New restrictions came into effect from 6pm on Tuesday, mandating the wearing of face masks indoors, including at high schools, workplaces and hospitality venues (when not eating or drinking). Gathering limits of five visitors a day were introduced for private homes and public gatherings were limited to 30 people.
The outbreak, which as of Tuesday evening totalled nine cases, threw the AFL fixture into doubt as the league awaited updated health advice on crowd caps, which one source said could be as low as 50 per cent. The ladder-leading Western Bulldogs were forced into isolation on Tuesday because a club staffer had attended the Highpoint Shopping Centre exposure site on Thursday evening.