WA border opening backflip hits sport hard as Perth Glory, Perth Wildcats pick up the pieces

West Australian sports teams have been left scrambling following the announcement that the state's planned reopening on February 5 will not go ahead.

There are six Perth sporting organisations across three codes currently stranded in the eastern states, all of which had return dates locked in.

The Perth Glory have two teams on the road, while the Perth Wildcats, West Coast Eagles, Fremantle Dockers and Perth Lynx are also facing an indefinite return date.

The Perth Scorchers were always going to end their Big Bash campaign away from home, but now face an uncertain return date to Perth post-season.

«I keep saying that there is light at the end of the tunnel, it's not a train coming the other way,» Perth Glory CEO Tony Pignata told ABC Radio Perth.

«But I tell you what, it feels like a big train is coming now.»

The club left WA about a week ago, after spending Christmas in quarantine.

Mr Pignata said he had been assured by WA Police they would be able to return beyond February 5 as early as yesterday.

The Glory chief executive said he watched Mr McGowan's late night media conference with about 90 players and staff from both A-League men's and women's teams

The Premier's plan to reopen the state on February 5 lies in ruins, and there's a risk the backflip could weaken public goodwill — the key to WA's COVID-19 strategy, writes Jacob Kagi.

He said the announcement was like being «hit with a sledgehammer».

«I can appreciate the reasoning behind [the decision] … but we need to ensure we look after families over east who want to get back,» he said.

«Some of the regulations where you now have to isolate at home and everyone who is at home has to isolate around for 14 days, that's untenable.»

He also highlighted the dire state of the club's