The Geelong Cats face a challenging next few weeks on the road as Victorians woke up to news this week that Melbourne is going back into lockdown for another six weeks.
The Cats now face an unusual set of circumstances with games being played against their AFL rivals in New South Wales and Perth.
Player welfare will be front of the agenda to make sure the schedule does not turn an already arduous journey into something even more tough.
Time will tell whether the team can settle in and accept the new norm in an already unpredictable season.
The lively bustle of activity has been missed at Cats home games at Kardinia Park this season. Although there were no crowds at Kardinia Park, importantly footy was still being played at the home of the Geelong Football Club.
This has now changed. The Cats prepare to play the Brisbane Lions at the Sydney Cricket Ground tonight and next week jet off to Optus Stadium in Perth to play Collingwood.
(Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
Likewise, all Melbourne clubs have had to adjust to life on the road.
Five Victorian clubs will be in the Queensland hub and there will also be a hub in New South Wales and Perth where the Cats will be joining their Victorian counterparts Collingwood.
Players have already spoken about the issues this presents for them.
“I think over the whole period I’ll constantly ask myself, ‘Why am I here? What am I actually doing leaving my young family to come up here and play a game?’,” expressed Richmond Tiger Jack Riewoldt.
Player welfare is a central concern for all teams as players who did not take their family to the hubs will be feeling the effects of being so far away from home.
This surfaced with Cats great Gary Ablett recently sharing with the public that his young son has a rare degenerative disease. Ablett will be travelling with the Cats.
This effort has been highlighted by coach Chris Scott, who said: “It’s clearly a difficult time for him, it has been for some time, but one of things that’s made him a champion over the years, in my opinion, is his ability to compartmentalise things”.
The Cats posted their third win this season, beating Gold Coast 89 to 52. They are now in Sydney for a week before relocating to the Perth hub.
What will be key to keeping their continual improvement on track this season is making sure player welfare is a priority as life in the hub takes shape.
Plans have yet to be determined around how this will be realised but achieving a balance of what players can do for their footy club and family may be a winning mentality that can bring back some happiness for the players and fans.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I can give the F8 contenders a miss. Go Port, Saints & Lions.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
What footy is about for you is an individual thing. You can’t group us all as having the same collective view of what footy is to us, or what 2020 is to us. Personally, if the Pies won 2020, you can tag it the Covid Cup for eternity if you want. I just couldn’t care. It’s a flag and the more twists and turns 2020 is taking, the more special it is becoming.
SimplySimon
Guest
I love my footy and my club just not the abomination that is the 2020 AFL Season. Footy is about the day out, the meeting up with friends for a before before the match then sitting in the ground and cheering on your team then going for a meal afterwards. Its not sitting in the lounge listening to crappy Ch7 coverage watching some dour 16 minute a quarter game played by teams who are miserable because of being away from home. Seriously, what are we to think about whoever wins this comp ? Maybe we should award the winners some Herman Munster type trophy or a flag with a coronavirus picture on it. Whatever we can never consider such an abomination of a season as a proper footy season. Play some friendlies if you want to but lets not pretend that this is a real AFL competition.
Mick_Lions
Roar Pro
Nice article David. I think Jack Reiwoldt summed it up best with "why am I doing this?" And answered himself with "I love my club". The players are entitled to make personal decisions in these unprecedented times. Oh, and, SimplySimon, I have one word for you: FOOTYYYYYYYYYYY!!
DTM
Guest
Football is more than a game and continuing the season provides an income for thousands of people around the country - not just the players. These people would be in the unemployment lines and a drain on the taxpayer if it were not for the AFL administration keeping the season going. Furthermore, the regular football games provide fans around the country the opportunity to relax in their lounge rooms and take their mind off all the negative news out there. I would go so far to say that the continuance of the AFL (and NRL) season has actually saved lives. The health professionals understand all this and have given the go ahead. If you have some credentials that are superior then please share them with us. The players and support staff of all clubs are making sacrifices and yes, some more than others. The AFL is doing its best to make the competition as fair as possible and at the end of the year the winner (whoever that may be) will be deserving of the title "2020 AFL Premiers".
Walter Black
Guest
"It had nothing to do with luck, and everything to do with people thinking the rules didn’t apply to them." If you believe the people of Melbourne were any worse in this regard than any other city in Australia then you are kidding yourself.
Shane
Guest
Sorry, but it's that attitude that sees Victoria where they are now. It had nothing to do with luck, and everything to do with people thinking the rules didn't apply to them. Anyway, not sure what that comment has to do with my reply about why players might be uneasy travelling?
SimplySimon
Guest
Its about 10% being disciplined and 90% luck. In its first wave, Victoria locked down harder and for longer than any other state but I agree, players could easily be locked out until Christmas. Only the other day, we were talking about the GF being held other than at the MCG. How long will it be before someone can't stand it any longer and goes home ? And that my friends will be the beginning of the landslide.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
In the case of 'broad brushes' why is it idiot RL player's that go off at linesman? Brought to you in fairness
Shane
Guest
You realise that if Victorians are not disciplined the players could be locked out for a lot longer than three or four weeks? If you could make that decision about your kids and family so easily, I suspect you don't deserve them.
mrl
Roar Rookie
Why are AFL players so precious about going on tour? I guess it is part of the culture of the game whereby they are trapped in a bubble containing a yearly predictable home and way domestic competition. Any interruption to that cozy environment turns them into cry babies. Ablett is a different situation. Cricketers, Rugby players and Soccer players consider it an honor and a privilege to go on tour with the national team or even their club team in same cases.
Brian
Guest
I've travelled interstate for work and other times I have decided not to in order to be with the wife and kids. We all make these decisions everyday, do I knock off at 4 or stay at work. These players like Riewoldt need to get over themselves. If they don't want to be there they can sit it out. As for Ablett I would stay home if I were in his shoes, but its obviously for him to decide.
Paul D
Roar Rookie
Yep, let's just wave the white flag and surrender. Inspirational stuff
Bobby
Guest
Lockdown with footy is literally a million times better than lockdown without footy. So just go away simon. take your negative attitude somewhere else
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Or Simply Simon you can stop following the season then and just let us watch and be interested?
Gyfox
Roar Rookie
With every team playing each other just once, this season is much more fairer than the previous 22 round seasons. Keep it going......& can't wait to see who the Final 8 teams are.
Yattuzzi
Roar Rookie
Simon, why are you so against footy being played. It is a relief for the fans with Covid restrictions. Stop hectoring and leave us in peace.
SimplySimon
Guest
Absolutely Crazy When are we going to accept the abomination that is this year's AFL season and call it off ? To imagine that there is any semblance of fairness left in the competition is ridiculous. All we are doing by continuing with this monster of a season is embarrassing ourselves, Lets let our players return home to loved ones and Gil and his boys focus on sorting out our game for a fresh and fair competition in 2021.