The Victorian Government cannot say definitively whether crowds will be allowed at Friday night’s blockbuster clash between Geelong and Western Bulldogs at GMHBA Stadium.
The AFL opted to move two games from Melbourne to Tasmania in Round 14, while keeping the Cats’ home game in Victoria after consulting the clubs and government officials.
But while it was first thought that crowds would be banned for another weekend at Victorian games, Health Minister Martin Foley left the door ajar for some fans to be allowed into the regional venue this Friday night.
“The AFL has already made some public announcements about the upcoming round and we’ll continue to work with them based on the up-to-date advice,” he said on Tuesday.
“We’ll make sure that the AFL, businesses and all Victorians have the most amount of certainty we can possibly provide.
“I wouldn’t want to commit to (allowing some fans into the ground), when the public health advice is in we’ll share it as soon as we can with all Victorians.
When pressed why at this stage fans aren’t allowed in regional Victoria considering the lack of community cases in the area, Mr Foley explains that the government’s thinking remained around mystery COVID cases and snuffing out any potential outbreak.
“It’s all around where the risks are and if there’s unexplained chains of transmissions out there,” he said.
“I understand people want certainty and predictability, what we have to make sure is we provide the most up-to-date information.”
No locally-acquired cases were reported in the last 24 hours, but two further positive results in primary close contacts were announced on Tuesday afternoon.