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Premier Mark McGowan says WA’s strict quarantine rules will protect community from Victorian AFL teams

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Shannon VerhagenThe West Australian
VideoThe first round of fixtures for Perth's AFL hub has been locked in.

Premier Mark McGowan has assured West Australians the strict quarantine arrangements for the Perth AFL hub will protect the community from the risk of being infected by visiting Victorian clubs.

With Victoria recording 75 new cases overnight — off the back of almost two weeks of daily double digit growth — the surge has seen a swift reshuffling of this week’s AFL matches as concerns rise over interstate teams travelling to Queensland.

Thursday’s clash between West Coast and reigning premiers Richmond at Metricon Stadium has been postponed, with next week’s Fremantle vs Melbourne match at the same stadium anticipated to follow suit.

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The Queensland Government is reportedly planning to deny travellers from Victoria.

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But Mr McGowan said the strict and secure measures in place for Perth’s hub would protect the public from any potential spread when Geelong and Collingwood visit in round seven.

“What’s going on in Victoria is very disturbing and that’s why we have our border arrangement in place to protect our citizens,” he said.

“And I think we’ve been vindicated in relation to the border with the community spread of the virus in Victoria.

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“The hub for the AFL teams is a secure quarantine arrangement. So if Collingwood and Geelong come here it will be a secure quarantine arrangement whereby they do not mix with local people.

“They stay within the hub, they play each other within the hub, they don’t mix with local people.”

The rise in Victorian cases could also strengthen the case for hosting the season’s grand final in WA, an option which Mr McGowan said he would be happy to discuss with the AFL.

“If the MCG can’t hold the grand final, the best location in the strongest football state is here in Perth, and obviously we’d be happy to work with the AFL on that,” he said.

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