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However,AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan said the match would not be moved and the fixture would remain the same as scheduled.

“No,it won’t[be changed],” McLachlan said. “There’s huge knock-on consequences of moving games. Melbourne are playing the same day. I think we’ve got to respect the Melbourne membership that they want to play their fixture at the MCG. There’s just knock-ons everywhere.”

On Monday multiple league sources said the West Australian border remained the league’s biggest priority.

WA’s strict border stance on Victoria is on track to be eased ahead of the season,according to premier Mark McGowan,but that is still dependent on there being no further community transmission of COVID-19 in Melbourne.

Victoria is the only state still subject to any WA border restrictions.

McGowan said Victoria would reach his government’s target of 28 consecutive days without community spread on March 13 - five days before the scheduled AFL season-opener.

“After that point in time I’d expect that we’ll move to soften the border if Victoria doesn’t have community spread,” McGowan said.

Sources at the AFL indicated that the situation with the border is moving in the right direction,but waiting until so close to the start of the season to make a decision on the fixture may prove difficult.

However,McLachlan said they were keeping their fingers crossed that border restrictions would be eased and the first six rounds could remain as fixtured with Fremantle flying to Melbourne to play the Demons at the MCG.

The Sunday of round one remains clear for the MCG. The only match in Melbourne on March 21 sees North Melbourne host Port Adelaide at Marvel Stadium.

Marvel Stadium - now owned by the AFL - has an existing contract with Essendon whereby the Bombers play seven home games there and four at the MCG. The club,however,argued that in these strange times,the priority of the league should be to maximise fan attendance.

Fewer than 25,000 fans will be able to attend the round one clash at Marvel Stadium,compared with 50,000 at the MCG. The past three games between Essendon and Hawthorn at the MCG have attracted an average of 66,000 people.

Sources indicated that the Melbourne Cricket Club had been open to hosting the game,if the AFL approved.

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