The AFL season has been suspended after just one round, and AFLW cancelled, due to the outbreak of coronavirus.
With state governments introducing new measures, including border closures and shutting down non-essential activity, in an attempt to slow the spread of the virus, AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan announced this afternoon the men’s competition will be postponed until the start of June at the earliest, while the women’s 2020 season has been cancelled without a premiership being awarded.
Speaking to the media about the decision, McLachlan flagged the coming period as the biggest financial challenge the sport has ever faced, but maintained the plan is to play the remaining 144 games of the season.
“The AFL industry is facing its biggest financial crisis in our history, but our key priority is to do everything possible to keep players, staff and supporters healthy and well through this pandemic,” McLachlan said.
“To say that this is the most serious threat to our game in 100 years is an understatement.
“It is unprecedented in its impact. It is unprecedented in the impact it is having on our game and our wider community.
“And as a community and as a code, we all need to take the unprecedented and required actions to get through this together.”
While June 1 is currently the earliest the season could resume, McLachlan said there is a chance that date could be pushed further back.
“We will review the situation by the end of April to determine whether a further suspension period would be required,” he said.
McLachlan said the AFL had considered awarding an AFLW premiership after cancelling the season, but due to the split conference system used for the competition, and with four sides still left in the running, the decision was made to not crown a champion team for 2020.
The move puts even more pressure on the NRL and A-League to call a halt to their seasons as the last two major sporting competitions in the country which are still running. Reports on Sunday afternoon, however, suggest the NRL will push ahead with Round 3 next weekend.
Davo
Guest
Could there be a risk to the AFL where a new start up company could poach players and teams to be part of a new league? It might sound outlandish, however if you think about this with some perspective, if the new league could guarantee payments and improve playing conditions, I'm sure many players would be very interested in looking elsewhere knowing how fragile the AFL industry really is.
Munro Mike
Roar Rookie
It's hardly a code war if we've simply pointing out that the AFL weren't acting alone in playing games on the weekend just concluded. The irony of course is that the AFL is thus far acting alone to call it - for the time being.
Perthstayer
Roar Rookie
Govt. didn't advise the AFL "to play on". ABC...."The AFL released a statement saying it was taking advice from government and health officials". I am not privvy to the Govt.'s exact words, but I do know they were enough, together with wider events, to persuade all other sports but NRL to halt their comps. Not being told "you cannot do it", does not absolve someone of responsibility.
Munro Mike
Roar Rookie
The AFL were hopeful of perhaps cramming 4 or 5 rounds into 3 weeks before the full shut down......but the full shut down has come upon us a bit quicker. It wasn't 'pig headed', it was optimistic. The NRL certainly is now on the verge of astounding pig headedness. Note the AFL HQ has stood down about 80% of staff. And around the clubs staff are being stood down and we've seen Brisbane standing down players.
sven
Roar Rookie
if youre really keen jb hifi has a few footy dvd's, fair chance theyll have it there, even a pack with the threepeat (although personally cant see why anyone would wanna watch that :sick: )
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
An American man who is 100% not worth finding out about. I'll leave it at that.
P Air
Guest
On the flip side the doctors and nurses could have it and be unintentionally giving it to patients. Either scenario is bad
PeteB
Roar Rookie
Hate 93, but I’m looking forward to watching 79,81,82,87 & 95 again.
Gary
Roar Rookie
Surely tiger's fans can't even watch that twice... most of us didn't watch it once (stopped watching halfway through 2nd qtr). Try the prelim.
Gary
Roar Rookie
Tbf, being more isolated and less dense population, we have had the fortune of time to learn from the devastation that has already occurred in other countries (China and Italy specifically). We almost have foresight.
peter ostle
Guest
Dream on. If the season is cancelled it will be in time a quiz question, or one of the great unanswerable debates on who would have won the 2020 competition, the league leaders of round one or one of the others.
Vercetti1986'
Roar Rookie
It won’t work. The players will not be able to work on their skills, team synergy, fitness etc. as effectively for at least 2 months. The season is completely rooted now and just by reading in between the lines, I think McLachlan and his colleagues are resigned to the fact they know the season is done and dusted now. There are no guarantees the 2021 season will not be affected by this pandemic either. That is just speculation but given the current situation, it is not unreasonable to expect that. Truly extraordinary situation
Vercetti1986'
Roar Rookie
In all seriousness though, the games this round felt mostly like practice matches anyway and were tough to watch. All the results are meaningless and should not be counted given how compromised the season will be now with the players not being able to train together ,work on their skills etc for months. It was pointless for them to proceed with the season in the first place given McLachlan admitted they were effectively delaying the inevitable but decided to pull the pin before r1 was even completed after a meeting. Understandable given the financial ramifications it will have on the league, not that I agree with it but they will just have to bite the bullet like all other businesses in the country sadly.
Ian_
Roar Rookie
Wouldn't surprise me if their hand is forced by state and local governments closing down all the grounds that they might want to play their games at.
Vercetti1986'
Roar Rookie
That is an interesting thought. I wonder how they will determine who wins the premiership this year should the season be likely written off? I think perhaps they will just have to put a line through this season and not have a premier at all. It would be an anomaly in the history of Australian rules football but this has been an extraordinary year so far so it would be fitting. It would be quite funny if Port were deemed the premiers for beating GC though…Hinkley would have been justified in his confidence of Port being a contender at the start of this year after everyone doubted him including myself lol.
Brendon the 1st
Roar Rookie
Cancel Ports premiership? I Think not!
peter ostle
Guest
Buy? See youtube has the full GF in three versions, with Channel 7 commentary, AFL live commentary or MMM commentary. Even a pre-match show is available that lasts 106 minutes, the Ch7 post match just over 30 minutes. Shut the curtains, hit the tinnies/whisky, settle in for c5 hours of nostalgia, except if you are a Swans supporter
1DER
Guest
Just watch the demolition job of the 1993 Grand final and then move onto any of the Pies grand finals 1959 to 1989.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
The 1978 SANFL GF was one of the greatest comebacks ever. That's worth a look. The 1984 GF was a cracker too.
Brendon the 1st
Roar Rookie
Just in time to buy a new Port jumper.