Western Bulldogs gun Josh Dunkley has been forced into a 14-day home quarantine after visiting a Tier 1 coronavirus exposure site in Victoria.
Dunkley had visited his local cafe on July 14, which was later declared a Tier 1 exposure site, and was directed to self-isolate for 14 days from that date by the Victorian Department of Health on Sunday.
The 24-year-old made his return against Gold Coast on Saturday, after missing 10 games due to a shoulder reconstruction, but has now been ruled out of the Bulldogs’ game in round 19.
They are currently scheduled to take on Adelaide in Ballarat, though the AFL is weighing up a raft of late changes to the schedule.
“Since July 14, Dunkley has received two separate negative coronavirus test results,” the Bulldogs said in a statement.
“The entire Bulldogs travelling party also received a negative result during their trip to the Gold Coast, as part of the AFL’s testing regime.”
The rest of the Bulldogs’ squad will prepare for this weekend as normal.
Swans and Giants isolation woes
Meanwhile, GWS and Sydney will again be without a group of players who were ruled out of yesterday’s Sydney derby at the last minute when they were forced to isolate under government health orders.
Giants star Toby Greene and teammate Matt De Boer were late scratchings, as were Swans trio Callum Mills, Harry Cunningham and Colin O’Riordan.
Unselected Giants Kieren Briggs and Jake Stein and Sydney ruckman Callum Sinclair are also isolating.
They are in quarantine for 14 days but that period is expected to be backdated, which would allow them to leave on July 27.
Fifteen players and staff members in total from the two Sydney-based clubs attended the Wallabies’ Test match against France in Melbourne on Tuesday night.
They were in a section of AAMI Park that has since been reclassified as a Tier 2 exposure site by the Victorian government.
The AFL is set to carry on playing matches in an attempt to complete the season despite the increasing difficulty in scheduling around interstate travel and quarantine restrictions.
Giants coach Leon Cameron didn’t weigh-in when asked if the AFL should pause the competition to get on top of the quarantine and bubble situation.
“I’ve heard some whispers about that,” Cameron said.
“Whatever the AFL put in front of us, it’s in the best interest of everyone.”
North Melbourne flew back to Victoria after Sunday’s loss to Essendon on the Gold Coast, while the Bombers have remained in Queensland ahead of expected fixtures against GWS and Sydney.
St Kilda flew to Perth after Saturday’s loss to Port Adelaide and are in quarantine for the week, under Western Australian government orders, ahead of their meeting with West Coast at Optus Stadium.
AAP
