New AFL draw revealed as COVID-19 spike hits all Victorian clubs

The AFL has announced a revised draw for the next two weeks of the competition, with the COVID-19 spike forcing all 10 Victorian teams to be relocated interstate.

The clubs will have temporarily moved out of Victoria by the end of Monday, AFL boss Gillon McLachlan said on Friday afternoon.

There will be a total of 45 games over approximately 32 days and then all Victorian clubs will return to their home state as the AFL "reassess" the situation from there. Players will also be permitted to bring their family into hubs "on reasonable grounds."

"It is important to give clubs, players, umpires and officials certainty on the time they will be away and who they will be playing," McLachlan said.

"This season is unfolding, it's unpredictable and it's amazing.

"Our intention is Victorian teams will come back and we'll go ahead without a bye."

The 10 clubs will move to bases in Queensland, NSW and Western Australia, where they will serve the required quarantine periods while also adhering to the AFL's coronavirus protocols.

The clubs will be split into four hubs, with St Kilda and Carlton based in Noosa, Richmond, Western Bulldogs, North Melbourne and Essendon on the Gold Coast, Melbourne and Hawthorn in Sydney, and Collingwood and Geelong in Perth.

"The health and safety of our people and the wider community is paramount," McLachlan said.  

"We will continue to make decisions that are anchored in the advice of governments and designed to protect our people and the wider community.  

"I have said on a number of occasions that this would be a season of challenges. And that the one certainty is that before we completed the 2020 Toyota AFL premiership season there would be more unique challenges along the way.  

"I want to thank the governments in NSW, Queensland and WA for their support in helping us set up a series of high-performance centres that will see interstate teams based in their state in accordance with all the strict local protocols and playing games.  

"I would also like to thank all of our clubs, players, coaches, umpires and officials for their continued support and ability to adapt quickly as we navigate through the changing environment."

It's understood the Victorian clubs could return home later in the season if the outbreak in Melbourne is under control, but the Queensland government is ready to go one step further.

"Essentially, Queensland is going to be the home of the AFL, they should give us the grand final after this," premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said.

"Four teams are going to be on the Gold Coast and two on the Sunshine Coast.

"There will be a lot more matches at the Gabba and Metricon and of course our capacity is 50 per cent of the public being able to go see these sports stars in action.

"(They'll be here) for the rest of the season is my understanding."

Revised draw - Round Six (all times EST):

Geelong vs Brisbane - Thursday 7:40pm - SCG

Collingwood vs Hawthorn - Friday 7:50pm - Giants Stadium

Fremantle vs St Kilda - Saturday 12:35pm - Metricon Stadium

West Coast vs Adelaide - Saturday 3:05pm - Gabba

Melbourne vs Gold Coast - Saturday 6:05pm - Giants Stadium

Essendon vs North Melbourne - Saturday 7:40pm - Metricon Stadium

Port Adelaide vs GWS - Sunday 1:05pm - Metricon Stadium

Richmond vs Sydney - Sunday 3:35pm - Gabba

Carlton vs Western Bulldogs - Sunday 6:45pm - Metricon Stadium

Round Seven:

Geelong vs Collingwood - Thursday 8:10pm - Optus Stadium

Essendon vs Western Bulldogs - Friday 7:50pm - Metricon Stadium

GWS vs Brisbane - Saturday 1:45pm - Giants Stadium

Sydney vs Gold Coast - Saturday 4:35pm - SCG

Richmond vs North Melbourne - Saturday 7:40pm - Metricon Stadium

Carlton vs Port Adelaide - Sunday 1:05pm - Gabba

Hawthorn vs Melbourne - Sunday 3:35pm - Giants Stadium

Fremantle vs West Coast - Sunday 6:35pm - Optus Stadium

Adelaide vs St Kilda - Monday 7:40pm - Adelaide Oval