'Gabba guinea pigs': Controversy erupts over AFL virus 'trial run'
Controversy has erupted over a plan to have 200 AFL fans seated in close quarters at the Gabba in a ‘trial run’ for next month’s grand final.
According to the Courier Mail, the 200 fans will attend Monday night’s clash between Collingwood and Port Adelaide but won’t be forced to adhere to normal social-distancing measures.
HUGE: Former AFL player gets $1.4 million concussion payout
‘WHO DOES HE THINK HE IS’: Star stitches up ‘peacocking’ journo
The Gabba and Brisbane Lions members were reportedly offered free tickets to the match, where they will sit side-by-side wearing face masks and with hand sanitiser.
According to the report, they will be surveyed after the match about whether or not they felt safe, and can pull out at any time during the game.
“The trial of ‘greater density’ seating comes ahead of October’s grand final, when 30,000 will be allowed into the stadium in what will be the largest crowd since the COVID pandemic began,” the Courier Mail reports.
However the plan has sparked uproar, with Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington accusing the government of “double standards”.
Brisbane residents are still restricted to a maximum of 10 people in their homes.
Frecklington said the 200 fans were being used as “guinea pigs”.
“If Queenslanders were ever in any doubt about the lengths Annastacia Palaszczuk is going to manipulate coronavirus for political gain, this has put it to bed,” Frecklington said.
“It is staggering double standards when people can’t have more than 10 people in their home but Annastacia Palaszczuk wants to trial jamming people into a footy stadium.
“This shows Labor is more interested in AFL footy stars than the health of everyday Queenslanders.”
Currently, stadiums are at 50 per cent capacity but the plan is to increase that to 75 per cent or 30,000 people for the grand final on October 24.
The state’s chief health officer Jeannette Young dismissed any concerns.
“To suddenly go and increase from 50 per cent to 75 per cent without trialling all those processes doesn't make sense,” Dr Young said.
She said she was not concerned about the risk of infection as outdoor areas were “much, much safer” than indoor venues.
Club members get AFL grand final tickets win
More than half the tickets to next month's AFL grand final have been allocated to club members, with the league increasingly confident the Queensland government will raise the crowd limit to 30,000.
Competing clubs usually receive 34 per cent of tickets for a grand final at the MCG.
But they will be given 54 per cent for the October 24 season decider - to be played under lights at the Gabba - equating to about 8100 tickets per club.
Brisbane is the only top-eight club that has enough Queensland-based members to exhaust that allocation.
AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan said there is a chance some tickets will be put on sale for the general public.
“We've never been able to get to public sale before in the history of the grand final, such is the demand,” McLachlan said last week.
“It would be great if the public could get there but we've got to see what the teams are and see where the demand is.
“We're confident that it's going to be a hugely in-demand event.”
Under current state government restrictions, South Australian club members could travel to Queensland for the grand final without having to serve a quarantine period.
West Australian members could do the same, but would have to quarantine for 14 days on their return home.
McLachlan is confident the AFL will be given the green light for a crowd of 30,000 at the 42,000-capacity Gabba with COVID-19 restrictions in place.
“It's always subject to change, given the environment, but where we are with (COVID-19) transmission rates in Queensland, we're looking at a 30,000 capacity grand final,” McLachlan said.
“Conversations have happened in the last 24 hours, so that's where we're at today.
“I'm optimistic and confident that's where we'll be at.”
with AAP
