'Uncertain times' force major AFL finals change

The AFL has announced it volition scrap the pre-finals bye tradition, with the finals bid to commencement instantly pursuing the decision of the location and distant season.

The determination by the AFL comes aft Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews announced that Melbourne's existent lockdown would beryllium extended until September 2.

But successful different twist, the AFL Grand Final remains fixtured for the day of September 25, which means the AFL volition person the enactment to usage the bye circular astatine immoderate signifier during the finals oregon successful the week earlier the expansive final.

The AFL's bye circular earlier the archetypal week of the finals bid was introduced successful 2016.

"As we proceed to navigate specified uncertain times and the challenges associated with delivering matches crossed aggregate states, we privation to guarantee the momentum of the play isn't compromised successful the pb up to the 2021 Finals Series," said AFL broadcasting brag Travis Auld.

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"We volition attack the finals arsenic we person the past 18 months, and that is to stay flexible and agile portion monitoring an evolving acceptable of circumstances successful beforehand of the competition.  

"Our crippled is not immune to the uncertainty and the challenges successful the wider community. We person had to marque decisions each twelvemonth to mitigate hazard to support the play going and present to guarantee we present fans an epic and memorable period of AFL Finals.  

"If circumstances necessitate successful the pb up to the 2021 Toyota AFL Grand Final, past we person the quality to intermission for a week, ensuring we present connected our committedness to supply the 2 competing clubs, their members and fans, the biggest and champion sporting lawsuit of the year."

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