QLD Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk put in a bid to hold the 2020 AFL grand final in the Sunshine State.
Ms. Palaszczuk says Queensland aims to host the AFL grand final this year after the state became the home of footy. Her bid came after the recent announcement that the remaining AFL season would be based in Queensland amid Victoria’s coronavirus outbreak.
If Queensland is hosting the AFL season, I have told the AFL that we should potentially host the Grand Final, too… @AFL #AFL
— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) July 15, 2020
The Premier said:
“The fact we’ll be hosting nearly all of the teams here … I did put in a bid, as you would expect me to as Premier of QLD, if we’re hosting most of the competition here, it would be great to see if we could actually host the grand final.”
She added:
“I’m enthusiastic, I think Queenslanders would be enthusiastic, I think we should give it a red hot go.”
AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan has confirmed to set up a ‘transition hub’ in Queensland, where the player’s fans and top up players will stay in quarantine for 14 days.
Mr. McLachlan also confirmed that Victoria’s 10 AFL clubs would base themselves in North for up to 10 weeks. Currently, NSW-based Melbourne would move its teams to the Sunshine State next week.
#BREAKING: AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan has announced that all Victorian AFL teams will be based in Queensland for up to 10 weeks.
— ABC News (@abcnews) July 15, 2020
Meanwhile, Mr. McLachlan said the decision to shift the AFL grand final away from Melbourne has not been made despite Ms. Palaszczuk’s bid to host it in Queensland. He told:
“There is no decision made on the grand final, this is the home and away season … the grand final is at the MCG until there are circumstances and reasons it can’t be and we’ll make a decision then.”
The QLD Premier expects from Mr. McLachlan to give the proposal ‘due consideration,’ but she is well-aware of the fact that the decision would depend on the COVID-19 outbreak in other states.
Ms. Palaszczuk is excited to shift the teams to Queensland as the move will have a huge impact on the Queensland economy. She said:
“The AFL is looking to book accommodation for “hundreds of players and officials at Queensland hotels for two months. You can imagine what that means to those businesses.”
It’s a boost for Queensland’s tourism industry and small business, and helps support our plan for the state’s economic recovery.
For fans, it means the season can continue and the 2020 Championship can go ahead. #COVID19Aus
— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) July 16, 2020
The remaining games of the AFL season would be held in the Gold Coast’s Metricon Stadium.
Ms. Palaszczuk said strict quarantine protocols and the COVID-19 safe plan would have to be enacted to host the AFL games. She said:
“This is another way QLD is helping Victoria. Queensland has had zero new coronavirus cases overnight, and just four active cases remain.”
The health of Queenslanders always comes first, meaning strict quarantine protocols and COVID-19 management plans will be enforced.#COVID19Aus
— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) July 16, 2020
She added:
“In times like this we want to help Victoria out, and today I’m going to urge Queenslanders that when we have the other teams coming here, let’s adopt a Melbourne team and make them feel at home. It’s not often you get a QLD Premier saying that.”
The QLD Premier is very confident in the state’s ability to host AFL teams while managing coronavirus infection rates.
