'There could be a little bit of tension' - Covid fixture reshuffle throws up rematch between Crows and Brid Stack's Giants

There has been a revised AFLW match schedule due to new Covid-19 travel restrictions

Cora Staunton of the Giants marks in front of Dayna Cox of the Adelaide Crows during the round six AFLW match between the Adelaide Crows and the Greater Western Sydney Giants at Unley Oval on March 10, 2019 in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images)

A revised AFLW match schedule due to new Covid-19 travel restrictions in Australia has thrown up a reunion between Adelaide Crows and Greater Western Sydney Giants this weekend.

The pre-season meeting of the sides had to abandoned late on when former Cork star Brid Stack suffered a serious neck injury.

Adelaide were forced to quarantine locally this week but have been sanctioned to fly to Sydney today to complete their isolation period before playing the Giants on Sunday in a match that will be closed to the public.

AFL head of women's football Nicole Livingstone said the league will take the advice of governments and health officials and adjust schedules as necessary to keep the season going. 

"The health and welfare of our players and the community remains the priority and we remain committed to delivering a full season in a safe manner anchored in the advice of respective governments, public health officials and medical experts," Livingstone said.

FIXTURE UPDATE | We are doing what we can to keep the season going in this ever-changing COVID-climate, and this includes another fixture update today: https://t.co/Rmbc1Bj84L#AFLW pic.twitter.com/pW0mwPyRiX

— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) February 4, 2021

It remains to be seen if there is any lingering bad feeling between the Crows and Giants over the way the Brid Stack affair was handled. Ebony Marinoff, the player who injured Stack, had her three-game ban lifted after an appeal.

Clare's Ailish Considine will be in action for the Crows and admits there "could be a little bit of tension". 

In her diary for RTÉ Sport, she wrote: "There could still be a little bit of tension with GWS over Bríd Stack's injury but we’ve just tried to move on.

"GWS and Adelaide would have had a good relationship and some good battles so hopefully that will continue.

"It’s obviously very unfortunate for Bríd. You can understand from her side that it’s very difficult to know you could potentially be out for the season over a tackle.

"I was right there when it happened and I saw her go down in agonising pain. It’s very disappointing but hopefully she’ll make an appearance back in the season. With the Covid delays, that might give her a bit more time."

In her Irish Examiner column, Stack wrote of her disappointment at the appeal outcome, as well as her unhappiness with the Crows appeal tactics. Marinoff's representative attempted to introduce video evidence suggesting Stack may have been injured in a separate incident earlier in the game.

“The emotional trauma of dealing with such a serious injury was exacerbated when the blame for what had happened suddenly seemed to be sitting at my door,” Stack wrote.

"The trial by social media over here has still left a really bitter taste in my mouth. The Crows had every right to appeal the original three-match ban but some of the evidence in their argument was laughable — they tried to suggest that I got injured in the first quarter.

"I’d be some woman if I broke my neck in the first quarter and kept playing until the fourth quarter. That sums it all up. To me, it was too easy to blame a ‘rookie’."

Giants teammate Alyce Parker also dismissed suggestions that Stack's inexperience with Australia Rules played a part in her injury.

"We completely throw our support behind Bríd, and the allegations of her being new to the sport or not experienced – we don't agree with that."

Meanwhile, Crows Head of Women’s Football Phil Harper said the club is just glad to have a round two game scheduled.

“We are pleased to be in Sydney now as this move gives us the best chance to train and play a game this weekend.

“We liaised with both the SA Government and the NSW Government and both agreed that this was the best option to take in order to play a game on the weekend. We thank both governments for their direction on this manner.

“We appreciate the work the AFL put in at making this happen, they said they would do everything they could to make sure the season goes ahead and they definitely have in this instance.”  

The second series of games has been labeled the AFLW Pride Round. All AFL Umpires will wear rainbow-coloured sweatbands, while Goal Umpires will exchange their traditional white flags for rainbow ones. The official AFLW competition logo will swap its iconic coral emblem for a rainbow one, while all 50-metre arc ground markings will also be painted rainbow for the occasion.

Cora Staunton should be in action for the Giants.