show me:

Dockers players to stay away from partners

3 minute read

Fremantle utility Bailey Banfield says seeing his girlfriend is not an option right now as he attempts to protect himself from the coronavirus.

Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

Some Fremantle players will avoid seeing their partners over the next few weeks in a bid to protect themselves and the team from the coronavirus.

The Dockers have gone into isolation mode ahead of the start of the AFL season and are leaving no stone unturned in protecting their players.

Players have been advised to self-isolate and also been warned about the risks of seeing partners who don't have the option to work from home.

"After training I made the call to my girlfriend Julia and told her that based on current advice, I may not see her for potentially a few weeks as we went into isolation as a club," Dockers utility Bailey Banfield told the club's website.

"She has to live her life and she's just started a new job in the city and has to catch public transport into work.

"The concern was that any interactions with people or potentially contaminated surfaces would cancel out my self-isolation. It would be a risk for the whole club.

"With Julia's new job, continuing to see her was not an option."

The Dockers insist they haven't banned players from seeing partners who don't have the option to work from home.

"There has categorically been no directive from the club that players ask their partners to either work from home or move out," a spokesperson said.

The Dockers have also moved their gym equipment from their training base in Cockburn to Optus Stadium in a bid to set up a more sterile zone.

Fremantle's season is due to start on Saturday against Essendon at Marvel Stadium.