ST KILDA'S clash with Port Adelaide is set to go ahead at Marvel Stadium on Saturday, but has been moved to an earlier timeslot.
The Saints and Power will face off from 1.45pm, with Port Adelaide flying in and out for the game on the same day.
St Kilda will fly to Perth after the game in preparation for next week's game against West Coast at Optus Stadium.
The Saints have been in isolation since Thursday evening in preparation to comply with Western Australia's strict border conditions.
The Melbourne-Hawthorn game originally scheduled for 4.35pm on Saturday has been moved to the evening timeslot, with the first bounce now scheduled for 7.25pm.
Richmond's date with Brisbane scheduled for the MCG on Friday night has been moved to Metricon Stadium.
Both clubs were informed on Thursday afternoon that the match, which has major ramifications on the top eight and also doubles as Jack Riewoldt's 300th, would be relocated.
It will be one of four games at Metricon Stadium in round 18.
>> SEE THE UPDATED R18 FIXTURE BELOW
The North Melbourne-Essendon clash scheduled for Marvel Stadium on Sunday has also been moved to Metricon (12.35pm AEST), and will be part of a Sunday double-header at the venue with the Greater Western Sydney and Sydney clash (6.10pm AEST) to follow in the evening
The Gold Coast-Western Bulldogs on Saturday will go ahead as planned as a twilight game.
Richmond and Brisbane will depart Victoria on Thursday night, just 24 hours after the Lions landed from Queensland and underwent quarantine while awaiting COVID-19 tests.
Earlier in the day, North Melbourne and Essendon joined the growing list of teams departing Melbourne to avoid Victoria's latest COVID-19 outbreak.
The Roos and Bombers boarded a chartered flight together bound for Queensland on Thursday after three clubs – Greater Western Sydney, Sydney and the Western Bulldogs – escaped Melbourne earlier in the day.
In the meantime, Victorian health authorities confirmed on Thursday afternoon that three new COVID cases had been identified at Saturday's Carlton-Geelong match at the MCG, on top of two already revealed on Wednesday.
One new case was found to have been sitting in the Tier 1 close contact area to the original cases, while the second new case was a Tier 2 contact sitting in level two of the MCC Members.
The Percy Beams Bar in the MCC has now been deemed a Tier 1 exposure site between 4.00pm-4.30pm and 520pm-5.50pm, while the entire MCC is classified as Tier 2.
A series of phone calls late on Wednesday night led to a decision from the AFL to move the initial three teams out of Victoria after the state announced 11 new positive coronavirus cases in the previous 24 hours.
AFL supplementary protocols will be in place for all Victorian teams from midday as Victoria enters another lockdown.
The Sydney-GWS game was originally scheduled for Ballarat on Saturday afternoon. Both teams shared a private plane to Brisbane without knowing where where they would be staying in Queensland on Thursday night.
Meetings continued all day on Thursday as the round 18 fixture was picked apart and put back together.
Port Adelaide will still fly to Melbourne for its game against St Kilda on Saturday night at Marvel Stadium.
Geelong flew to Perth and touched down on Wednesday afternoon as originally scheduled ahead of Thursday night’s date with Fremantle. All travelling players, coaches and staff were required to undergo COVID-19 tests and will isolate until they return a negative result.
The Giants are set to train at Yeronga Football Club - the venue they used when based in Brisbane last year - this afternoon. The Swans are yet to finalise their training plans.
>> READ THE AFL STATEMENT ON R18 UPDATES HERE
"We are playing the Giants, we know that much, and it will be in Queensland somewhere, but outside of that, it's moved really quickly and we are playing 1.45pm on Saturday," Sydney chief Tom Harley told radio station SEN on Thursday.
"Our primary concern has been the reunification of partners and families. It's been over three weeks now. We are working closely with the AFL on what the options might be for that." - with Martin Pegan
UPDATED ROUND 18 FIXTURE
Thursday, July 15
Fremantle v Geelong at Optus Stadium, 6.10pm AWST, Seven
Friday, July 16
Richmond v Brisbane at Metricon Stadium, 7.50pm AEST, Seven
Saturday, July 17
Melbourne v Hawthorn MCG, 4.35pm AEST, Fox
Gold Coast v Western Bulldogs at Metricon Stadium, 4.35pm AEST, Fox
St Kilda v Port Adelaide at Marvel Stadium, 7.25pm AEST, Seven
Sunday, July 18
North Melbourne v Essendon at Metricon Stadium, 12.35pm AEST, Fox
Collingwood v Carlton at MCG, 3.20pm AEST, Seven
Adelaide v West Coast at Adelaide Oval, 4.10pm ACST, Fox
GWS Giants v Sydney Swans at Metricon Stadium, 6.10pm AEST, Fox
