PORT ADELAIDE chairman David Koch remains hopeful the return of the 2020 AFL season is on the horizon as the Australian public bands together to overcome the coronavirus outbreak.
Koch has been buoyed by the public’s embrace of the #StayHome campaign over Easter, but admits Australians will need to remain committed to social distancing behaviours if they are to see the return of football sooner rather than later.
“It really does depend on how well we do from now on,” Mr Koch explained on Melbourne radio.
“For example, all the signs are promising, everyone was so good over the Easter long weekend, the rate of increase in cases has reduced to almost nothing. That is a great achievement.
“If we are vigilante and we keep making the progress we are now, (playing games by) the end of July is a possibility, but if there is a chink in the armour and we get too complacent and if flares up again then, no, that just puts it backwards.”
"If we're lucky (it could be sooner), it really does depend on how well we do from now on."
Koch explained that Port Adelaide – along with the AFL and its 17 other clubs – will have to remain flexible in their thinking and planning when considering a safe return to football.
“No matter what organisation you are you have got to be nimble, you have got to think outside the square,” he said.
“Whether that is hubs, whether that is playing without crowds or vastly reducing the capacity of crowds to make sure there is social distancing.
“We are going to have to be really agile and I know the AFL has done a lot of different plans – Plans A, B, C and D – depending on what situation we find ourselves in.”
Port Adelaide has overcome many obstacles in its rich 150 year history, but Koch warned the COVID-19 pandemic will be his club’s biggest challenge yet.
However, he also reiterated that the competition remains dedicated to supporting all clubs through these unchartered waters.
“Port Adelaide in its 150th year this year, I don’t think our club or the code has faced a bigger challenge than it is right now,” Koch said.
“Amongst the clubs – the presidents, the chief executives, the commissioners of the AFL – there is an enormous sense of we are in this together let’s help each other for the best outcome for the game.
“The survival of 18 teams and no crowds is basically guaranteed with the financials we have got in place with the AFL.
“We are absolutely determined that 18 clubs will come out the end of this.”
Koch was also confident the AFL would have support from the Australian Government to recommence playing games as long as the decision is supported by medical advice.
“I talked to the Prime Minister this morning, had a good long session with him, and he has no problem with the sporting codes planning a comeback,” he said.
“He said ‘We are doing that with the economy’.
“When the time comes to push the button it will depend on the best medical advice at the time, but we have got to have plans in place.”
