Three AFL games scheduled during the current end of the week have been delayed, with the NRL canceling its Saturday matches as south-east Queensland’s most recent COVID lockdown throws Australia’s significant football codes into chaos.

In the AFL, Gold Coast and Melbourne were because of play on Saturday evening at Carrara Stadium, while Essendon and Sydney were scheduled to meet at the Gabba on Saturday night.

Those games, alongside Sunday’s GWS-Port Adelaide match set for the Gold Coast, have been deferred.

The NRL followed suit soon after by canceling its three Saturday matches. Two games on Sunday are additionally in question.

Super Netball had a planned end of the week off, yet will perspire on improvements during that time to check whether its season is affected as well.

The declaration of south-east Queensland’s most recent lockdown came on Saturday morning after six new locally obtained cases of COVID-19 were affirmed in the state.

All were the Delta variant, prompting the presentation of what Queensland authorities called “the strictest lockdown” Queensland had seen during the pandemic.

“There will be no football matches,” Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said.

“So no community sport, no professional sport, nothing for the next three days. Starting as of 4:00pm today.”

The news surprised many, including a VFL match between the Suns and Southport Sharks on the Gold Coast, which was brought to an abrupt end midway through the first quarter when the lockdown was declared.