Essendon and Sydney will charter flights for their respective AFL matches in round eight as the league seeks to minimise risk following the harbour city's latest positive coronavirus case.

The Bombers take on Greater Western Sydney on Saturday and will fly in and out of NSW on the same day.

To allow that to happen, the AFL has swapped the start time for two matches.

Essendon-GWS will begin at 2.10pm on Saturday at Giants Stadium, with the Gold Coast-St Kilda clash at Metricon Stadium now brought forward to 1.45pm.

It comes after the AFL only recently shifted Sunday's Fremantle-Brisbane match from Perth to Brisbane.

All other matches in round eight are set to proceed at their scheduled venues after players and staff from both Sydney clubs had to undergo COVID-19 tests.

The Swans will travel to Melbourne on Thursday night for their clash with the unbeaten Demons on Saturday night.

"The AFL continues to closely the monitor the situation and will be led by the advice of respective governments and public health officials," a statement from the league said.

"The competition will continue to remain adaptable as we navigate the (season)."

Sydney's VFL team had been scheduled to play against the Casey Demons in Melbourne on Sunday, but that match has been postponed indefinitely.