Carlton has been told it must fly to Sydney three days early and will leave Melbourne this afternoon.
As the AFL scrambles to stay ahead of Melbourne’s Covid-19 outbreak, the Blues have been told to follow Essendon with an early flight out of Victoria.
The Blues’ match against Sydney will proceed as scheduled at the SCG on Sunday afternoon.
But the league is mindful of borders being closed to Victoria in the wake of nine new Covid cases in Melbourne.
Carlton players and officials will be tested and, once they test negative, will be free to move around Sydney in the days before the Swans game.
The Blues will also need to source alternative training venues to prepare.
The Bombers will leave for Perth this morning.
“We got a call at eight o’clock last night to say our plans to travel on Friday had changed and we’re travelling this morning at 10:45 and going to Perth,” Essendon football boss Josh Mahoney told SEN Breakfast.
“Just on the advice of the AFL and the WA government, so it was a bit of a quick ring around to the players and staff.
“We’ll be on a flight in a few hours’ time.”