A report has emerged that four Port Adelaide players – Zak Butters, Mitch Georgiades, Ollie Lord and Dylan Williams – were photographed without their masks at the trials for the Olympic swimming team in South Australia.
This is against the rules imposed for attending that event, one of which states that all attendees must wear masks at all times, unless they are eating or drinking, which the Port players were not.
This is not the first breach of its kind – Western Bulldogs players Lachie Hunter and Bailey Smith were fined for breaching Melbourne’s stay at home restrictions in April of last year.
Later that month, Fremantle players Luke Ryan and Jason Carter were fined for attending a party in Perth. In May last year, 16 Crows were handed suspended one-match bans for training in a larger group than allowed.
In June, seven players from four separate clubs were banned for one or multiple matches as a result of breaching restrictions.
In July, Richmond, Carlton and North Melbourne were fined $45,000 for restriction breaches. Hawthorn were fined $50,000.
In August, Collingwood and Sydney were each fined $50,000 for breaches. In September, Melbourne were fined $50,000 for a breach, and Richmond were fined $75,000 for a second breach.
I think you get the picture – this issue has been around for a while, and it doesn’t look like it will stop occurring. The Port breach is the second this month.
Multiple clubs have copped big financial whacks for their respective breaches, and multiple players have been suspended.
But for some reason, it’s not enough to stop players and officials breaching government-imposed restrictions and putting members of the public at risk through irresponsible and stupid actions.
AFL players are no better than the rest of us, and the AFL needs to go a step further with punishment of these players and their clubs.
It appears to me that the best way to prevent further incidences occurring is to add, in addition to the current fines and player suspensions, a deduction of premiership points from the club involved.
Four points, or one win’s worth, for a minor first offence, eight for a second offence, and so on.
For major offences, eight for a first offence and 16 for a second.
If a breach occurs during finals, the team is eliminated from them. If it occurs during the off-season, the team begins the next season on negative points.
It’s as simple as that.
This should work because clubs appear to view their ladder position as more important than almost anything else – the players devote their lives to training so that their club can rise up the ranks and hopefully hold up the premiership cup on grand final day.
The potential wrath of supporters if their team misses out on finals because of a COVID breach and punishment should not stop the AFL from imposing greater restrictions to stop its players, who are some of the most widely looked up to people in Australia, from setting a terrible example and breaking rules that everyone else is expected to follow.
The restrictions I have suggested seem the most logical course, and should be implemented as soon as possible.
While none of the breaches so far have led to outbreaks, the risk that one could is too great for the AFL to just let these breaches continue to occur.
It is the responsibility of the league, the clubs, the coaches and the players to do better.
Much better.
Brett
Guest
The restrictions and rules are rubbish and arbitrary and the face masks do not protect against virus transmission. Only a Respirator with particulates filters that creates an airtight seal to the face can protect a wearer from virus infection. The Covid protocols are not based on sensible science with regards to practical protection against infection from a biological agent AKA virus. This is basic CBRN theory and goes against CBRN defence principles as to what PPE is capable of defending against a biological agent or virus, and face mask will not protect the wearer pr anyone else in their vicinity. It is not practical for our society to wear full face respirators so we should live with the virus like we have with others, like we have lived with every other flu pandemic where allegedly 99.8% of people who catch covid get over it. The infection rates and seriousness of infections are surely no different to any other flu season, which never requires such outrageous measures. To claim Breaching COVID-19 protocols should cost premiership points is also an outrageous suggestion and a nonsensical idiotic approach to this issue. The fact the AFL is not challenging the conflicted science around this alleged deadly virus threat and the proportionality employed by our idiotic governments is alarming. Everyone should be pushing back against the governments arbitrary response to this virus threat which is low when you look at the stats and lack of severity of symptoms and the high recovery rate. Locking down cities, restricting the right to gather in groups and forcing people to wear masks that offer absolutely no beneficial health effect or protection against a viral pathogen, is incompetent health advice and a massive human rights breach. Rules are not laws and no one should follow arbitrary rules that are not backed up by infectious disease science as to protection against viral agents, or should anyone follow arbitrary rules being made beyond the power of those who are making them.
Windrince
Roar Rookie
Read my other responses to comments by other people that are exactly the same as this one. I’m going to be bothered saying it again.
TMC
Guest
You should know all the facts before reporting on this. They had their photograph taken yes but take a closer look at the photo and you'll see one of them has a drink in his hand. Also how do you 10 seconds after that pic was taken that they didn't put their masks back on? They are at an event not related to football and they are there on their own time, can't really expect the club to receive a penalty. If any penalty was given it should be from possibly SA police and not the AFL
Lukey Miller
Guest
Enough already! These players are only like most of us - completely over the farce.
Windrince
Roar Rookie
As I stated in the article, players have already been suspended for breaches, and it hasn't worked
Aaron Paul
Roar Rookie
no, maybe the players could get suspended for it, but not the clubs
Windrince
Roar Rookie
Players are already being suspended.
AdamDilligafThompson
Roar Rookie
No worries I didn't think of that actually, my bad.lol.
Windrince
Roar Rookie
Oh, Dangerfield can justify anything Greg. Even his hit on Jake Kelly.
GregM
Roar Rookie
i would like to see how the players association will justify selfish players from putting the entire competition at risk by ignoring covid protocals.
Windrince
Roar Rookie
Yep.
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
The aflpa would have a field day
Boo
Guest
Windrice you don't go far enough any Brownlow medallist not wearing a seat belt should have to hand back there medal .Also any coach who files a late tax return should be bankrupted .Glad someone is onto these young upstarts masquerading as AFL footballers flaunting public safety whilst stuffing there gobs at the swimming pool .
Windrince
Roar Rookie
AFL is just as unlikely to do that, I'm afraid
GregM
Roar Rookie
you give the players MASSIVE fines, what is $10,000 when a player is on 400,000 a year? threaten them with season ending suspensions without pay, of having their contracts torn up, all these pkayers think of is money - so hit them where it hurts- their back pocket. And don't suspend these fines - enough is enough, no one can claim ignorance about covid anymore
Windrince
Roar Rookie
When it says "On June 7, players from four separate clubs were banned for one or multiple matches as a result of breaching restrictions", it's meant to say that in June, 7 players were banned, not on the seventh of June. I think the Editors may have misinterperated that
Windrince
Roar Rookie
Ok thanks Chucka good to know I guess for future articles
FabPhil
Roar Rookie
The Port players should have gone all the way I reckon and breached the COVID protocols wearing their prison bars.
FabPhil
Roar Rookie
I think it would come down to his choice of jocks.
Maxy
Roar Rookie
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