A history-making weekend of AFL action will occur in Tasmania this weekend, with two elimination finals in Launceston.
This is a massive coup for our football-loving State and with both games sold out, businesses in Launceston and the surrounding areas will see an outstanding weekend of economic activity ahead.
Importantly, the health and safety of Tasmanians is paramount, and all COVID-safe protocols will be strictly adhered to in hosting these AFL games.
Tasmania has demonstrated on multiple occasions that it can host AFL matches in a COVID-safe way, and important safeguards will remain in place this weekend, including capped crowds of 10,000 people and the requirement for people to wear masks.
Public Health and the Covid Coordination Centre have worked with the AFL and the Clubs involved in these finals to ensure we have the strongest and strictest protocols in place to keep Tasmanians safe.
The players and support staff involved have already been operating in a strict COVID-Safe bubble, they are COVID tested regularly, they travel in sterile corridors and they do not interact with the broader community.
The players and support staff will travel in sterile corridors and arrive in the State by special charter flight, before being transported on dedicated coaches to their accommodation hubs in Launceston. All players and support staff are required to provide a negative COVID-19 test result 24 hours prior to arrival in Tasmania.
The hotels being used are the Launceston Country Club Villas and Barnbougle Dunes & Lost Farm Resort, and both will operate as strict COVID bubbles on an exclusive basis for the AFL players and their support staff.
After the games, the two losing teams will depart, and the two winning teams will stay in their designated facilities until later next week, undergoing regular testing every 2-3 days.
Thanks to the AFL, the clubs involved, and our Public Health staff who have worked around the clock to ensure we can host these history making AFL finals in Tasmania for the first time.