Former Melbourne captain Garry Lyon believes the AFL should pull the pin on the beginning of the 2020 season and join the majority of worldwide sporting leagues that have opted for indefinite suspension.
The spread of coronavirus has forced the AFL to decide on playing behind closed doors and perhaps cram several fixtures into the opening rounds to combat the result of having to put the season to a halt.
Lyon believes the players are being handed an unfair and dangerous task from the AFL if they are made to play five league games across the opening three weeks, whilst facing the risk of contracting COVID-19.
“Not only are we asking the players to do everything we’re asking the general members of society not to do, we’re now going to tell them to do it five times in three weeks,” Lyon told SEN Breakfast.
“The question I will continue to ask – why are we playing Thursday? I can tell you why not based on everything I’ve read and learned. I’m just trying to work out why. What’s the rush?
“Back page of the Herald Sun, the AFL thinks they can play on despite a player getting tested positive. Why are they the exception to the world?
“Do you know how strange that sounds? The world is going into isolation and the AFL reckons they can push on.”
Fellow SEN host Tim Watson agreed with Lyon, questioning the practicality of the AFL's potential decision.
“I think this whole thing hinges, from all that I’ve taken in over the weekend, it depends on how many cases of the coronavirus and how quickly it is spreading through the community,” Watson said.
“I think that will govern whether or not we go ahead with footy on Thursday night.
“It just doesn’t seem practical and it doesn’t seem like it’s possible to execute in any way.”
Lyon further added that players have been noted of the possibility that they may have to stay at home during the week before turning up to play on the weekend, without any training in preparation.
“I know that it has been floated with players that it might get to the stage where it’s just turn up and play from an AFL point of view,” he said.
“No training. I’m telling you, it has been floated. The players have been told one of the possibilities is turn up and play.
“If that’s what you’re being told and that’s the only way you’re going to get to the game, of course you’re going to do it.”
Thursday nights clash between Richmond and Carlton currently looks to be going ahead, kick-starting the opening round of the AFL season.
