Sydney Swans coach John Longmire has given an insight into the measures the club is taking to combat the spread of coronavirus – and in a sign of the times, it was through a video webinar that he did so.
Longmire on Monday addressed the media through communications app Zoom, standing in front of a camera at the club’s Moore Park headquarters and responding to questions funnelled through a question-and-answer window.
Sydney’s mentor said working in smaller groups was among the many ploys being exercised by the club.
“We've implemented some strategies around smaller groups as much as we can,” Longmire said.
“We're trying to make sure that the practices we put in place at the footy club are as good as they can be.
“Any meetings we have are in very small numbers in large meeting rooms.
“We understand the players have to train – and they will be training – but we're trying to minimise the chances our players have of contact with each other as much as they can, but also in the greater community.
“We’re putting in measures as much as we can to look after our players and staff. That includes small groups, reducing the amount of face-to-face contact we all have with each other, making sure our hygiene practices are absolutely perfect and looking at things like social distancing.
“All of those things that have been talked about publicly are what we’re absolutely about at the football club. We’re making sure we have the health and safety of our players, staff and anyone else we have contact with at the forefront of our minds.”
The Swans will open their 2020 campaign at an empty Adelaide Oval when they meet the Crows on Saturday.
The AFL announced last Friday that the season would go ahead but with fans not permitted to attend games until further notice.
Longmire says the club is following expert advice in response to COVID-19.
“This is such a complex issue,” Longmire said.
“We have to rely on the advice that we get because in the end, as a football coach, what we rely upon is the professionals to be able to guide us and give us advice in that space.
“We need to put measures in place to be able to protect people.”
There is also every chance the Swans, as well as the four other clubs scheduled for interstate games, will travel to Adelaide on a private plane.
Round 1 will see Port Adelaide travel to the Gold Coast to face the Suns, Geelong to Sydney to meet the Giants, Brisbane to Melbourne to take on Hawthorn and Melbourne to Perth to clash with West Coast.
