THE AFL has on Tuesday advised all AFL Clubs of Playing List Guidelines to further support the competition in circumstances where clubs are impacted by AFL Covid Health and Safety Protocols. 

The guidelines are designed to provide Clubs with flexibility to navigate circumstances of increased COVID-19 risk whilst also maintaining the integrity of the competition and not materially impacting second tier competitions across the country. 

The AFL has already told all clubs that it intends to play the fixture as scheduled this year and that the competition will continue to play on as we continue to learn to live with Covid-19. 

Clubs to register up to 20 additional players for COVID Contingency List

Each Club will have the option to register up to 20 players over and above the Club’s 2022 AFL list (Primary List and Rookie List) as part of a "COVID Contingency List". Clubs may access these players from the following: 

• That Club’s current aligned State League / Second Tier playing list;
• 19-year-old Next Generation Academy (NGA) or Northern Academy player currently in the Club’s program; 
• Designated Standalone State League listed players 

Clubs must submit their COVID Contingency List with the AFL by 5pm (EDST), Friday March 11, 2022.

Activating a COVID Contingency List Player 

Should the number of AFL Listed Players that are available to be selected for either AFL or State League / Second Tier matches fall below 30 due to the combined impact of COVID Health & Safety Protocols, normal football injuries and general unavailability, then the Club may activate a player from their COVID Contingency List to be available to participate in training sessions only.

Should the number of AFL Listed Players that are available to be selected fall below 28 due to the combined impact of COVID Health & Safety Protocols, normal football injuries and general unavailability, then the Club may activate a player from their COVID Contingency List to play in an AFL match. Noting the Club must prioritise the selection of AFL listed players where reasonable.

Note: If the Club has less than 30 AFL Listed players available, but this is not due to any player being subject to COVID Health & Safety Protocols, then the Club will not be able to activate a COVID Contingency player. 

AFL General Manager Football Brad Scott said the protocols have been introduced as a risk mitigation measure and will only be implemented if the circumstances required.

“Over the last two seasons the AFL has put measures in place to best protect the competition, our clubs, players and umpires. While the ongoing pandemic will continue to challenge us, we remain committed to completing the season for supporters in a way that prioritises the health and safety of the wider community,” Mr Scott said.

“In a national sport, played across many states and territories, we need to be able to adapt, and adapt quickly to the COVID-19 conditions at any one time at locations where home teams are based, or away teams are travelling to. These guidelines help us achieve that while providing potential opportunities for talented players plying their craft in state league competitions to play football at the elite level.

“Through these guidelines, we have worked together with state leagues to ensure minimal impact or disruption to their respective competitions.

“Thank you to all each State League, AFL Clubs and the AFLPA for their collaboration as we worked through these guidelines. We are looking forward to Round One of the Toyota AFL Premiership Season and will continue to make all the necessary decisions to ensure we can deliver all games and all finals for fans across the country.”

Access to Non-aligned or Standalone State League Players in NSW, QLD and SA. 
 
South Australia – Adelaide Crows and Port Adelaide

• Adelaide Crows and Port Adelaide will have capacity to list players from each of their NGA-aligned SANFL standalone State League Clubs on the following basis: 
• Adelaide Crows and Port Adelaide must list a minimum of four (4) players from their own State League list 
• Adelaide Crows and Port Adelaide may list a maximum of four (4) players from each of its four NGA aligned SANFL Clubs as part of their COVID Contingency List 
• Adelaide Crows and Port Adelaide may not activate – for training and selection – more than two (2) players from each NGA-aligned SANFL Club at any point in time unless more than 12 COVID Contingency Players are required to ensure they can field a team for an AFL match.  

New South Wales and Queensland – Brisbane Lions, Gold Coast SUNS, GWS GIANTS, Sydney Swans

• The NSW and Queensland AFL Clubs will have the capacity to list players from VFL Standalone State League Clubs (Standalone VFL Clubs), through a process of alignment which seeks to balance: 
• Providing opportunity for VFL Club players to access COVID Contingency List spots and; 
• Minimising, where possible and reasonable, unnecessary disruption to standalone players and Clubs 
• This also recognises that while NSW and QLD AFL Clubs have VFL teams, these may not have the same depth of talent as the Victorian AFL Clubs. In order to achieve this balance, Brisbane Lions, Gold Coast SUNS, GWS GIANTS and Sydney Swans will have the capacity to list up to a maximum of eight (8) players from a designated Standalone VFL Club/s

• Standalone VFL Club to AFL Club designations are as follows:

• A maximum of two (2) players from each Standalone VFL Club may be selected on a given weekend of matches, except for Southport where maximum of four (4) players from Southport may be selected on a given weekend of matches. 
• AFL Clubs should use best endeavours to activate and subsequently select players from their own State League list in priority to players from Standalone State League Clubs. 

Western Australia – Fremantle and the West Coast Eagles

• AFL Clubs and State League Club alignments are still subject to finalisation with the WAFC and WAFL Clubs at the time of publishing.