With the AFL playing cohort informed on Tuesday afternoon of a scenario where it would spend 20 to 21 weeks isolated in a hub — potentially without families — many have since opened up regarding personal situations that would make doing so a big ask.
Speaking with Seven News’ Mark Stevens last week, Tallygaroopna's Sidebottom said being in a hub would become difficult as the season wore on, with he and fiancee Alisha expecting their first child in September.
“There's only so long I reckon I can be stuck in the house not playing, so I guess I'm open to most ideas that are being thrown around,” Sidebottom said.
“We're about to have our first kid in September, so potentially if I was gonna have to be locked away with the boys around that time, it would be a difficult time.
“And I'd probably have to make the tough call of not playing footy.”
But Sidebottom is not the only player whose concerns have highlighted what a big ask separating players from their families for such an extended period is.
North Melbourne ruckman Todd Goldstein's partner Felicity gave birth three weeks ago, and the Kangaroo said missing the early stages of his child's life would be a concern.
“The 20 weeks away from my family, that might be an issue. I've got a three-week-old — that's a massive developmental stage in her life and it'll be even more challenging than it normally would be,” Goldstein told SEN.
AFL Players Association chief executive Paul Marsh said the AFL's position was it had an issue with families entering the hubs and his organisation would work through the situation and look for a solution.
“From our perspective, that's a significant issue for players with families,” Marsh said.
“We've got a number of players with partners expecting children, they've got ill parents, they're basically alone in a city because that's where they're playing footy and they basically have no family support.”
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