The most popular word in Australian sport right now appears to be hub.
With the Queensland Government still refusing to open its borders, despite the desperate cackling of New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian, and teams crisscrossing all over the country on flights not a realistic and sensible idea right now, it appears the creation of a hub is the only chance many sports have of reconvening.
Rugby league has set the standard under the direction of Peter V’landys, resuming play over the course of the weekend and successfully re-igniting its competition.
The code pushed ahead with a bold and brazen idea and after a weekend of cardboard cut-out fans, a non-diegetic soundtrack and a subsequent ratings bonanza, has been rewarded by being the first Australian code to recommence since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cardboard cut-outs of NRL fans. (AAP Image/Craig Golding)
Football will not be far behind, with a mid-June return to training on the cards and a recommencement of formal competition somewhere around the middle of July.
FFA head James Johnson made the announcement on Friday, with the not-so-small detail of final negotiations with Fox Sports and a workable draw still to be navigated.
That draw will see 32 games in 36 days; an absolute barrage of football that will see us here at The Roar as busy as a one-armed painter with an itch. 2020 will forever live as the most unscripted year in recent memory and life has become something of contingency plan after contingency plan.
Johnson and his team, in conjunction with the A-League clubs, owners and the PFA, have constructed their own with an intention to cram two months of football into one. In order to do so, they have created a hub.
Unsurprisingly, that hub will be in New South Wales. For international readers or those weak in geographical knowledge, New South Wales is the most populous state in Australia and the home of four A-League clubs.
Aside from an intention to play the remaining fixtures between the three Victorian clubs in their home state before joining the remaining eight clubs in the hub, each and every match will be played in New South Wales.
Potentially, fixtures could be played in Newcastle and on the Central Coast, yet it is also possible that the draw could in fact be far narrower; using Sydney exclusively to host what is likely to be a match played almost every day of the week.
Brisbane Roar CEO David Pourre expressed his extreme disappointment in the decision, citing a lack of consultation and stating “So much for due process and having options to consider. One would think that during this time we open our minds to all possibilities for the best interests of all players, all coaches, all administrators, extended employees and above all else, the game! Not just NSW.”
Over the weekend, the Courier Mail reported that something of a ‘bidding war’ may in fact evolve between the states, with Pourre at the helm of a group of A-League thinkers infuriated by Johnson’s announcement.
Allegations of a New South Wales bias are frequent in Australia, not just in relation to sport. However, with more than a third of A-League teams based in the state and all matches destined to be played without fans in the stadium, an argument could be made that FFA’s decision is in fact a prudent one.
Pourre certainly does not see things through that lens and referenced the denial of ‘opportunity’ that he perceives Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and Victoria have received.
Frankly, I’m a little confused as to precisely what that opportunity actually is, considering fans will be able to do nothing more than watch the matches at home, yet can also appreciate the collective throwing back of heads occurring in many states, as people feign surprise at the selection of the host state for the A-League hub.
The major inconvenience will be to clubs resettling on the east coast for a month of football, with players away from families and home base for an extended time. Wellington will suffer most significantly, with a period of quarantine looming upon their arrival in the country.
An empty stadium is seen during the Round 24 A-League match between Western Sydney Wanderers and Sydney FC at Bankwest Stadium, Parramatta in Sydney, Saturday, March 21, 2020. (AAP Image/Dean Lewins)
Training facilities, gymnasiums and medical support networks will need to be set up in close proximity to all clubs’ home bases, whether that be in Sydney alone or extending into the Gosford and Hunter regions.
Such a task would be far more challenging in Perth or Adelaide, doable in Victoria and David Pourre appears confident that the sunshine state could also manage the logistics.
However, at this stage it appears unlikely the state will be given the chance to shine. The Roar boss is none too pleased and ‘incensed’ by the decision.
With a common interest in returning to the pitch and completing a season existing, the opportunity for a united effort presented itself to the A-League clubs. True to Australian football history, such an opportunity failed, once again, to encourage states and/or clubs to throw away petty power struggles and differences.
Now, as FFA compile the chaotic draw that will lead us to the crowning of a new A-League champion, David Pourre’s voice is leading the charge of the disgruntled, as New South Wales receives yet another perceived advantage from the powers at be.
Patrick
Guest
Seriously - ok so put the numbers up for a month - you have 4 teams who are already based in NSW who essentially don't need hotel accommodation for their staff and players for the whole month plus training time - if QLD all teams do bar the roar - that $2m essentially goes to hotels when it didn't need to in NSW... and this is coming from a Vic. Pull your head in.
Blood Dragon
Roar Rookie
the NRL is trying to Push for limited crowds (Up To 500) from round 6 and crowds up to 10K from round 10
Blood Dragon
Roar Rookie
there is also Clive Berghofer Stadium in Toowoomba
Martyn50
Roar Rookie
The A-League should just cancel the remainder of the season and start fresh next season in April.
Rosario FC
Guest
Hahahaha "Ruby League". Are you making fun of Peter Vlandys 10 Tribes? Not so sure about a football SoO; effectively we have a national game representative of all states. Increasingly with this COVID crisis more players will be locally based hence a more tribal feel. I think the days of foreigners will be gone soon. With the game with less funds etc... I hope I am wrong though. The future is tapping into Asia me thinks.
Nat
Roar Guru
NRL gave the respective State Govts the assurance their players are self quarantining. They fly in/out the same day, straight to the stadium and back home. No leaving, except for training no visitors. Business travel to Qld is permitted but you do need a pretty good excuse. Commercial transport is essential but flying in/out of Qld just for a meeting - no dice.
Ten Tribes of Texas
Guest
The popularity of Ruby League and AFL were built by interstate games. Soccer needs a state of origin CARNIVAL like tournament to harness local loyalties. NSW v QLD and Stu Aust v Vic etc would be great for business, attract broadcasters, promote the game, attract state events funding and involve state federations. Could even have an invitation international side to make up the numbers.
Ten Tribes of Texas
Guest
Lucy is a breath of fresh air. Viva Lucy!
Ten Tribes of Texas
Guest
FIFA prohibits government interference in domestic soccer codes. Thats why Gov only build multi sports grounds
Ten Tribes of Texas
Guest
...and in NZ.
Ten Tribes of Texas
Guest
Airfares would be one. But not a great one I suspect. Seems to me Perth would have been a good option with the time difference as it would allow several games a day at peak tv time slots in the eastern states.
Ten Tribes of Texas
Guest
In future they best make sure the priority for fixtures is for each club to play each other twice home/away as soon as possible. Play other games like 3rd derby games after that. Then you can have a season completed promptly if things go pear shaped in the latter part of the season.
Redondo
Roar Rookie
It looks more and more like Covid-19 is seasonal, the key factors being temperature and humidity. Hooter and wetter is better. So, the best way to minimise the risk of the hub shutting down due to a spate of viral infections would be to head for the hottest, most humid location. That would be Queensland, who apparently offer the added bonus of $2 mill gov funding.
j binnie
Guest
Mid -Now I know that the writers of these articles do not always make up the headlines but in this case the answer to the question in the headlinehas to be answered in the affirmative. I note you single out 1955 as a time to start the never ending debate and I agree with you that "history " has to be brought into the discussion that being around the time the then ruling body was actually banned from the World Body for dabbling in ,and allowing ,the importation of players without the then in vogue transfer method taking place. The great discussion then took place as to whether football should change from an "association" genre to a "federation" genre, ineffect moving away from truly amateur sport to the world of semi- professionalism. It was at this time the huge migrant inflow from Europe took place and it was no surprise to see "ethnic" identity clubs springing up all over thecountry and it was obvious to any interested party that theseclubs tended towards the "federation" genre as that was the vogue in their homelands. And so the great debate began in thehouses of power with essentially Greek and Italian influences trying hard to destabilise the "English influence"that had been strictly adhered to by the founding fathers of Australian football. And so from the early 1960's it would be correct say football at the top level has become a political football rather than a sporting football. This is not the place to discuss the almost never ending "boo-boos" that have been made in the top echelons of the games administration, but for those reading this comment,they will know what is being meant by that broad statement. With the birth of the A-League and the subtle changes made in the entry criteria it could have been imagined by thinkers of the game that here was brand new ,clean, palette from which a new football entity could be fashioned. After 15 years the question now should be "Have things really changed over the last 70 years or are we still being held down by the political maneuverings of the would be power brokers who almost continually have ignored the broad spectrum of ideas that can be generated from outside the two most populous cities in Australia?????" Cheers jb
Frank
Guest
The FFA has been good. You haven't mentioned what else they could have done? Think you need to look at the big picture, they are getting an average of 20k views via set top box subscribers so why would they throw more money at HAL. I'm actually surprised they kept their intro and wrap shows for so long.
Rosario FC
Guest
Very funny Waz your comment on the Roosters FC Barcelona clip by the way.
chris
Guest
Waz - there is obviously more at play here than the 2 mill you keep going on about. It makes sense to them to have it in Sydney. You wouldn't hear someone in Sunderland or Newcastle complain that London gets all the big games.
Waz
Roar Rookie
“ To any outside party we must look a chaotic rabble with never ranting and raving …” Maybe true. But the rot has to stop at the top ... at the very least JJ has annoyed David Pourre one of the most hard working CEO’s in our game; at worst he (or whoever made the premature decision?) may have cost the code $2m Not all conflict is a bad thing - a good, solid and robust debate is a healthy thing imo.
Waz
Roar Rookie
Sydney IS different - unlike London, Rome, Madrid, Berlin a cash starved code don’t LOSE $2m
Waz
Roar Rookie
I don’t know. It’s possibly easier for the FFA and support staff to organise in an area they know. It would also allow FFA staff to attend games. Possibly pressure from NSWs teams as well. Not saying they think there’s an advantage here but possibly better “the devil they know”?