Fremantle faces Western Derby ticket battle after crowd capped at 30,000
Fremantle members who snapped up tickets to the Western Derby next Sunday face an anxious wait on their validity after the state government delayed relaxing COVID-19 restrictions amid growing concerns of a second wave of infections in Victoria.
The decision means a full house of 60,000 at Optus Stadium would be capped at 30,000 for the only derby of the reduced home-and-away AFL season.
The western derby is due to be played at Optus Stadium on July 19.
Tickets for the July 19 match went on sale to Dockers members on Monday, with just under 40,000 tickets allocated in the first 24 hours.
Sales were suspended after government advice before West Coast supporters were given access the next day.
How the ticketing issue will be resolved remains unknown, with Fremantle forced to either refund at least 10,000 sales or the entire allocation and begin the process again.
"Updated information on Derby member ticketing will be communicated later today," the club said.
WA Premier Mark McGowan said on Friday the recent outbreak in Melbourne was becoming an increasing public health issue for other states and extra measures would be in place for the 30,000 derby attendees.
"Clearly there is a smaller risk than before, it allows for social distancing and better isolation between people." he said. "This just reduces the risk at a major sporting event.
The Premier acknowledged the phase 5 delay would not go down well with football fans.
"I realise it won’t be popular with some people and I understand in particular with the Eagles-Dockers game there will be some problems," he said.
"It will have to be managed by the football clubs and we will work with them to manage it as best as they can.
"This is a small price to pay to... protect our citizens."
Mr McGowan said public transport options would be increased to better protect fans travelling to the precinct.
"For the crowd that is going, there will be much greater provision," he said.
Police Commissioner Chris Dawson said extra police would be deployed outside the stadium to assist crowds using public transport.
Strict new rules effectively banning people who have been in Victoria in the past 14 days from entering the state would be unlikely to have an impact on other AFL matches played at Optus Stadium, given all clubs were now out of the state.
"I think [the AFL] are making very good decisions in terms of the playing groups and officials, as for the crowds, it might be a commercial issue for them, our issue is in public safety," Mr Dawson said.
Under current phase 4 restrictions, in place since June 26, West Au
stralians must adhere to the two-square-metre per person capacity rule, and major events at Optus Stadium, HBF Park and RAC Arena are capped at 50 per cent crowds.
Mr McGowan said phase 5 was now scheduled for Saturday August 1.
Next Sunday's derby crowd will still be the biggest in Australia in recent months, with West Australians enjoying more freedoms than most other states. Tickets to Thursday's all-Victorian affair between Geelong and Collingwood had not yet gone on sale.
- with Heather McNeill