AFL clubs Sydney and GWS have rushed to get their interstate players home for Christmas, deprioritising training with the COVID-19 cluster growing in the northern beaches.

As of Friday morning, the cluster at the northern beaches had grown to 28 with other states announcing differing quarantine policies for anyone who has lived in or visited the area.

GWS confirmed they had cancelled their final AFL field training session – scheduled for Friday morning – to give interstate-bound players the opportunity to get home while their AFLW team had their Christmas break brought forward to Friday.

The Giants’ AFLW team were due to train on Friday night and then next Monday and Wednesday before commencing their break, but are now immediately on leave.

They will return before the new year, instead of their initial January 2 resumption.

The Swans confirmed they did not cancel their final training session of the year on Friday but made it non-compulsory, as they focused on getting players from interstate on flights home in the morning.

Heading home is unlikely to be an option for players from Western Australia though, as anyone who has entered the state from December 11 onwards now has to have a coronavirus test and self-quarantine for 14 days.

Both AFL teams return to pre-season training on January 6.

Meanwhile NRL club Manly are based in Narrabeen on Sydney’s northern beaches with a number of players and staff also residing in the area.

Manly chief executive Stephen Humphreys told AAP the club was closely monitoring the situation and obviously complying with NSW Health orders to stay home for three days.

Most NRL clubs are finishing pre-season training this week and there is expected to be a more detailed update from the Sea Eagles later on Friday.

The NRL is also closely monitoring the situation but is yet to enact any additional restrictions on players and staff.