West Coast’s spherical 12 fixture in opposition to Carlton has formally been relocated to the SCG because the AFL scrambles to proceed with the 2021 season regardless of interruptions attributable to Melbourne’s COVID-19 lockdown.
The Eagles have been scheduled to fly to Melbourne to tackle the Blues on the MCG on Sunday afternoon however the league’s revised spherical sees the sport moved to the impartial venue in New South Wales.
Richmond will contact down in Perth on Friday whereas the Western Bulldogs will arrive on Saturday for matches in opposition to Essendon and Fremantle at Optus Stadium respectively.
SEE THE FULL ROUND 12 FIXTURE BELOW
Each golf equipment, together with Carlton, are presently coaching in NSW after fleeing COVID-hit Melbourne.
“The replace to the Spherical 12 fixture has been designed to greatest accommodate the present border restrictions in place in regard to Victoria whereas additionally keeping track of the approaching weeks of the fixture,” AFL fixture boss Travis Auld mentioned.
“The truth of the present state of affairs locally means the fixture will change into every week by week proposition for the short-term.”
The COVID fixture shuffle additionally sees Melbourne doubtlessly lose out on a $800,000 bonus from the Northern Territory authorities, after the Brisbane conflict in Darwin was moved to Giants Stadium.
“We all know this final week has been a blow for footy followers in Victoria, however it is just a small sacrifice within the grand scheme of holding the neighborhood as secure as attainable,” Auld mentioned.
“Footy is a recreation, however we aren’t the principle recreation relating to the pandemic.
“For followers within the Territory, we’ll proceed to work the Authorities and the golf equipment to discover a approach to carry these two matches to Darwin and Alice Springs later within the season.”
St Kilda and Sydney have successfully swapped their dwelling video games in spherical 12 whereas Collingwood is anticipated to get the inexperienced gentle to fly out and in of Adelaide for his or her conflict at Adelaide Oval on Saturday.
Six golf equipment – Hawthorn, Geelong Cats, Gold Price SUNS, GWS Giants, North Melbourne, Port Adelaide – have the bye in spherical 12.
The AFL nonetheless stays hopeful of staging the distinguished Queen’s Birthday conflict on the MCG in spherical 13.
“Though we gained’t have matches in Victoria this weekend, we’re hopeful to get the footy again in Melbourne for Spherical 13 and the Queen’s Birthday match on the MCG, a proposition we’ll proceed to watch and work with the Victorian State Authorities on how that performs out,” Auld mentioned.
“The previous few days has been a problem for everybody, however as all the time, our golf equipment, gamers, umpires, venues and broadcast companions have been open-minded and accommodating on the subsequent steps wanted to maintain the season going.”
ROUND 12 FIXTURE (All occasions AEST)
Friday, June 4
Melbourne v Brisbane at Giants Stadium, 7.50pm AEST
Saturday, June 5
Sydney v St Kilda on the SCG, 1.45pm AEST
Adelaide v Collingwood – TBC
Essendon v Richmond at Optus Stadium, 5.40pm AWST
Sunday, June 6
Carlton v West Coast on the SCG, 3.20pm AEST
Fremantle v Western Bulldogs at Optus Stadium 4.40pm AWST
Bye: Geelong, Gold Coast, GWS, Hawthorn, North Melbourne, Port Adelaide