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The AFL has started preparing for the possibility that the fuel crisis will have a shocking impact on this season’s play – with the possibility of clubs operating out of hubs raised at a high-level meeting.
The issue of fuel shortages resulting in restrictions to air travel was raised at a meeting of club chief executives, according to the ABC.
‘Kelli Underwood reporting on @abcsport that the fuel shortage was raised in the CEO’s meeting earlier this week,’ ABC reporter Ben Cameron tweeted.
‘If rationing comes in and flying is restricted where does that leave the competition?
‘Kelli says the GWS Giants told her today it was an issue on their radar.
‘The dirty word mentioned amongst it all was “hubs”.’
Pictured: A bowser at an Aussie petrol station that ran out of fuel last Friday. The Iran war’s effect on supply and prices has been raised at a top-level AFL meeting
AFL club CEOs discussed the possibility of flights being curtailed due to the fuel crisis (pictured, league boss Andrew Dillon, centre)
The word ‘hubs’ will bring back bad memories for footy stars and fans after the competition was thrown into a tailspin during the Covid pandemic.
Many teams were forced to operate out of hubs far away from their home bases, including all the Western Australian and South Australian sides, who had to operate out of Queensland for stretches of the 2020 season.
The fuel crisis has already resulted in Qantas slashing a number of flights through its budget arm, Jetstar.
And there are signs that the big jumps in the cost of petrol have already started to take the shine off one of the AFL’s premier events.
Gather Round – which will see every match staged in and around Adelaide from April 9 to 12 – could be facing a drop-off in attendance due to the Iran war’s effect on prices at the bowser.
AFL Fans Association president Ron Issko has told the ABC ‘there could be a few less [fans] than last year because of this’ as many supporters drive long distances to get to the event.
‘I’m wondering whether or not, as we get closer, and if the fuel prices continue to go up, some will bail,’ Issko said.
There are signs that some fans have already decided not to attend due to the cost of petrol.
The possibility of teams having to play out of hubs – as they did during the Covid pandemic – was also raised at the meeting (pictured, Collingwood’s Isaac Quaynor with fans)
There are already signs that fans are canning plans to travel to Adelaide for the Gather Round footy festival next month (pictured, North Melbourne supporters)
St Kilda cheer squad leader Joe Dooley said only five members of the group are heading to Adelaide, down from 20 for previous Gather Rounds, as ‘if you’re driving with a group of mates you now pay $60 each way rather than $30’.
AFL Country Supporters Group director Paolino Tomaiuolo told News Corp that fans in regional areas could make other plans because it will cost them ‘upwards of $300 to drive for a return trip’.
Hurley Hotel Group representative Anna Hurley said there have been ‘some changes in booking behaviour’ for Adelaide’s footy festival because the ‘self-drive traveller seems to be a bit slower to come to make their bookings’.
Australia’s consumer watchdog on Friday reported average diesel prices in the five largest cities hit 303.5 cents per litre, rising 27.8 cents in a week.
The trend was even more pronounced in regional Australia, where diesel prices averaged 307.6 cents per litre, a 28.6 cent weekly jump.
Unleaded petrol prices hit 252.2 cents per litre.
The opposition has proposed halving the 52.6c a litre excise, as well as the heavy vehicle road user charge, to provide immediate relief for households, but the government has ruled this out.
Energy Minister Chris Bowen said Australia has 39 days of petrol, 30 days of diesel and 30 days of jet fuel in stocks.
