WEEKLY COVID-19 CLUB UPDATE

The current landscape is changing daily, and the Perth Football Club continue to engage in conversations with the WAFC, WAFL Clubs and other relevant parties around the safe return to training and the possible scenarios of what the 2020 Optus WAFL season may look like.

State Government Announcement

Last weekend, the WA Government announced a four-phase roadmap will help get Western Australians back to work safely and begin the process of restarting the State’s economy. It was developed in conjunction with the National Cabinet principles and is based on the best health advice for WA.

You can read the complete announcement here.

WAFC Return to Training Protocols

Following the announcement by the WA Government, the WAFC announced their Return to Training Protocol and communicated that community football training can resume under set conditions and protocols from Monday, 18^th May 2020.

The WAFC developed these protocols as part of the AFL National Working Group. The recommendations are in line with the AIS Framework for Community Sport and been approved by the state government, adhering to Health Department regulations.

The below links will provide further information and resources:

Guidelines for a Return to Training in Western Australia

Return to Training Protocols

Return to Training Checklist

Return to Training Frequently Asked Questions

It is also recommended to complete the COVID-19 Infection Control Training.

IMPACTS ON THE PERTH FOOTBALL CLUB & 2020 OPTUS WAFL SEASON

At this time, we do not have firm answers around the start of the season. The situation changes daily - but we assure all we are doing everything possible to confirm a date and model.

Current training

Our playing group continued training in groups of up to 10 this week. As of next week, this will move to groups of up to 20.

• All training must remain non-contact
• Social distancing rules still apply
• There is no access to the changerooms, gym or club rooms
• Where two groups of 20 players train on the same night, the groups must remain separated
• Footballs are permitted, however training equipment such as weights, tackling bags are not
• Strict hygiene protocols need to be followed
• Minimal coaches and support staff are involved at this stage

The 2020 Optus WAFL Season

The club is committed to exploring all solutions to get the 2020 season up and running as soon as possible, within all health and safety regulations. The situation is rapidly changing with many factors influencing the season start date and model. As such, we shouldn’t speculate on possible season start dates at this time.

We continue to liaise with the WA Health Authorities, WA Government and the AFL to secure a starting date in the near future and on the possibility for fans to attend the WAFL this year, as part of exploring all options to get a season away.