West Coast are struggling to field a complete team for their Round 2 clash with North Melbourne, with coach Adam Simpson revealing on Friday the club could have as few as 16 senior players available.
The spread of COVID-19 in Western Australia has forced 12 players out of the match, with the already named Isaiah Winder, Josh Kennedy, Jack Redden, Tom Barrass and Zac Langdon to be joined by more than a dozen others when official teams drop on Friday afternoon.
“I think we’ve got 12 from last week’s game that will be unavailable this week, so there’s a little bit of work to do with our side,” Simpson said.
“We’ll have to confirm all that this afternoon, but we’ll be leaning on the top-up players who have become available to us in the last few weeks.”
The Eagles will be forced to turn to top-up players to field a full side at Marvel Stadium on Sunday, having already named former Roo Declan Mountford as an emergency for their clash with Gold Coast in Round 1.
However, only three top-ups have trained with the club to date, meaning many players who will pull on the blue and gold on Sunday will have never met other members of the team.
“Yesterday it became a cluster and we started to realise that there wasn’t much we could do. When does it stop is the next question,” Simpson said of the escalating crisis.
“We will fly on a charter, we will have a captain’s run tomorrow afternoon, have a meeting and get to know each other.”
The AFL has been firm through the AFLW competition in its desire to have games go forward without being postponed, even if COVID strikes.
Collingwood’s qualifying final clash with Brisbane was the first match to be delayed for the season, with many clubs forced to keep playing despite hefty lists of outs due to the league’s health and safety protocols.
nics
Roar Rookie
Wow. You are a troll. That was an excellent well-reasoned rebuttal. Wouldn't expect anything else from you. I'm being sarcastic, in case you take me literally.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Wow. You have that all wrong. They are unrelated.
nics
Roar Rookie
A simplistic analysis. WA Government policies had the impact of pushing back the COVID outbreak by a few months (which I agree with given it has reduced the hospital load and allowed vaccination rates to go up). This has meant that instead of having high COVID cases in the community in December reaching a peak and then declining, there are high COVID cases in the community now, at the start of the AFL season. As such, players are more likely to fall afoul of COVID protocols brought in by AFL. Ergo - state government policy (which I agree with, for the record), had quite a bit to do with our 13 covid outs.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
State government policy had nothing to do with your 13 covid outs.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
They'll all be back for the Derby.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Say what you’re trying to say, or let it go. You are unclear. Bringing Shuey slippers? That’s weird.
fabian gulino
Roar Rookie
What is wrong with you mate?
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Still doesn't. No.
fabian gulino
Roar Rookie
Eagles made 14 player changes because of covid top up players etc. The Eagles would not beaten the Kangaroo. Understand plain English?
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Still makes no sense.
fabian gulino
Roar Rookie
with all of those players would not make a difference.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
That makes no sense. What did you intend to say?
fabian gulino
Roar Rookie
they bring shuey slippers.they have lost
nics
Roar Rookie
It will be a paddling unfortunately :stoked:
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Only 2 out at Freo. Most of these guys at WC do not have Covid. They are just close contacts. The AFL sets that protocol. Nothing to do with who has it or who had it. You probably need to inform yourself a little more, Johnno.
Johnno
Roar Rookie
Just look how many players out with covid in the 2 WA teams & compare to how many out in the non WA teams. Obvious. You should look at your own advice........don’t just make throw away comments with no thought.
Chanon
Roar Rookie
I still tipped your mob but l feel like your lads will be smashed but we live in hope :thumbup:
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Not likely to be close to a valid stat. There are a lot of loops around who never engage simple logic.
Simoc
Guest
It may even up the game a bit. Norths are a bunch of scrubbers unworthy of AFL status. They should be Tasmanian by now.
RT
Roar Rookie
That COVID is more contagious and more likely to kill you if you do get it. Really, are we still doing this?