Covid-19 scare leaves AFL star Nick Hind’s finals dream in tatters

Essendon defender Nick Hind has been forced out of his side’s elimination final after attending a Tier 2 Covid-19 exposure site over the weekend.

Hind’s visit to the Altona Gate Shopping Centre on August 21 has cost him the chance to play against the Western Bulldogs in Launceston this Sunday. The game would have been the first final of his young career.

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While Hind received a negative Covid test on Friday morning, the Tasmanian Government requires travellers entering the state not to have visited a Tier 1 or 2 exposure site in the 14 days prior to their arrival.

As a result, Hind will stay behind in Melbourne, as the Bombers co-operate with the AFL to determine whether he could play a part in subsequent finals should Essendon progress beyond this weekend.

There is no suggestion Hind breached the AFL’s Covid-19 restrictions by attending the shopping centre to purchase a takeaway lunch.

Essendon’s general manager of football, Josh Mahoney, said it was “an unfortunate situation for Nick to be in”.

“We understand the reasons for these protocols and respect the Tasmanian guidelines, which treat Tier 1 and Tier 2 exposure sites as the same risk,” he said.

“This means that Nick will be unable to enter the state and won’t play in our first final against the Bulldogs.

“The club has been in constant dialogue with the Tasmanian Government throughout this period and respect their health and safety protocols, which are designed to protect their local community.

“Given Nick’s negative test result, the club will work with the AFL and the relevant state bodies on his availability for future finals should we continue to qualify.”

Both Hind and Dylan Clarke have dropped out of the side to face the Bulldogs, bringing Martin Gleeson and Jye Caldwell into the 22. Caldwell will play his first AFL game since round two after overcoming a serious hamstring injury.

The Bombers are still without Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, who missed the last two games of the regular season for personal reasons.

Amid Covid-19 outbreaks in Victoria and Sydney, the AFL chose to schedule all of this weekend’s finals in either Tasmania or South Australia with the hopes of welcoming as many fans as possible.

The league is yet to lock in a location for the grand final on September 25, but has nominated Optus Stadium in Perth as its preferred back-up venue should holding the decider at the MCG prove unfeasible.

The Bombers upset the Bulldogs in the sides’ last encounter, so Ben Rutten’s men will hope history can repeat itself come Sunday.

Should they defeat the Bulldogs, the Bombers will face either the Lions or the Demons in the second week of the finals.