16 July 2021
Last night, the AFL announced that Southport’s rescheduled Round 14 game against Aspley will no longer proceed.
Southport were originally scheduled to play the Northen Bullants, but due to the rising cases in Victoria, the AFL decided that no standalone clubs would travel interstate, and the Sharks would play Aspley at Graham Road instead.
However, due to the the five-day lockdown announced by the Victorian State Government yesterday afternoon, last night the AFL advised all VFL and VFLW Clubs that this weekend’s scheduled matches will no longer proceed.
The AFL has made the decision to fixture a VFL competition bye for all clubs this weekend to provide balance and equality in the remaining fixtured games. VFL games will not proceed in Queensland as scheduled.
With both professional and grassroots sports cancelled this weekend, the TAC and AFL Victoria Road Safety Round has been postponed. When sport is back, we’ll band together for safer roads.
The fixture will continue to be a week-by-week proposition and the AFL will continue to work with the Victorian Government and Health Officials on finding solutions for these competitions.
The AFL has prepared for this situation and has worked through this challenge before. The inclusion of byes for all VFL clubs provides flexibility with the fixture and allows for adjustments to be made to play the remaining games.
The AFL will continue to meet with all parties and review this decision based on the changing circumstances and advice from the government and relevant health departments and medical experts. We will communicate any updates and provide advice in a timely manner.
The AFL would like to thank the VFL and VFLW communities, each club, players and families and all football fans for their continued patience and understanding as we continue to navigate through this pandemic together.
We acknowledge this remains a complicated and rapidly evolving situation but as a football industry we will band together to support each other. This is a reminder that we are all part of a broader society with a responsibility to make sure our community remains safe.