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Winless Dockers demand AFL hub end date

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21st June, 2020
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Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir has echoed his West Coast counterpart Adam Simpson by calling for clarity over the end date for the AFL’s Queensland quarantine hub.

The Dockers slipped to the second defeat from as many matches during their hub experience on Sunday, beaten by Port Adelaide at Metricon Stadium.

The loss means Longmuir’s team is 0-3 with at least two more games to go on the Gold Coast.

Essendon’s Connor McKenna testing positive for COVID-19 has created a scheduling headache for the AFL, particularly with several of the Bombers’ team likely to have to go through a 14-day quarantine period.

Simpson said last week the Eagles would return to Perth on July 2, even if it means spending two weeks in hotel quarantine as per a Western Australian government request.

Longmuir wasn’t as specific as Simpson but said the Dockers were as eager as their rivals to know exactly when they will be heading home.

The Dockers look a bit dejected after losing

(Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

“As a footy club we’d like clarity of what’s going on, but I trust Simon Garlick, Peter Bell, our board to be doing that work behind the scenes to be pushing for the best interests of our players, our club,” he said.

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“It comes a point where we need to get home to families and we need to start playing home games at Optus.

“But we’re also mindful that we need to keep the AFL going and we need to do our part in that so if it means we have to stay in a hub for another week or another two weeks and then get home.

“Well, that’s what the AFL tell us to do.

“But I think we just need clarity.”

While disappointed with Sunday’s loss, the match did mark the return to the AFL for Jesse Hogan.

Despite a quiet night with just nine touches and one mark, Longmuir believes the forward will be better for the run after an 11-month absence due to injury and a mental health break.

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“Like I’ve said all along with Jesse, it’s not about one week,” he said.

“It’s about making sure he stays in this team now and make sure he keeps building and becomes the player we know he can be.”

© AAP

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