Victorian Football League players from across Melbourne’s north-west could find themselves on the ground in an AFL match this season.
AFL clubs this season can list up to 20 players on an COVID contingency list, with the listed players eligible to be selected for their nominated team if clubs are impacted by AFL Covid Health and Safety Protocols.
The guidelines are designed to provide clubs with flexibility to navigate circumstances of increased COVID-19 risk whilst also maintaining the integrity of the competition and not materially impacting second tier competitions across the country.
The lists for each club were revealed last week.
Majority of players on the lists are already on the AFL clubs second tier side list, while clubs without second tier sides, will have access to players from a number of VFL clubs.
VFL sides Werribee and Williamstown have four players listed on Greater Western Sydney and Sydney’s lists respectively.
Former Carlton player Jordan Gallucci, former Hawthorn player James Cousins, Joel Ottavi and Corey Preston are the WIlliamstown players eligible to be selected by the Giants.
Former Western Jet Brodie Romensky, who now plays for the Giants’ VFL side is also on the list.
Werribee’s Nathan Cooper, Ollie Hanrahan, Shaun Mannagh and Samuel Paea are among the Swans’ 20 top-up players.
Western Bulldogs’ list includes former Northern Knights’ Ewan Macpherson and Joel Garner, and new Deer Park recruit Luke Goater and Newport’s Nayef Hamad.
Caroline Springs’ Mutaz El Nour is also on Sydney’s top up list.
Essendon’s list includes several local players, who are also on their VFL list.
Dylan Landt, James Peters, new Tullamarine recruit Shaun McKernan, Billy Cootee and Joel Fizgerald are among their 20 listed players.
Former Western Bulldogs listed player Luke Goetz and Keilor’s Stefan Radovanovic, who are both on Carlton’s VFL list, are among the 20 Carlton listed players along with Jesse Glass-McCasker.
New Point Cook recruit Derek Eggmolesse-Smith and Whittlesea’s Zach Molloy are on Collingwood’s selected players.
New Darley skipper Brett Bewley is aligned with Geelong, former Essendon players and Bundoora recruit David Zaharakis is on Casey Scorpions list that can be accessed by Melbourne and Bundoora’s Jackson Davies is on Richmond’s list along with Point Cook’s Massimo D’Ambrosio.
AFL general manager of football Brad Scott said the protocols have been introduced as a risk mitigation measure and will only be implemented if the circumstances required.
“While the ongoing pandemic will continue to challenge us, we remain committed to completing the season for supporters in a way that prioritises the health and safety of the wider community,” Scott said.
“In a national sport, played across many states and territories, we need to be able to adapt, and adapt quickly to the COVID-19 conditions at any one time at locations where home teams are based, or away teams are travelling to. These guidelines help us achieve that while providing potential opportunities for talented players plying their craft in state league competitions to play football at the elite level.”
