Outbreak
Phil Harper and Matthew Clarke were still in their car outside Fremantle Oval just before 1pm on Sunday when the phone rang. Adelaide’s AFLW Head of Football and Senior Coach were about to go in and watch Fremantle play GWS before preparing to fly back to Adelaide to host Fremantle at Norwood Oval a week later. But instead they were told that in all likelihood the city of Perth was about to be put into lockdown due to a Covid outbreak and they should head back to the team hotel immediately and pack their bags. What should have been a regulation day – recovering from Saturday’s 38-point win over West Coast with breakfast and a beach swim and preparing for their Round 2 clash - instead became a whirlwind 24-hours in which they would arrive home at 10.30pm and ordered to complete a 14-day quarantine.
Isolation
Not just the women’s team and officials but men’s Head of Football Adam Kelly, forward Tom Lynch - who is an assistant coach to Clarke with the AFLW team - and even men’s midfield coach Nathan van Berlo who was in WA visiting family were also put into home isolation. They were only allowed to leave in cars to attend a drive-through Covid testing station set up at the Club on Monday while inside West Lakes HQ, Chairman John Olsen was addressing the men’s program and administration staff. “Change is a constant,” he said referring to an eventful past week and past 12 months. “We learnt that last year and you can either resist it, or go with it and make it work for you. “Each and every one of you has a role to play at this football club and the direction we are going.”
Lessons
Moments before that, Olsen shared his experience of having to step in to run the family business at the age of 18 after the sudden death of his father, and how it had taught him to value what each individual brings to an organisation from top to bottom. It’s a lesson that has remained with him during a successful career in business and politics which included being Premier of the state from 1996 to 2001, and now Chairman of the Adelaide Football Club which is embarking on a rebuild on the field and a new strategic plan off it.
Resignation
Four days earlier at the Adelaide Convention Centre, Olsen stood in front of the same group as well as the Club’s corporate partners and announced that current CEO Andrew Fagan had informed the Board of his intention to resign after nearly seven years in the role. While Fagan will remain in place for a period of transition, Olsen said the Club would seek expressions of interest from potential candidates immediately. And so began a busy few days that included Olsen and Fagan completing more than three hours of media interviews and Fagan speaking with staff on Friday, and the Club’s AFLW team flying to Perth full of anticipation on Saturday morning but completely oblivious to the situation that would confront them 24 hours later.
Day-by-day
How it unfolded for the AFLW side
Saturday
At 9am the AFLW flight from Adelaide to Perth departs, arriving three-and-a-half hours later at 10am local time in Perth. Players go directly to their hotel, check-in and have lunch. Staff collect their bags and follow shortly after. By 12.15pm players, coaches and staff board the team bus to Mineral Resources Park for their pre-game preparations. Adelaide’s 2021 season officially begins with the first bounce of their Round 1 clash with West Coast at 2.10pm and by 5.10pm they are back on the bus having enjoyed a 38-point win over the Eagles. They gather at 6pm for a team dinner at the hotel, some players then walk to get ice cream and others head for bed as it’s nearing 8.30pm Adelaide time.
Sunday
Players are up by 7.30am and meet for breakfast and coffee in and around the hotel. By 9am they board the bus to go to Scarborough for a beach recovery session, are back on the bus by 11am and at the hotel for lunch by 12noon. Coach Matthew Clarke and Head of Football Phil Harper drive to Fremantle Oval in readiness to watch Fremantle play GWS, but around 1pm just before getting into the ground they receive a phone call advising them that Perth would likely be placed into lockdown that night. Players and staff are ordered back to the hotel and told to pack their bags in preparation for going to the airport. By 2.10pm all players and coaches are at the hotel and hold a game review session before boarding the bus at 3pm en route to the airport. Before the flight, players, coaches and staff meet in the Virgin lounge at the airport and are told they may have to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival in Adelaide and confirmation would be forthcoming. The flight from Perth to Adelaide departs
Chelsea speaks
Monday and Tuesday
As players, coaches and staff begin their 14-day home quarantine on Monday. They arrive at the Club in their cars for a drive-through Covid test from 1pm. By 4pm the AFL announces that Adelaide’s Round 2 game against Fremantle scheduled for Sunday afternoon at Norwood Oval was now TBC. At 5.15pm the Crows hold a team meeting on Zoom in which players are given an update on the situation, Matthew Clarke addressed the group and line coaches spoke to their specific groups. By Tuesday AFLW players were given individual training programs to attempt to follow while at home, using bodyweight exercises and whatever fitness equipment was available. Late on Tuesday night it became a possibility that the team may fly to Sydney to prepare to play the GWS Giants on the weekend.
Wednesday and Thursday
At 5pm on Wednesday players are told to pack their bags and prepare to fly to Sydney on Thursday morning in preparation for a training session and game against GWS this weekend. At 11am on Thursday, a travelling party of about 40 people including 24 players and Tom Lynch gather at the Adelaide Airport and take a chartered flight to Sydney at 12noon. At 3.15pm the AFL officially announces the Crows will play GWS at Blacktown International Sports Park on Sunday, in a game that will be closed to the public. At 4.30pm players are allowed to travel directly from their Novotel hotel by bus to Tom Wills Oval at Olympic Park for training and return to the hotel. “The girls were pretty happy once we said they would be able to play this weekend,” Harper said on Thursday night. “We still are (in the period of 14-day isolation) but at least we have some permission to train and an ability to play a game this weekend. “Hats off to the AFL, they’re making happen for us so the girls are really
