By Molly Magennis
The Western Bulldogs’ round three AFLW Pride Round match against Carlton on Sunday will be postponed.
Despite a number of Bulldogs players emerging from AFL Health and Safety Protocols, the club deemed a significant number of players would still be unavailable for selection for this Sunday’s game.
This impact meant that the club was unable to meet the minimum team requirements of 16 primary listed players and five top-up players.
Bulldogs’ head doctor Naomi Harris said that the health and safety of the players was the club’s number one priority.
“Players impacted are being closely monitored by our medical team to make sure they are able to safely return to exercise and perform at their best level,” she said.
“We have had a significant portion of our playing list affected by COVID-19 in the last week, with some players still remaining in isolation.”
Western Bulldogs’ general manager of women’s football Debbie Lee said postponing the match was difficult considering how much the Pride Game not only means to the players and the club, but also the broader community who have been such big supporters of the event.
“I’d like to acknowledge our Bulldog Pride Supporter Group for their ongoing commitment to the Pride Game, and our members and fans who continue to strongly support our women’s football program,” she said.
“We are committed to ensuring we find another opportunity to celebrate Pride throughout the 2022 season.”
This weekend’s Brisbane Lions vs Gold Coast Suns match will also not go ahead, with the Lions now taking on the Blues in a fixture reshuffle to take place on Tuesday 25.
For supporters who have purchased tickets to attend the Western Bulldogs vs Carlton match, Ticketmaster will issue a refund.
