Perth mayor Basil Zempilas has defended his call out for fans at Saturday’s Optus Stadium Grand Final to acknowledge the rest of the country facing adverse Covid restrictions.
Zempilas took to Twitter to ask for those in attendance of the marquee match in Perth to stand at the 20.1 minute mark of the opening term and applaud for one minute in a gesture of goodwill to the other states.
“(At) 20.21 in the first quarter (of the AFL Grand Final), we’re asking everyone in the stadium to stand for one minute and applaud — a nod to our friends around the country who are doing it tough & to let them know we’re with them in this difficult time,” Zempilas tweeted. “Let’s do it WA.”
But the feedback from eastern state footy fans was both swift and mostly negative.
The 2021 Grand Final marks the second consecutive year it’s been moved away from the MCG, with more than 60,000 fans expected to attend the Optus Stadium clash.
While the Channel 7 commentator’s post was largely met with backlash from the public, Zempilas told Channel 9’s Footy Show Grand Final Eve it came from a good place.
“I realise it’s been received in a mixed way, but let me tell you the intention is pure,” he said.
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Premier’s sombre message ahead of Grand Final
West Australian Premier Mark McGowan has issued a thoughtful statement ahead of tonight’s AFL Grand Final, which will be held in Perth for the first time ever (and not in Melbourne for the second year in a row) because of Covid-19.
While Mr McGowan said the game “will be a historic occasions” for WA, “the circumstances under which it has come to Perth are not lost on any of us”.
“As much as it will be a celebration of the sport so many of us love, those of us here in WA should also take the chance to reflect on how fortunate we are for the situation we find ourselves in,” he said.
“To those over east or overseas in places hit hard by the pandemic, people know that we are thinking of you – and particularly of those Melbourne and Bulldogs fans who aren’t able to gather to cheer on their teams.”