MELBOURNE'S blockbuster clash with the Western Bulldogs is expected to go ahead despite a Demons player attending a COVID-19 exposure site.
The AFL season has been plunged into crisis before round 11 due to the latest COVID-19 outbreak in Melbourne, resulting in a seven-day statewide lockdown in Victoria from midnight being announced by the state government.
All Demons players and staff will be tested for coronavirus and isolate a day out from Friday night's top-of-the table clash at Marvel Stadium.
"It is expected that players and staff will be cleared in time for tomorrow night's clash with the Bulldogs, pending negative test results," a Melbourne club statement read.
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"Regardless of his test result, the player present at the tier one exposure site will undertake the 14-day mandatory isolation."
The Demons' clash with the Bulldogs will be played in an empty Marvel Stadium, instead of what was expected to be a healthy crowd.
Meanwhile, Richmond's match against Adelaide originally scheduled for the MCG has been moved to Sydney.
The South Australian Government closing its border to Victoria has created issues for Sunday's match between the Tigers and the Crows.
With Sydney due to play Carlton at the SCG on Sunday, the game will be played at Giants Stadium.
Richmond will fly out of Melbourne on Thursday afternoon and are preparing to be away for an extended period, as they were during last year's premiership-winning season in Queensland.
"The collective view from our club is we quite enjoyed being away together (in 2020) and we were focused on the job at hand," Tigers assistant coach Adam Kingsley told SEN SA.
"We need to take some extreme measures to try and protect it. One of these looks like it could be leaning towards a hub."
Essendon is already in Perth for Saturday night's clash with West Coast at Optus Stadium and could remain there for a match against the Tigers in round 12.
The Blues made it out of Melbourne on Wednesday and are currently in Sydney gearing up to face the Swans.
On Wednesday, strict restrictions were imposed on all Victorian-based AFL clubs, with players and staffers recommended to only leave their homes for playing, training and essentials.
Apart from the Tigers-Crows game, the other three AFL matches scheduled for Victoria this weekend will be played but without fans.
All second-tier VFL matches have been postponed this weekend, as has all local football across Victoria.
