Male stripper at centre of chaotic AFL fixture drama

A male "entertainer" hired for a Byron Bay hen's party has found himself embroiled in a chaotic situation involving the Gold Coast Suns.

The man tested positive for Covid-19 after returning to the Gold Coast, having attended Byron Bay's Beach Hotel last Friday night, which has been linked to a cluster of new cases.

It marked the first time in 11 months that the Gold Coast had seen a positive Covid-19 case, prompting the Suns to take swift action.

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On a Tuesday where the AFL warned clubs to brace for more fixture upheaval, Gold Coast Suns players and staff decided to fly to Adelaide two days earlier than originally planned.

The Suns' travelling party, including 33 players, flew to Adelaide for Friday's clash with the Crows, to avoid getting caught up in any potential border restrictions related to Brisbane's three-day lockdown.

Football manager Jon Haines said Gold Coast had expected COVID-19 border restrictions to affect the season at some point and had learned from their AFLW team's experiences of rapidly changing fixtures.

"If it means we're here for a period of time, we're excited by that and we're looking forward to it," Haines said on Tuesday.

"We're planning for multiple contingencies as we have been for the last six to eight weeks and COVID's impacted round three of the AFL season and we anticipated at some point that would occur.

"Our focus is on this Friday night and then we're open-minded to what it looks like after that.

"If it means we have to stay a couple more weeks to play multiple games, we're open to that.

"If it means we have to go home we'll accept that challenge as well."

Players told to brace for more uncertainty

Queensland recorded eight new coronavirus cases on Tuesday and there are growing concerns residents in the greater Brisbane area will be required to remain in lockdown over the Easter long weekend.

The fixture drama is also set to affect the Brisbane Lions, who will almost certainly remain in Victoria until after their round-four AFL clash.

Instead of hosting Collingwood at the Gabba, Thursday night's blockbuster has been moved to Marvel Stadium after the greater Brisbane area was placed into a three-day lockdown.

But with the Lions scheduled to play the rampant Western Bulldogs at Mars Stadium on April 10, the club will not return home after playing the Magpies.

AFL football boss Steve Hocking told clubs to prepare for more fixture changes over the coming weeks and it's understood clubs were instructed to ensure players had training equipment at their homes in the event of a snap lockdown.

with AAP

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