WA’s Combined Medical Leads Advisory Group, which represents leading medicos, is recommending to “flatten the (infection) curve”, with attention paid to “extending isolation restrictions to all personal interstate travel”.
Were the WA state government to act on the advice of its top doctors then Perth Glory could be marooned on home soil, a circumstance which would likely result in an A-League suspension.
Either that or Glory - who have four remaining regular season games scheduled at home - would have to play out the remainder of the campaign based on the eastern seaboard, assuming they could decamp before a travel ban was imposed.
Responding to that possibility - however remote - FFA chief executive James Johnson said: “If Western Australia was to close its border it would certainly have an impact.
“I don’t want to get into too many hypotheticals but there’s a game there this Saturday (against Western United) and it would certainly have an impact on that.
“I’m not aware of those discussions (in WA) but (a closure) would certainly complicate the situation we’re in.”
Johnson this evening announced the immediate cessation, until April 14, of all football tiers below the A-League, including the FFA Cup and the NPL.
All of which leaves the A-League - and this weekend’s W-League grand final - as the only likely shows in town, albeit behind closed doors.
Glory CEO Tony Pignata said the club was “preparing” for the arrival of Western United, with the stipulation “that things are changing every hour with the government”.
“Whatever they tell us to do we’ll abide by but in relation to the borders (being closed) I think our state premier (Mark McGowan) has said it’s too early to call,” he added.
“We haven’t even entertained the prospect of playing remaining matches elsewhere.
“We’re looking to condense the fixtures, which is what the clubs and the FFA are working to do, and I think we’ll soon be in a position to sort that out.”
As things stand, Wellington Phoenix have been cleared to train in Sydney during two weeks of self isolation and plan to play out the season, possibly featuring double-headers, based in Australia, with a return to action on April 1.
Melbourne Victory will also miss two games after being quarantined after returning from their 3-0 loss in Wellington.
The FFA, with player health and safety at the forefront of their planning, are determined not to put players at undue risk during a nationwide spike in infections.
Johnson, who has been roundly praised for his sage leadership and agility in the face of events that change hourly, wants to stay ahead of the curve.
At an NPL and grassroots level, the FFA has been made aware of players and clubs who are loathe to keep training, let alone playing, in a climate of fear, hence the pause.
The belief is that the FFA - who will make the final call on whether the A-League ultimately follows a plethora of competitions across the globe into a hiatus - won’t hesitate should the situation demand it.
Broadcaster Fox Sports is keen to conclude the competition without interruption - no matter how long that might be for - and the A-League club chiefs currently share that view.
Asked how the A-league could continue, whilst the rest of the game is on hold, Johnson said: “We have to remain responsive based on the evolution of the virus but we also have to look at the rest of the game differently.
"Its sheer size means it has 1.6 million participants playing every weekend.
"That scale creates more opportunity for the virus to spread.
“We’re only starting our season at NPL and grassroots level and postponing seems like the logical way to move forward.
“With the A-League, we’re talking about six rounds and we are at the back end of the season.
“Right now the feeling in the professional game does not represent the fear which is coming through from the grassroots.”
In an earlier statement, addressing the suspension of all tiers below the A-League, Johnson said: “Our decision today follows extensive discussions with all of Australia’s nine State and Territory Member Federations, taking into consideration the latest feedback from all levels of the football community.
“We are also taking into consideration the ongoing response by both the broader international and Australian communities which is evolving almost on an hourly basis now.
“We recognise that there have been some recent material developments which have changed the landscape significantly, including the decisions made by the Victorian and ACT Governments to declare States of Emergency late yesterday afternoon.
“Today, more schools, universities and also public sporting facilities have announced that they will be closing so we have had to respond quickly to this.
“It is very regrettable that grassroots football will not proceed for the next month, but as a good and responsible citizen, we recognise that our game of approximately 1.96 million participants has a significant role to play in slowing the spread of the virus.”
