First things first, I’ll put it on the table. I’m a West Australian and I do entertain the AFL’s perceived Vic bias from time to time. It is a pastime over here.
However, I’ll also say that I believe the AFL got it correct when they made last week’s call to not permit WA clubs to resume group training before the rest of the clubs.
It might have seemed minor, but it was a black-and-white issue, where WA clubs would’ve clearly gained an advantage on the rest through no fault of their own.
Counter arguments citing WA clubs’ heavy burden of travel were venturing down a separate path altogether. We cannot start trading off inequalities in pursuit of fairness. Like the old saying goes, two wrongs don’t make a right.
But all that’s on the AFL’s proviso of fairness. They can’t apply that value one day and overlook it the next.
That’s important because there’s a big storm brewing in the west after premier Mark McGowan’s hard borders declaration, which will test the AFL’s resolve to uphold the value of fairness and, ultimately, the integrity of the competition.
The format of a resumed AFL season seems to be changing on a weekly basis. We’ve gone from hubs to a home-and-away season in the space of a few days. A few bad days of COVID-19 cases and that may change again rapidly.
But as things stand, WA’s two clubs are staring down the possibility of becoming the AFL’s version of the NZ Warriors, due to the big state’s hard border and mandatory 14-day quarantine period, which will make it unfeasible to host games in WA and only viable to play on the eastern seaboard by relocating for a long period of time.
All the while, the other 16 clubs in the competition (assuming SA opens its borders in the next few weeks after reaching two weeks with zero new cases) will have open borders, thus able to compete on a fly-in fly-out home-and-away basis. They’ll be able to sleep in their own homes, live with their families, train at their club HQ, and go to their preferred coffee shops.
If ever there was an unfair scenario, that would be it.
(AAP Image/Richard Wainwright)
For the Eagles, who are in the prime of their premiership window fresh from the recruitment of Tim Kelly, it’d be a savage handicap.
So only days after the issue of fairness – or “competitive equalisation measures” as AFL football boss Steve Hocking labelled them – prevented the WA clubs from getting a small advantage by returning to their mini pre-seasons in groups of ten earlier than the rest, the AFL might need to address a much larger issue of integrity.
The problem is there’s no easy fix for the two WA clubs in this scenario and the AFL will want to get footy underway as soon as reasonably possible.
It’s unlikely the AFL will explore hubs in WA given the hefty quarantine restrictions, which will require more mini pre-seasons to overcome. It’s also unlikely the AFL will wait for WA to remove its hard borders, which on the evidence of McGowan’s press conference on Wednesday, will remain up for some time, likely to protect the state’s lucrative mining industry.
There are no fair options for the WA clubs in the current environment if the AFL forges ahead with their fly-in fly-out home-and-away plans.
The AFL may consider there’s only two WA clubs, they’re in the minority and they’re far away, so out of sight, out of mind. It’s a small price to pay, right?
Or will the AFL acknowledge they cannot actually achieve the fairness they reverted to last week as fundamental to the 2020 season and return to exploring the hubs option, where all clubs will be in the same boat, or hotel?
I know what the AFL would be doing if the shoe was on the other foot and the ten Victorian clubs were facing the same dilemma as the two WA clubs.
We all understand the AFL needs to resume the 2020 season as soon as reasonably possible to get dollars back in the game, but will it be at the expense of the fairness and integrity they trumpeted last week?
If they do, it’ll only fuel the Vic bias.
6x6 perkele
Roar Rookie
Good for you, never seen you here before but rich is quick to likey likey. A tom Browne burner account is most likely.
Mr Right
Roar Rookie
There is nothing wrong with receiving a line of credit / borrowing money as long as it is a necessity & you have the ability to repay it. Right now it is a necessity & our national sport will have the ability to repay the loan when it get's back on the field. This is most likely going to be a once in a lifetime situation guys. There is going to be numerous complications & seeming disparity on home games etc. Suck it up I say, there are a lot bigger world issues than missing a home game or having to train interstate. Let's stop the negativity & start the footy!
The Brazilian
Roar Rookie
Tried replying but couldn't get past the mods. 'The results show'. Purely on numbers maybe but that is a rather simple measure, it's way more complex than that! Consider population, pop. density, international destinations, etc. etc. The East coast has had different problems to deal with. Your attitude is . . . too simplistic! Hey, by the way, McGowan's plan really has backfired in his face. Too bad.
13th Man
Roar Rookie
The Republic of Westralia would be the best. I’ve always wanted us to secede
13th Man
Roar Rookie
How so? It's a fact. WA's far stricter border control measures have clearly worked. Us and SA who have equally tough measures have done a far better job and the results show. We could have had crowds come back to games here soon because of how proactive the government has been. Fully support the measures McGowan has put in place as he has made our state the safest place in the country. Our football teams shouldn't be punished for that.
Seymorebutts
Guest
Sandgropers already consider themselves a separate country , the virus has given them the excuse to make it official ;-)
Seymorebutts
Guest
:happy: :thumbup:
Seymorebutts
Guest
I wasnt aware of that, thanks for sharing ;-)
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I've got no truck with you there.
Jeff
Roar Rookie
At least it would be a Covid-19-free Aussie Rules comp!
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Ah, got ya!
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I made no claims of Adelaide in the Winter. Got me!
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Not an hour. I was born at Murray Bridge, the home of the great Neil Button, and back then it was 90 minutes to Adelaide and 2 hours to Bordertown. A time of 3.5 hours pre-freeway. And with Heysen Tunnel just under 3 hours. Which is 3x as long. ---- If SA & NT joined WA, in seccession, Victoria would never win a game of International Aussie Rules ever.
Jeff
Roar Rookie
On a separate note, Perth has a couple of 27C days forecast mid week. How's the Adelaide heatwave tracking for this week? :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
Jeff
Roar Rookie
All I can say to that is…”Ask the Leyland Brothers“. [Musical chime]
Jeff
Roar Rookie
Now Rowdy, SA can't locate its capital city an hour from Victoria and claim immunity from being an E/S lacky. But yes, also, I agree there is mutual disdain from both of the true independent States of the Commonwealth towards "those others". :stoked: :stoked: I think a two-State secession plan based on sharing of fisheries, agriculture and natural resources is an entirely appropriate proposition! :thumbup: :thumbup:
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
And that 600km dirt road, catergorized euphemistically a National Highway was in South Australia. You could say it was the Eastern State’s disdain for highways in the Western States :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :angry: :angry: :angry: —- And don’t forget you are part of the Federation because Victorians forced you to join. They held you to ransom with Kalgoorlie being the prize.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
“Over East” is fine. But the “Eastern States” does not include SA or NT. I can assure you our disdain of the Eastern States is greater than WA’s. You don’t share a border with them for a start. One of em even stole part of our land. And South Australia does not hate itself, an entirely logical position, would you not agree? Why would you consider yourself part of something you despise? —– In USA parlance, SA would be known as the ‘fly-over’ state.
Jeff
Roar Rookie
Yeah, nah. Everything east of Eucla is “the Eastern States” or “over east” to Western Australians :happy: We haven’t forgotten, nor forgiven, the 6 month delay we had to endure in the 1980s to watch shows such as The Sullivans whilst the video tape was transported across the (at that time) unmade road of the Nullabor and through SA :laughing:
The Late News
Roar Rookie
Against my better judgement I will reply. The east coast had coal fired power stations that they have systematically closed. SOUTH AUSTRALIA ran out of power FFS! Now you guys are paying top dollar for gas...despite the abundance of gas there. Oh that's right...no fracking. Now blokes are dying underground in Qld because you aren't allowed to de gas the coal fields. Gimme a break. Stupid policy. Ok...WA has gold. Now...it wasn't that long back that VIC had produced the most gold...but the environmental policies made that state almost impossible to explore in. I have friend who is conducting a stream sediment sample survey in Vic at the moment. Now he is obliged to pay a fee of $80 per road to take samples. the Applications take about three months to process. And I am told he has about 80 roads most are gravel back tracks, say 30% are bitumin roads. He has to put up "men working signs" at each end of the road. Even if he is say 5 or 10 mins taking a sample. So he might spend about half an hour all up for one single sample but spend $80 for the right to do so. I have no idea about NSW...but I suppose they are as stupid. Sorry mate. Australia is a wonderful place...full of opportunity...but the bureaucratic process is killing us in certain quarters.