Richmond vs Carlton @ the MCG, Round 1, 2020

[Diocletian]

Yeah this ain't happening anytime soon....

[one-eyed]

Foxsports reporting that Richmond players have been told 'game on'.

[Diocletian]

Government will decide not the AFL.....

[Loui Tufga]

Government will decide not the AFL.....

The Government basically gave it the go ahead this morning....

[one-eyed]

Government will decide not the AFL.....

The Government basically gave it the go ahead this morning....

Yep.

The onus is now squarely on the AFL to make a call on Round 1, according to Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

“Whether it is the AFL or NRL, that is a decision for them to make in accordance with the rules that have been established,” Mr Morrison said.

“They need to make their own decisions on how they manage that, we will focus on our responsibilities as Prime Minister’s, chief ministers and Premiers, and the commissioners of the NRL and the AFL can make their decisions on what they believe is best for their game.

“But they must comply, obviously – which they will, with the health rules and guidelines that are being established.”

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-2020-coronavirus-news-covid19-live-updates-will-round-1-be-postponed-mass-gatherings-ban-western-australia-travel-ban/news-story/00149492a0c75b9d02a9b522e1a6c277

[one-eyed]

1.45PM — AFL COMMISSION MEET TO DETERMINE SEASON

Tom Morris reports ...

A Wednesday afternoon AFL Commission meeting will determine whether Round 1 goes ahead or not.

League heavyweights are currently in discussions at AFL headquarters.

The AFL Commission consists of chairman Richard Goyder, Gillon McLachlan, Travis Auld, Jason Ball, Paul Bassat, Robin Bishop, Professor Helen Milroy, Andrew Newbold, Gab Trainor, Simone Wilkie and Kim Williams.

An outcome is expected before the close of business.

Players, managers and broadcasters are all in the dark, but clubs have been told to prepare to play unless they are told otherwise.

1.30PM — PLAYERS PREPARING TO PLAY

Richmond players have been told the 2020 AFL season will begin on Thursday night.

However the Blues have yet to be told if they are playing, creating more uncertainty around Thursday night’s season opener.

Foxfooty.com.au understands both Tigers players and coaches are preparing to face Carlton at an empty MCG.

Earlier, Richmond coach Damien Hardwick said if the game went ahead, he expected the teams to play 16-and-a-half quarters plus time on from Thursday night.

Hardwick said every Richmond player would be available for selection, except veteran Bachar Houli (minor calf injury). Young ruckman Callum Coleman-Jones is “seriously in the mix”.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-2020-coronavirus-news-covid19-live-updates-will-round-1-be-postponed-mass-gatherings-ban-western-australia-travel-ban/news-story/00149492a0c75b9d02a9b522e1a6c277

[Diocletian]

Government will decide not the AFL.....

The Government basically gave it the go ahead this morning....

Yes that's this morning ...match is still over 24 hours away which might as well be a week under the current circumstances.....

[one-eyed]

Snip!

Firstly, this Richmond Rant board is NOT a politics board. Leave the political commentary for the politics threads on the General Discussion board.

Secondly, cut out the namecalling and insults  .

[one-eyed]

Anyway, back to the footy discussion:

1. All 18 clubs have told the AFL they want to play on.

2. The AFL is expected to have a presser before or around 5pm to announce what is happening.


Ch 7 saying the AFL is worried about the image of the game (re: playing in empty stadiums).

[WilliamPowell]

Can I add my 10c worth

Insults that include using any word and then adding "tard" or "tards" to the end of it is offensive to the majoirty and totally unacceptable

It is clear what the meaning of the insult is trying to achieve.

Cut it out or we will be handing out penalties under the 3 strikes policy.

This is how out of hand this behaviour has become 

[mightytiges]

After 5pm and still waiting.

Given how quickly this coronavirus crisis is changing from day-to-day, the AFL can't really be definite about things until this time tomorrow. Normally, if they were holding off this long then it would be a sign it wasn't going ahead but this is a different situation.

There was a (false) rumour going around today about the AFL was waiting for Higgo's test results to come back but the RFC has said that rumour was rubbish.

[Diocletian]

I won't believe it's going ahead until after the first bounce.. surely the AFL also need to consider if they'll be able to complete the entire round...things could easily change again anytime from Friday to Sunday...

[mightytiges]

Phone hook up between AFL head honchos and club CEOs about to start. That's what's been the hold up according to SEN.

[one-eyed]

Tony Jones on Ch 9 news saying a decision will be made some time tonight (even as late as midnight).

Eddie said the legal issues were very complex and things were changing from hour to hour at the meeting today. Not related to the players' salary cut according to Eddie.

Mark Stevens on Ch 7 said both sets of players at Richmond and Carlton still don't know whether they are playing tomorrow night.

Stevens was backing the game would go on rather than not while the other Ch 9 reporter was predicting it wouldn't. So the media don't know anything either.

[one-eyed]

Gill just said it's ON!

So our premiership defence starts tomorrow night.