Sydney Swans team looking for exemption to fly to Melbourne due to Brisbane lockdown

Sydney are working to secure AFL training exemptions after they were caught up in the fallout from Brisbane’s coronavirus outbreak.

However, the Swans are confident they’ll be cleared to fly to Melbourne and face Richmond on Saturday.

On Monday evening, Brisbane went into a snap three-day lockdown and under NSW health rules, people who have been in the lockdown area since March 20 are now subject to the same stay-at-home restrictions as Greater Brisbane.

The Swans beat the Lions in Brisbane on March 20, flying out the next day, and are therefore among those required to isolate.

Chad Warner (right) of the Swans in action during the Round 1 AFL match between the Brisbane Lions and Sydney Swans at the Gabba in Brisbane, Saturday March 20

On Monday evening, Brisbane went into a snap three-day lockdown ordered by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk

‘The health order that was announced last night in NSW is that anyone who’s been in Brisbane since March 20 is required to stay at home until Thursday evening – so that obviously catches out our playing group and the staff,’ Swans chief executive Tom Harley told SEN Breakfast on Tuesday.

‘I can say that on the relevant health websites for Queensland and NSW, we don’t have any exposure to those sites so we are caught up in just the catch-all of the city of Brisbane.

‘We’re working with the AFL and the health authorities to get an understanding of the possibilities of exemptions etc.

‘But the immediate impact for us is we (have to) stay at home and we have to shift a few things around today with regards to training as we work through the finer details as to whether we’re able to train as per normal prior to the lifting of the stay at home (order) – which is Thursday night.’

Brisbane have had their game on Thursday against Collingwood moved from the Gabba to Marvel Stadium and expect to remain in Melbourne until after round four.

Gold Coast are due to fly to Adelaide on Tuesday – two days earlier than first scheduled – for Friday’s clash with the Crows.

The Swans are confident they’ll be cleared to fly to Melbourne and face Richmond on Saturday (pictured: Round 1 AFL match against the Brisbane Lions on March 20)

Brisbane have trained in Melbourne after staying in Victoria following Friday night’s loss to Geelong and Harley hoped the Swans would receive similar training allowances – but noted the situation hadn’t been a ‘huge disruption’ so far.

‘We’d typically train today and have a players’ day off tomorrow – if we need to flip that around, so be it,’ he said.

The unbeaten Swans are scheduled to face Richmond at the MCG and Harley didn’t expect the game to be affected.

‘Not as it stands right now,’ Harley said.

‘We’re absolutely preparing for that (game), we’re preparing to have a good week of training – what that looks like, we’ll work our way through.

‘But (we’re) fully expecting to jump on a plane.’