Former Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley breaks Twitter silence to question contagiousness of COVID-19

Sometimes a footy analogy is needed to put things into perspective.

Former Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley has taken to Twitter for the first time in more than a month, questioning the contagiousness of COVID-19 in a social media post as Melbourne lives through its fifth lockdown.

A near-record 53,283 Victorians underwent COVID tests on Saturday as the state scrambles to contain its latest virus outbreak.

As 16 cases were confirmed in the past 24 hours, Buckley - who parted ways with Collingwood this year after three decades of service as both a player and coach - suggested the low case numbers were proof the virus wasn’t as contagious as authorities had warned.

“53,283 tests yesterday in Victoria, presumably most of those from people exposed to people and places with confirmed positives 16 new positives,” Buckley wrote.

“So, exactly how contagious is this thing again? My logical brain is failing to comprehend.”

Club captain Scott Pendlebury sensed incoming outcry, joking his former coach would have to bunker down to avoid the blowback.

MORE AFL NEWS

• Bombers star in quarantine, match tipped to be shifted
• Can Eagles snap 2021 milestone curse for Nic Nat?
• ‘Son Son’ set to shine again: Why Walters is all in

But the best reply belongs to an account named ‘Adam Treloar and Jaidyn Stephenson’ - two of the players traded out of the Pies at the end of last season despite having contracts.

“The delta variant is like a salary cap and sometimes a harsh devastating lockdown (trading A grade players) is needed to crush it and get it within controllable limits”, the reply read.

“I get it now,” Buckley replied.

Buckley’s post, which was met with plenty of scorn but also some support, follows similar staggering takes on the virus from former Collingwood stars.

Stephenson was recently forced to apologise for “ill-informed” comments he made on social media, the North Melbourne recruit claiming “if there’s no media then I don’t think Covid is such a big thing.”

Then former Pies Brownlow medallist Dane Swan took to Twitter to criticize infected removalists who sparked Victoria’s latest lockdown, calling for them to be “named and shamed and jailed for life”.