Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge has called out the apparent double standards in continuing to play football under altered conditions throughout the coronavirus crisis.
After taking advice from chief medical officer Professor Brendan Murphy during the week, the AFL opted to proceeded with round one but with altered protocols relating to social distancing.
The league had earlier cut the season to 17 games with shortened quarters, in a move to ensure a full season is completed.
But after his side’s 52-point thrashing at the hands of Collingwood on Friday night, Beveridge said he couldn’t understand why games were proceeding under different conditions.
"You can't have your cake and eat it too," he told reporters.
"If we're playing, we're playing. We can't then be saying don't sing the song with your arms around each other.
"If you're playing, the assumption is that everyone who is playing hasn't got the virus. That's the assumption.
1/4-Thoughts & observations after 2 AFL games-AFL admin “Corona Cabinet”decided to proceed with season after Aus CMO Dr Brendan Murphy advised risk of viral spread extremely low.2 games in I believe the likely spread of saliva,nasal secretions, respiratory droplets etc is 100%
— Dr Peter Larkins (@doclarkins) March 20, 2020
"If you're bumping each other, tackling each other, flying against each other and hitting each other, I reckon that's a lot worse than singing a song with your arms around each other.
"All that peripheral stuff, if we can't do that, then why are we playing the game?"
Collingwood are currently scheduled to face Richmond next Thursday night in an early-season blockbuster while the Western Bulldogs will look to bounce back against Carlton next Saturday.
