Speedy Essendon defender Nick Hind has spoken about his frustration and disbelief after his visit to a tier two COVID-19 site saw him miss the Bombers' finals clash with the Bulldogs on Sunday afternoon.
Hind was traded from the Saints for picks 67 and 74 during the 2020 trade period, and in his first season with the Bombers, the 27-year-old played in career-best form averaging 22.4 disposals and 435.1 metres gained.
Hind was notified he was not allowed to travel with the team to Launceston for Sunday's Elimination Final after visiting a supermarket to pick up some lunch - a venue that was then labelled a tier two COVID site.
Despite undergoing Covid testing on Thursday morning and being cleared within five hours, Tasmania's rules for the AFL meant that he was still unable to enter the state.
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Hind told SEN Breakfast that he "just snuck into the supermarket to get a roast chicken; I was in there for two minutes. It hadn’t been a hotspot yet and it was the only one in my area I could get to”
“Hindsight going back, I wouldn’t have gone to the supermarket at all.”
Hind had to overlook his own disappointment and turn his attention to the team.
"I quickly tried to turn my attention to the boys and was quite confident they could get the job done without me over there,” he said.
“It wasn’t meant to be, but I knew that the general public and everyone has been doing it pretty tough over here, so I didn’t sook and just tried to move on and be the best teammate I could for the boys."
The Bombers fell 49-points short of the Dogs putting an end to the team's, and to Hind's season.