The AFL is considering creating a pool of top-up players should teams need to replace those with COVID or in isolation in 2022.
AFL Media’s Damian Barrett is reporting that the league is in discussions about how the pool would work, stating that it would be made up of state-league players and those willing with AFL experience.
This would be similar to the top-up pool created by the Big Bash League this season.
This pool could see a player playing for one club in Round 1 and another club in Round 2, if required.
The report goes on to suggest the AFL has made it clear to clubs they want to push through the season as scheduled regardless of how many players are unavailable.
The AFLW season has already been hit hard by Omicron, with three games postponed and scheduled fixtures shuffled to accommodate those matches.
The AFL season gets underway on March 16th with the Grand Final replay between Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs.