AFL coaches Chris Fagan and Chris Scott are ready to do whatever it takes to keep the season rolling, with the latter suggesting the alternative is far worse and administrators must be cut some slack.
The league, having originally indicated that all 10 Victorian teams would spend a maximum of 32 days outside the state, is scrambling to map out its next step amid the COVID-19 outbreak in Melbourne.
The expectation is the AFL will now squeeze more games in during coming weeks, forcing clubs to deal with unprecedentedly short turnarounds.
Cats coach Scott, whose team will soon travel to Perth after defeating Brisbane at the SCG on Thursday night, admitted the uncertainty about a return date was difficult for those with young families.
But the 2011 premiership coach, who indicated veteran Gary Ablett would join injured midfielders Mitch Duncan and Quinton Narkle in heading west, added it was a reality that must be embraced.
“The alternative is worse. We’re over in a hub and away for a period of time that’s uncertain but we’re keeping people’s livelihoods going,” Scott told reporters.
“If any of us were given the opportunity to just go back to Victoria and lose our jobs, we wouldn’t take it.
“If this is a small price we have to pay, that’s OK.
“We tend to be really myopic in our thinking as coaches and footy clubs – what’s best for us? Come in, you got to tell us what’s going on – but I think we should walk a mile in their (administrators) shoes.”
Scott, whose charges booted seven goals in the third term at the SCG to make it the most prolific quarter from any team this stop-start season, also hit back at recent criticism of the state of the game.
“I hadn’t thought that (it was poor) at all. I suspect this is a year when we all need to take a step back and accept there is going to be some challenges,” Scott said.
“That might lead to some things that we don’t necessarily like.
“That’s not a reason to talk our game down. It feels like the whole of society has craved footy coming back and I actually think it’s been pretty good.”
Brisbane mentor Fagan rubbished the notion that a five-day turnaround affected his team’s performance, adding that his club is ready to embrace more short breaks if asked.
“I’m not going to complain about that (prospect of short turnarounds) at all,” Fagan said.
“You always hope it doesn’t lead to a massive increase in injury but the AFL is between a rock and a hard place.
“This year is just one of those years when we all have to do whatever has to be done. Cop it on the chin.”