'As challenging as last year': Sutton's warning for new AFL season

"It will [be] as challenging as last year in some respects because there are continued constraints in various parts of the country," he said. "But I think our permit system will give a certain ease operationally to movement in and out of Victoria for AFL player purposes."

People in red zones cannot enter Victoria unless they have an exemption. Those in orange zones are allowed to travel into Victoria but they must take a COVID-19 test within 72 hours upon arrival and isolate until a negative result is returned, while green zones allow for restriction-free travel.

"It will be based on the colour code, that is to say, the virus status of where you've been," Andrews said.

As of Monday night, Greater Sydney and Brisbane remained a red zone, preventing any travel into Victoria.

The AFL is already dealing with an interrupted pre-season. Male and female players returned to pre-season training last week but under group restrictions in the wake of COVID-19 outbreaks in NSW and Victoria.

The AFLW Greater Western Sydney Giants have had to shift to Albury because of NSW's outbreak, while clubs had to quickly haul their players out of NSW last week because of tough border restrictions.

While the full 22-round schedule of matches over 23 weeks was released last month, only the first six rounds came complete with timeslots because of the threat of another uncertain campaign.

The fall-out of COVID-19 continues to impact the cricket season, this time leaving Melbourne's first Big Bash League match of the season in doubt. Health authorities have declared the Brisbane Heat cannot enter Victoria ahead of Thursday night's clash against the Renegades at Marvel Stadium.

While there was encouraging news in Brisbane when Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk confirmed a three-day lockdown would not be extended beyond Monday evening, Sutton said that the Heat would not be allowed into Victoria under the current ruling.

"Not under current restrictions as I know they have travelled through a red zone in terms of greater Brisbane. But, again, if the designation for greater Brisbane changes in the intervening period, there is a possibility," he said.

Cricket sources said officials on Monday had raised the possibility of the match being transferred to Canberra.

Victorians have been encouraged to not travel to Brisbane over the past week, and those in Brisbane have been discouraged from returning to Melbourne after a case of local transmission of the UK mutant COVID-19 strain in Brisbane sparked a testing frenzy.

The Heat are based on the Gold Coast and all teams in the northern state have been subjected to tougher protocols in their bio-secure bubble over the past week. While players have been able to train and play golf, they haven't been going out for other reasons and have needed to wear masks when leaving their hotel rooms.

Among the discussions, authorities were weighing up whether the Heat should travel to Melbourne a day before or on the day of the match, while transferring the match to the Gold Coast was another option.

The Renegades are still in Adelaide but are due to head to Melbourne on Tuesday, with coach Michael Klinger preparing to face the Heat.

The latest development comes as authorities work through the implications of the closure of Victoria's border with NSW and whether Sydney can host any home-and-away matches this season.

CA said on Monday a crowd of up to 15,000 would be allowed at Marvel Stadium on Thursday – should the match go ahead – and Friday night's clash between the Stars and Adelaide Strikers at the MCG. The latter match should go ahead without issue. Attendance numbers could grow depending on any directives from the state government. Social distancing protocols will be as they were during the Boxing Day Test.

The fallout for cricket from COVID-19 has been varied, including forcing the Renegades and Stars to play their opening nine matches in hubs on the road. Both teams have struggled, for the Renegades are at the foot of the ladder, with only two wins, while the Stars are seventh, with only three wins.

Palaszczuk said the fourth Test between Australia and India was set to go ahead from Friday at the Gabba but capacity would be restricted to 50 per cent, that being about 18,000.