Search

show me:

Swans coaches cleared to fly for AFL game

3 minute read

Three of Sydney coach John Longmire's assistants have been given the all-clear to fly to Melbourne despite visiting a hotspot near the Swans' headquarters.

JARRAD MCVEIGH
JARRAD MCVEIGH Picture: Mark Evans/Getty Images

Sydney have avoided the unusual situation of assistant coaches working remotely with three of John Longmire's key lieutenants cleared to fly into Melbourne.

Longmire's right-hand men Don Pyke, Jarrad McVeigh and Dean Cox have been given permission to be at the MCG for the Swans' blockbuster AFL clash with the undefeated Melbourne on Saturday night.

The trio on Monday visited a popular cafe near the Swans' headquarters that has been declared a hotspot location.

Despite all three men testing negative for coronavirus, they were required to remain in Sydney when the club flew to Victoria on Thursday night.

But with the NSW government reporting zero new local cases of COVID-19 on Friday, the coaches will board a flight out of Sydney.

But Pyke, McVeigh and Cox will all have to be tested again on arrival in Melbourne and isolate before heading to work at the MCG.

Sydney chief executive Tom Harley earlier on Friday said the club was planning to have the coaches link up with Longmire via video.

"We just need to make sure the involvement the remote coaches have, their interaction with the coaches at the MCG, works - and be pretty clear early days if it doesn't then move to another solution," Harley said.

"There's no playbook for this."

It's believed the Swans turned to rivals GWS for advice regarding how to make any arrangement work.

Giants assistant coach Brad Miller returned home from the Hub last year, but continued to be a presence in the coaches' box and changing rooms thanks to Zoom.

Harley admitted the situation would have put the Swans at a significant disadvantage as they attempt to knock off unbeaten Melbourne.

"There's a tipping point, there's no doubt about that, and I had the conversation with (AFL chief executive) Gillon (McLachlan)," he said.

"The repertoire the players have with assistants, in a lot of cases, is the most connected relationship."

The AFL opted to keep Saturday's GWS-Essendon game in Sydney, where Giants coach Leon Cameron noted the city remained on "high alert".

Cameron is upbeat his team won't be directed to flee Sydney after Saturday's match, but ready to roll with whatever the AFL decides.

"Every club is well equipped to jump whenever they need to jump," Cameron told reporters.

"Clubs are ready and players are ready.

'The AFL briefing; the information and direction they give us is absolutely first class."

Think. Is this a bet you really want to place?

For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit www.gamblinghelponline.org.au