AFL facing 'real chance' of WA-based finals hub

The AFL is weighing up the proposition of introducing a finals hub successful either Victoria oregon Western Australia, according to Eddie McGuire.

With COVID-19 presently forcing 3 states, Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales into lockdowns this week, the league is hellhole bent connected continuing connected with the location and distant play without a break, contempt suggestions of the pre-finals bye week being brought forward.

MORE: AFL players' hopeless calls amid COVID-19 chaos

According to McGuire, the the finals hub volition beryllium held successful Victoria if the Victorian authorities allows crowds good successful excess of 10,000 to beryllium successful attendance, with Perth looming arsenic a backup option.

"Victoria desperately wants it, but tin we get the crowds in? There is simply a existent accidental that we could person a finals hub successful Perth for this year's finals," McGuire told Nine's Footy Classified.

"If crowds are [allowed] successful Melbourne, it'll beryllium successful Melbourne, provided it's not 10,000, but different there's a existent accidental Perth comes into play.

Fans from some Essendon and Richmond came retired successful droves for the Dreamtime clash successful Perth this twelvemonth (Getty)

"Now, it could beryllium a operation of the two. They mightiness get the hub going present successful Melbourne and past you tin get implicit [to Perth] for a expansive last if that was the case, oregon vice versa."

Perth has already showcased its quality to clasp a blockbuster Melbourne fixture this season, aft the Dreamtime clash betwixt Essendon and Richmond was forced West.

Tickets for the clash astatine Optus Stadium sold retired wrong a week, with players and coaches from some sides lauding the ambiance wrong the stadium.

However, Essendon large Matthew Lloyd was acrophobic that a WA hub could further compromise the integrity of the season.

"I cognize the play has already been compromised a batch with games and each that, but erstwhile you've got 3 Victorian teams that should decorativeness arsenic the apical 3 successful Geelong, Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs, I deliberation it would wounded if crowds could beryllium successful Melbourne and we've got each our finals successful Perth," helium told Footy Classified.

"I conscionable privation to spot the vantage travel for teams who decorativeness first, second, 3rd and fourth."

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