AFL teams Brisbane, Richmond and Essendon cannot fly home because of volcano ash
Mark Stevens
From: Herald Sun
June 13, 2011
THREE AFL teams were bedded down for unexpected nights interstate after returns to their home state were thrown into disarray by ash from a Chilean volcano.
Virgin joined Qantas in suspending all domestic and international flights in and out of Melbourne as a plume of volcanic ash drifted across from the Puyehue volcano.
The Tigers returned to the team hotel after the loss to Sydney, knowing all flights into Melbourne were on hold.
It was the same scenario for the Brisbane Lions, stranded in Melbourne overnight after their loss to Carlton at Etihad, and Essendon after its loss to Fremantle in Perth. Essendon coach James Hird was resigned to a late departure.