North Melbourne’s playing group and staff are set to be based in Queensland for the next two and a half months.

The AFL announced the news on Wednesday, with ongoing concerns around a return to playing in Victoria in the near future.

“Understanding the ongoing situation with COVID-19 in Victoria, Victorian teams will be based out of Queensland for up to ten weeks, as we aim to get the majority of the season complete in that timeframe,” AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan said.

“Victorian teams based in Queensland that are fixtured to travel interstate to play, will travel to their game and then return back to Queensland.

“We need to deal with this uncertainty and this is a clear plan that makes Queensland the base for our competition and provides greater certainty for everyone.”

The AFL is making arrangements for families to be able travel to the clubs' Queensland hubs.

“Both top-up players and families will undergo a strict 14-day quarantine in a transition hub, before re-uniting with teammates and partners,” McLachlan said.

More to come…