Perth Glory won’t play again until January after a member of their Isuzu UTE A-League squad tested positive to COVID-19.
Glory became the latest club to be hit with a COVID-positive result on Thursday, following on from the Newcastle Jets, Western United and Sydney FC.
But while all other games will go ahead this week, Saturday’s clash between Glory and Brisbane in Queensland has been postponed.
Perth’s match against the Reds in Adelaide next week has also been postponed.
It means Glory won’t be in action again until January 2, when they are scheduled to take on Sydney FC in Sydney.
A new date for the postponed matches will be set later as Glory’s squad remains locked up in their hotel in Brisbane.
The club will be keen to get the squad back to Perth in time for Christmas, but that will depend on receiving clearance from both the Queensland and West Australian governments.
If other members of the playing squad test positive, it would complicate matters even further.
All members of the Glory squad tested negative when they left Adelaide earlier this week, but an unnamed player tested positive shortly after arriving in Brisbane and was informed of the result on Wednesday night.
Glory owner Tony Sage says the club is investigating how the player contracted the virus.
“We were in Adelaide for a period of time,” Sage told Perth radio station 6PR.
“The players were kept segregated in the hotel, we were able to train.
“It’s very difficult to find. Unless it came from one of the employees at the hotel or someone who ate at the hotel.
“We are investigating because we need to know for close contacts and who else in the squad is vulnerable.”
Glory have been on the road for all but their season-opener due to Western Australia’s hard border.
Captain Brandon O’Neill only flew in to Queensland on Wednesday night after the birth of his child in Perth.
He is now stuck in Queensland along with the rest of the player squad.
“They are distraught,” Sage said.
“They saw light at the end of the tunnel and that light now has just turned off.”
Western United coach John Aloisi confirmed one of his players tested positive to COVID-19 earlier this week, but at this stage Friday’s clash with Adelaide United at AAMI Park is going ahead.
“We haven’t had any more cases as of yet and we’ll do all the testing,” Aloisi said.
“We do our rapid tests every day and we’ll do PCR tests today, and we’re ready to play tomorrow.”
The COVID-positive player – whose identity is being kept private – is isolating away from the club and is not displaying major symptoms.
The majority of the squad have been able to train as normal in the build-up to the Adelaide clash.
But United have told players to avoid unnecessary ventures out in public, in order to reduce possible exposure to the virus.
“We’re in constant contact with the APL to make sure that we’re across all the protocols but we’re also making sure that the players understand that it’s going to training and straight home, and not visiting any sites – cafes, restaurants or whatever,” Aloisi said.
