Come off it Gilligan. You floated the idea of a hub to gain player, media and consumer feedback then hastily retreated when it was negative.
DTM
Guest
Starting say 25th June and finishing the home and away 4th October means each team would play an average of a game about every 6 and a bit days (assuming no byes). Travelling teams are going to struggle with this so road trips will have to be used. After suffering a drought of footy, we may get a flood with 144 games in 102 days! Likely to be almost 7 days a week. Will it be Collingwood or Richmond that travel to Perth? This decision will have a major bearing on the formation of the top 8 (and therefore the eventual Premiers). I believe it should be a public flip of a coin.