2020 AFL season

The 2020 Australian Football League season is the ongoing 124th season of the elite Australian rules football competition and the 31st under the name "Australian Football League", having changed from "Victorian Football League" after the 1989 season. There will be 18 teams competing in the league, the same as the previous eight seasons.

For the 2020 season of the AFL Women's competition, see 2020 AFL Women's season.

2020 AFL premiership season
Teams	18
Matches played	78
Attendance	234,548 (3,007 per match)
Highest attendance	26,211 (Round 9, West Coast vs Geelong)

On 22 March 2020, the season was suspended at the conclusion of round 1 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[1] The season resumed on 11 June 2020, and if there are no further disruptions would conclude with a Grand Final in late October.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

The 2020 season was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which was formally declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization on 11 March 2020, eight days prior to the scheduled start of the premiership season. Restrictions imposed by the different state governments related to social distancing, lockdowns of non-essential services which lasted for three months across the country, and border controls for interstate and international travel, all had significant effects on the completion of the 2020 season.

Fixture

Prior to the commencement of the season, anticipating that the season would be forced to cease at the peak of the virus, the AFL announced the fixture would be shortened from 22 matches per team to 17, with each team playing each other once.[2] The season then commenced on 19 March as originally scheduled; but as restrictions, followed for periods of formal quarantine, were introduced on interstate travel, the season was suspended after round one.[3] This was ultimately arranged into eighteen rounds, with each team serving one bye.

The season was suspended for more than two months. On 15 May, as most states began easing restrictions, the league's plan to resume the season was announced: clubs began non-contact training from 18 May, and full contact training from 25 May, ahead of resuming competitive matches from 11 June,[4] with the revised fixture released gradually throughout the year, and changing regularly and often at short notice when the situation forced it.

The first major fixturing challenge occurred in the aftermath of Round 4, when a spike in Victorian COVID-19 cases prompted other states to either impose tighter quarantine restrictions on Victorians, or defer the relaxation of restrictions already in place. Although this forced two planned Round 5 matches (Richmond vs West Coast and Melbourne vs Sydney) to be redrawn at less than a week's notice (Richmond instead faced Melbourne in Victoria, and Sydney faced West Coast in Queensland), and the entire planned Round 6 and 7 fixtures to be redrawn, the season continued without suspension. The gradual release of the fixture also allowed the flexibility to reschedule any games which were postponed due to positive COVID-19 tests among players or staff.[5]

When games were postponed or rescheduled at short notice, other games within the same round were often also rescheduled to ensure the primetime television slots were filled.

Club medical restrictions

During the peak of the hiatus, players were allowed to train only within the strict limits of the government restrictions on public gatherings; at the height of the pandemic in April and May, when gatherings larger than two were restricted, this means players could train only in pairs. Sixteen Adelaide players, as well as assistant coach Ben Hart, were sanctioned for inadvertently breaching these guidelines when training too close to each other on a quarantine camp in early May; Hart was suspended for six weeks and the players each received a suspended sentence of one week.[6]

When the league returned to training and playing, it was done with strict, enforceable protocols and monitoring in place to ensure that the clubs would not suffer a virus outbreak, and that any virus cases could be contained with minimal impact to the wider competition.[4] To this effect, players, umpires and staff were regularly tested for the virus and continued to train mostly in small groups, allowing individual players or small groups to be segregated and contained in the event of positive cases. Players and club personnel were also subject to protocols which extended to players' personal lives, which were above and beyond the lockdown guidelines still in place for the general public; several clubs and players received suspensions for transgressions such as attending non-essential gatherings or riding in Ubers during the season.[7]

Throughout the season, AFL-listed players were not permitted to participate in the state league competitions (the VFL, SANFL, WAFL or NEAFL) due to the greater risk of external threats in the semi-professional state league environment; this meant there was no formal competitive reserves football for players who were not selected in the seniors.[8] Clubs based in the same state were permitted to arrange ad hoc scratch matches for their unselected players against each other and in empty stadiums to enable some match practice; these could be stand alone games or curtain raisers to senior games.[9]

Quarantine hubs and club relocations

Interstate travel restrictions and quarantine periods were a significant impediment to the completion of the season after the resumption, with many state border crossings subject to mandatory 14-day quarantine periods. Western Australia and Tasmania had the tightest restrictions, requiring quarantine for all entries throughout the entire season; South Australia had similar restrictions which were loosened after Round 7. Border crossings around the rest of the country were freer; but, as second waves of virus cases occurred in Victoria (after Round 5)[10] and New South Wales (after Round 10),[11] quarantines were imposed on travellers leaving those states. This precluded a conventional interstate home-and-away fixture, and meant that Queensland – which maintained few virus cases and had the most favourable quarantine arrangements – became critical to the completion of the season.

The border restrictions were managed by requiring several clubs to relocate outside their states; or, to set-up in weeks-long quarantine hubs, in which clubs travelled at the same time to a restricted state for an extended three- or four-week trip, quarantined there and played several games against other teams in the hub. Players' immediate families were permitted to join them at the league's expense, but were subject to the same lifestyle restrictions and virus testing regime as the players.[4][12]

The relocation of all ten Victorian clubs occurred after Round 5. Carlton, Western Bulldogs, North Melbourne, St Kilda, Richmond and Essendon moved to south-east Queensland; and Collingwood, Hawthorn, Geelong and Melbourne moved to New South Wales.[13] The relocation of the six New South Wales based clubs (Sydney, Greater Western Sydney and the four Victorian clubs) to Queensland then occurred after Round 8. These relocations will last until the end of the season.

The season's first quarantine hub occurred immediately after the resumption, and featured the clubs from South Australia and Western Australia – the most tightly restricted state at that time. The clubs hubbed in south-east Queensland – with the Western Australian teams arriving in Round 2 and the South Australian teams arriving in Round 3 (after their Round 2 Showdown game in Adelaide). The visiting teams played each other and the two Queensland-based clubs in a month-long hub until Round 6.[4]

From that point on, three three-week quarantine hubs were staged in Perth, to allow matches to be played there despite season-long quarantine requirements. Each time, two interstate clubs travelled at once from Queensland, and played each other while in quarantine, then the two Perth clubs while out of quarantine. These hubs were:

• Rounds 7–9: Geelong and Collingwood
• Rounds 9–12: Hawthorn and Carlton (including a bye)
• Rounds 12–14: Sydney and Greater Western Sydney

Freer travel between Queensland and South Australia allowed the South Australian teams to play a conventional interstate fixture after Round 7. Teams could also travel from Queensland to the Northern Territory, where three games were played. However, season-long Tasmanian border restrictions to all states resulted in no AFL matches being played in the state for the first time since 2000.

The hubbing arrangement resulted in many fixturing anomalies. Among the most notable occurred in Round 6, when all nine games were played in New South Wales and Queensland, traditionally rugby league territory. Whole rounds were played with no matches in Melbourne, which had only previously occurred in Round 8, 1952 (the promotional National Day Round). Clubs hosted several fixtured home games at interstate venues, and hub stadiums were sometimes used for multiple games on the same day – the first double-headers in senior VFL/AFL football since round 19, 1986. The desire to compress the schedule meant that the seven-game Round 10 and six-game Round 15 were played entirely on weekdays, the first time this had happened outside of rounds played on a public holiday.

COVID-19 breaches and penalties

• $0 - Adelaide - Sixteen players breached an AFL requirement to train in pairs while at a Barossa Valley resort.[14]

• $0 - Geelong - vice-captain Mark Blicavs hosted a house party ignoring social distancing rules amid the coronavirus outbreak.

• $0 - Western Bulldogs - Bailey Smith and Lachie Hunter has been fined by police for breaching COVID-19 restrictions.[15]

• $0 - Melbourne - Charlie Spargo and Kysaiah Pickett breached protocols when the pair travelled via an Uber to an unauthorised house for a non-essential gathering.[16]

• $0 - Port Adelaide - Ollie Wines breached the AFL protocols inviting anybody to visit who doesn't live at their house.[17]

• $0 - Essendon - Conor McKenna records positive covid test after visiting former host family. All subsequent tests were negative.[18]

• $0 - Fremantle - Luke Ryan, Jason Carter and Michael Frederick attend house party in breach of WA government protocols.[19]

• $50,000 - Hawthorn - Non-selected players entered a public area of the stadium in search for hot food.[20]

• $45,000 - Carlton - A member of the Club’s traveling group inadvertently breached AFL protocols after seeking assistance with childcare duties[21]

• $45,000 - Richmond - Captain Trent Cotchin's partner Brooke visited a day spa and posted about it on Instagram.[22]

• $45,000 - North Melbourne - a group of players' partners went to a game at the Gabba [23]

• $50,000 - Collingwood - Coach Nathan Buckley and asst coach Brenton Sanderson breach of the AFL's hub protocols by playing a social tennis match with Alicia Molik[24]

• $50,000 - Sydney - Player Elijah Taylor breached club quarantine by allowing his girlfriend into club hub.[25]

• • All penalties have $25,000 suspended in case of future breaches.

Crowds

Government restrictions on gatherings meant that, starting in Round 1, crowds were locked out of senior VFL/AFL matches for the first time in the code's history.[26] State governments gradually allowed crowds, often small and restricted in size, into games, starting immediately from the resumption in Round 2 in South Australia and New South Wales, from Round 3 in Queensland, and from football's resumption in Round 7 in Western Australia.[27] The sizes of allowable crowds changed as the season progressed, with early season Queensland and New South Wales crowds limited to only a few hundred, while half crowds were allowed in the largely virus-free Western Australia from Round 7.

Starting in Round 2 after the resumption of the season, broadcasters experimented with adding artificial crowd audio to lend a more normal feel to their telecasts to overcome the lack of genuine crowds in stadiums.[28]

Rule changes

Throughout the season, matches were played for a shortened length of 16 minutes plus time on per quarter, instead of 20 minutes plus time on. This was originally done at the start of the season, in the hope that playing shorter games could facilitate more frequent games than weekly, maximising the games which could be played before the anticipated suspension of the season;[29] but this did not eventuate, since the season was suspended after only one round. It was then retained after the resumption to lighten the load on players to take account for the compromised training schedule; and, to allow make-up games to be more easily scheduled between rounds when matches were postponed or refixtured.[30] As a direct result of this, it was a very low-scoring season, and several records or long-standing marks in low scoring were set during the season.

Financials

When the season was suspended, the league and clubs were faced with an acute cash flow shortage, as the gate and broadcast revenues which had been budgeted for stopped immediately;[31] clubs deriving revenues from gaming and other public venues also saw those revenues drop when public gatherings were restricted.[32] The league and clubs all stood down or severely reduced hours for huge percentages of their staff during the suspension; and the AFL agreed with both the AFLPA and ALFUA to significant play cuts for the players and umpires for the season, amounting to 50% of their wage from the point of the suspension until the end of the season, and increasing to 70% for any period of suspension which extends beyond the end of May.[33][34] The league successfully obtained a $500–600m line of credit with the National Australia Bank and ANZ Bank, leveraged against its ownership of Marvel Stadium, to cover its and its clubs' cash shortfalls during the suspension.[35]

Resuming the season and playing the shortened 17-game season in full, even without crowds, was important to ensure the league still took in most of its television revenue. Prior to the resumption, the league renegotiated its $417m/yr broadcast deals with Network Seven and Foxtel, ultimately resulting in a total television revenue reduction of approximately $150m over 2020–2022.[36]

Other effects

Among the other direct impacts of the pandemic were:

• The Dreamtime at the 'G match between Richmond and Essendon was not played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground per its name, but instead at TIO Stadium in Darwin.
• St Kilda and Port Adelaide did not play a match at Jiangwan Stadium in Shanghai, China, as scheduled as part of the original Round 11 – this decision being made while the virus was still mostly prevalent within China and prior to its spread in Australia,[37][38][39] but would eventually have been mandated by restrictions on international travel.
• The two-test international rules football series against Ireland, planned to have been played in Ireland in November, was cancelled.[40]

Pre-season

Marsh Community Series

Main article: 2020 Marsh Community Series

The pre-season series of games returned as the 2020 Marsh Community Series, with teams playing two games each. The games were stand-alone, with no overall winner of the series. Each team played two games, many at suburban or regional venues, while all games were televised on Fox Footy.[41]

State of Origin for Bushfire Relief Match

Main article: State of Origin for Bushfire Relief Match

A one-off benefit match was played on 28 February 2020, as a fundraiser for the relief effort for the 2019–20 Australian bushfire season.[42] The league donated $2.5 million to disaster relief funds in association with the match.[43] Selection for the two teams was under state of origin rules, and it was the first interstate representative match featuring AFL-listed players since the AFL Hall of Fame Tribute Match held in 2008.

	State of Origin for Bushfire Relief Match
Friday, 28 February 2020 (7:50 pm)	Victoria	def.	All-Stars	Marvel Stadium (crowd: 51,052)	Report
	4.1 (25) 10.2 (62) 15.7 (97)  24.10 (154)	Q1 Q2 Q3  Final	4.7 (31) 9.14 (68) 15.16 (106)  15.18 (108)	Umpires: Fisher, Stephens, Nicholls, Williamson Best on Ground Medal: Dustin Martin (Victoria)
Papley 5 Kelly, Greene 4 Martin, Gaff, Bontempelli, Gresham 2 Dangerfield, J Cameron, Lynch 1		Goals	C Cameron 3 Coniglio, Breust, Riewoldt, Smith 2 Neale, Weller, Walters, Hill 1
Kelly, Martin, Greene, Papley, Pendlebury, Haynes, Cotchin, Dangerfield		Best	Coniglio, C Cameron, Mills, Cripps, Neale, Johannisen

Premiership season

🌍

As the coronavirus situation developed, only the first round was played as originally drawn. The rest of the fixture was redrawn into a new seventeen-round season in which each team plays each other once.[44][45] The new rescheduled fixture was released gradually through the season, often at short notice, to allow the fixture to respond to developments in the spread of the virus.[46]

Round 1

	Round 1
Thursday, 19 March (7:40 pm)	Richmond 16.9 (105)	def.	Carlton 12.9 (81)	MCG (crowd: 0)	Report
Friday, 20 March (7:50 pm)	Western Bulldogs 5.4 (34)	def. by	Collingwood 13.8 (86)	Marvel Stadium (crowd: 0)	Report
Saturday, 21 March (2:10 pm)	Essendon 9.9 (63)	def.	Fremantle 8.9 (57)	Marvel Stadium (crowd: 0)	Report
Saturday, 21 March (4:35 pm)	Adelaide 11.5 (71)	def. by	Sydney 11.8 (74)	Adelaide Oval (crowd: 0)	Report
Saturday, 21 March (7:40 pm)	Greater Western Sydney 17.3 (105)	def.	Geelong 11.7 (73)	Sydney Showground Stadium (crowd: 0)	Report
Saturday, 21 March (6:40 pm)	Gold Coast 4.5 (29)	def. by	Port Adelaide 10.16 (76)	Metricon Stadium (crowd: 0)	Report
Sunday, 22 March (1:05 pm)	North Melbourne 8.8 (56)	def.	St Kilda 7.12 (54)	Marvel Stadium (crowd: 0)	Report
Sunday, 22 March (3:35 pm)	Hawthorn 14.6 (90)	def.	Brisbane Lions 9.8 (62)	MCG (crowd: 0)	Report
Sunday, 22 March (3:40 pm)	West Coast 12.6 (78)	def.	Melbourne 7.9 (51)	Optus Stadium (crowd: 0)	Report
Greater Western Sydney scored at 85% accuracy, beating its previous highest accuracy of 77.78% (minimum 15 scoring shots) in round 11, 2016, also against Geelong.[47]

Round 2

	Round 2
Thursday, 11 June (7:40 pm)	Collingwood 5.6 (36)	drew with	Richmond 5.6 (36)	MCG (crowd: 0)	Report
Friday, 12 June (7:50 pm)	Geelong 17.6 (108)	def.	Hawthorn 7.5 (47)	GMHBA Stadium (crowd: 0)	Report
Saturday, 13 June (1:45 pm)	Brisbane Lions 12.9 (81)	def.	Fremantle 10.9 (69)	Gabba (crowd: 0)	Report
Saturday, 13 June (4:35 pm)	Carlton 7.11 (53)	def. by	Melbourne 8.6 (54)	Marvel Stadium (crowd: 0)	Report
Saturday, 13 June (7:10 pm)	Port Adelaide 17.8 (110)	def.	Adelaide 5.5 (35)	Adelaide Oval (crowd: 2,240)	Report
Saturday, 13 June (7:40 pm)	Gold Coast 14.6 (90)	def.	West Coast 6.10 (46)	Metricon Stadium (crowd: 0)	Report
Sunday, 14 June (1:05 pm)	Greater Western Sydney 8.12 (60)	def. by	North Melbourne 12.8 (80)	GIANTS Stadium (crowd: 350)	Report
Sunday, 14 June (3:35 pm)	Sydney 11.7 (73)	def. by	Essendon 12.7 (79)	SCG (crowd: 337[48])	Report
Sunday, 14 June (6:05 pm)	St Kilda 14.4 (88)	def.	Western Bulldogs 7.7 (49)	Marvel Stadium (crowd: 0)	Report
Collingwood's and Richmond's combined score of 10.12 (72) was the lowest combined score since round 11, 1999.[49] Port Adelaide recorded their largest winning margin, 75 points, against Adelaide in a Showdown.[50] Adelaide's score of 5.5 (35) was the lowest score by either side in a Showdown, and their lowest ever score at either Adelaide Oval or Football Park.[51] Gold Coast won its first game since round 4, 2019, breaking a 19 game losing streak.[52]

Round 3

	Round 3
Thursday, 18 June (7:40 pm)	Richmond 5.9 (39)	def. by	Hawthorn 11.5 (71)	MCG (crowd: 0)	Report
Friday, 19 June (7:50 pm)	Western Bulldogs 8.9 (57)	def.	Greater Western Sydney 4.9 (33)	Marvel Stadium (crowd: 0)	Report
Saturday, 20 June (1:45 pm)	North Melbourne 8.12 (60)	def. by	Sydney 10.11 (71)	Marvel Stadium (crowd: 0)	Report
Saturday, 20 June (4:35 pm)	Collingwood 12.9 (81)	def.	St Kilda 5.7 (37)	MCG (crowd: 0)	Report
Saturday, 20 June (7:40 pm)	Geelong 11.11 (77)	def. by	Carlton 12.7 (79)	GMHBA Stadium (crowd: 0)	Report
Saturday, 20 June (7:40 pm)	Brisbane Lions 10.14 (74)	def.	West Coast 6.8 (44)	Gabba (crowd: 1,965)	Report
Sunday, 21 June (3:05 pm)	Gold Coast 12.10 (82)	def.	Adelaide 4.5 (29)	Metricon Stadium (crowd: 1,997[53])	Report
Sunday, 21 June (8:10 pm)	Fremantle 6.5 (41)	def. by	Port Adelaide 10.10 (70)	Metricon Stadium (crowd: 180)	Report
	Bye: Essendon, Melbourne
Gold Coast defeated Adelaide for the first time, having lost its first thirteen encounters against them. This meant that Gold Coast had now beaten every other team in the league at least once.[54] Adelaide lost at Metricon Stadium for the first time in their history, breaking an eleven-game winning streak at the venue.[55] Adelaide's final score of 4.5 (29) was its lowest ever score at Metricon Stadium, and the lowest score conceded by Gold Coast.[56][57] Adelaide's three quarter time score of 1.4 (10) was its lowest three quarter time score of all time.[54] After Conor McKenna (Essendon) tested positive to COVID-19 in his pre-match test, the Essendon vs Melbourne match was postponed at 24 hours notice from Sunday, 21 June at the MCG. The match was ultimately rescheduled to Round 18. The round later became a bye round for both teams.[58]

Round 4

	Round 4
Thursday, 25 June (7:40 pm)	Sydney 5.9 (39)	def. by	Western Bulldogs 10.7 (67)	SCG (crowd: 605)	Report
Friday, 26 June (7:50 pm)	Greater Western Sydney 10.6 (66)	def.	Collingwood 9.10 (64)	GIANTS Stadium (crowd: 487)	Report
Saturday, 27 June (1:45 pm)	Port Adelaide 13.11 (89)	def.	West Coast 6.5 (41)	Metricon Stadium (crowd: 450)	Report
Saturday, 27 June (4:35 pm)	St Kilda 15.3 (93)	def.	Richmond 10.7 (67)	Marvel Stadium (crowd: 0)	Report
Saturday, 27 June (7:40 pm)	Essendon 8.3 (51)	def. by	Carlton 7.10 (52)	MCG (crowd: 0)	Report
Saturday, 27 June (7:40 pm)	Gold Coast 10.4 (64)	def.	Fremantle 8.3 (51)	Metricon Stadium (crowd: 5,106)	Report
Sunday, 28 June (1:05 pm)	Brisbane Lions 10.23 (83)	def.	Adelaide 7.4 (46)	Gabba (crowd: 7,354)	Report
Sunday, 28 June (3:35 pm)	Melbourne 6.8 (44)	def. by	Geelong 7.5 (47)	MCG (crowd: 0)	Report
Sunday, 28 June (6:05 pm)	Hawthorn 8.10 (58)	def.	North Melbourne 8.6 (54)	Marvel Stadium (crowd: 0)	Report
In the first half of their game, Gold Coast scored 7.0 (42) and Fremantle scored 6.0 (36), making it the first half of football in VFL/AFL history in which no behinds were scored.[59]

Round 5

	Round 5
Thursday, 2 July (7:40 pm)	Carlton 8.7 (55)	def. by	St Kilda 11.7 (73)	Marvel Stadium (crowd: 0)	Report
Friday, 3 July (7:50 pm)	Collingwood 7.6 (48)	def. by	Essendon 10.3 (63)	MCG (crowd: 0)	Report
Saturday, 4 July (1:45 pm)	West Coast 11.11 (77)	def.	Sydney 6.7 (43)	Metricon Stadium (crowd: 2,238)	Report
Saturday, 4 July (4:35 pm)	Geelong 13.11 (89)	def.	Gold Coast 8.4 (52)	GMHBA Stadium (crowd: 0)	Report
Saturday, 4 July (7:40 pm)	Western Bulldogs 13.9 (87)	def.	North Melbourne 5.8 (38)	Marvel Stadium (crowd: 0)	Report
Saturday, 4 July (7:40 pm)	Brisbane Lions 12.13 (85)	def.	Port Adelaide 6.12 (48)	Gabba (crowd: 10,161)	Report
Sunday, 5 July (1:05 pm)	Adelaide 4.10 (34)	def. by	Fremantle 8.6 (54)	Metricon Stadium (crowd: 418)	Report
Sunday, 5 July (3:35 pm)	Melbourne 8.4 (52)	def. by	Richmond 12.7 (79)	MCG (crowd: 0)	Report
Sunday, 5 July (6:10 pm)	Greater Western Sydney 13.5 (83)	def.	Hawthorn 7.7 (49)	GIANTS Stadium (crowd: 5,674)	Report

Round 6

	Round 6
Thursday, 9 July (7:40 pm)	Geelong 11.7 (73)	def.	Brisbane Lions 6.10 (46)	SCG (crowd: 1,311)	Report
Friday, 10 July (7:50 pm)	Collingwood 8.11 (59)	def.	Hawthorn 3.9 (27)	GIANTS Stadium (crowd: 1,772)	Report
Saturday, 11 July (12:35 pm)	Fremantle 12.7 (79)	def.	St Kilda 11.7 (73)	Metricon Stadium (crowd: 638)	Report
Saturday, 11 July (3:05 pm)	West Coast 10.7 (67)	def.	Adelaide 5.4 (34)	Gabba (crowd: 210)	Report
Saturday, 11 July (6:05 pm)	Melbourne 12.8 (80)	def.	Gold Coast 9.9 (63)	GIANTS Stadium (crowd: 250)	Report
Saturday, 11 July (7:40 pm)	Essendon 9.13 (67)	def.	North Melbourne 7.11 (53)	Metricon Stadium (crowd: 4,271)	Report
Sunday, 12 July (1:05 pm)	Port Adelaide 9.9 (63)	def.	Greater Western Sydney 6.10 (46)	Metricon Stadium (crowd: 368)	Report
Sunday, 12 July (3:35 pm)	Richmond 4.10 (34)	def.	Sydney 3.8 (26)	Gabba (crowd: 3,606)	Report
Sunday, 12 July (6:45 pm)	Carlton 16.7 (103)	def.	Western Bulldogs 7.9 (51)	Metricon Stadium (crowd: 2,178)	Report
Hawthorn's score of 3.9 (27) was its lowest in a game since Round 21, 1975.[60] The combined score of 7.18 (60) in the rain-affected match between Richmond and Sydney was the lowest in any game since Round 16, 1996.[61] Sydney's score of 3.8 (26) was its lowest in a game since Round 13, 1988.[62]

Round 7

	Round 7
Thursday, 16 July (6:10 pm)	Geelong 5.5 (35)	def. by	Collingwood 8.9 (57)	Optus Stadium (crowd: 22,077)	Report
Friday, 17 July (7:50 pm)	Essendon 7.9 (51)	def. by	Western Bulldogs 14.9 (93)	Metricon Stadium (crowd: 4,949)	Report
Saturday, 18 July (1:45 pm)	Greater Western Sydney 10.8 (68)	def. by	Brisbane Lions 13.10 (88)	GIANTS Stadium (crowd: 3,168)	Report
Saturday, 18 July (4:35 pm)	Sydney 9.6 (60)	def. by	Gold Coast 13.14 (92)	SCG (crowd: 6,000)	Report
Saturday, 18 July (7:40 pm)	Richmond 11.11 (77)	def.	North Melbourne 2.11 (23)	Metricon Stadium (crowd: 4,337)	Report
Sunday, 19 July (1:05 pm)	Carlton 9.7 (61)	def. by	Port Adelaide 9.10 (64)	Gabba (crowd: 3,510)	Report
Sunday, 19 July (3:35 pm)	Hawthorn 7.6 (48)	def. by	Melbourne 14.7 (91)	GIANTS Stadium (crowd: 750)	Report
Sunday, 19 July (6:35 pm)	Fremantle 5.2 (32)	def. by	West Coast 9.8 (62)	Optus Stadium (crowd: 25,306)	Report
Monday, 20 July (7:40 pm)	Adelaide 8.7 (55)	def. by	St Kilda 12.6 (78)	Adelaide Oval (crowd: 13,173)	Report
Robbie Gray kicked a goal after the final siren to win the match for Port Adelaide.[63] North Melbourne's score of 2.11 (23) was the lowest score ever recorded at Metricon Stadium.[64] St Kilda won its first premiership AFL match at Adelaide Oval, after ten consecutive losses.[65]

Round 8

	Round 8
Thursday, 23 July (7:40 pm)	Gold Coast 6.10 (46)	def. by	Western Bulldogs 7.9 (51)	Metricon Stadium (crowd: 4,039)	Report
Friday, 24 July (7:50 pm)	Greater Western Sydney 9.8 (62)	def.	Richmond 6.14 (50)	GIANTS Stadium (crowd: 5,500)	Report
Saturday, 25 July (1:05 pm)	North Melbourne 9.3 (57)	def. by	Carlton 9.10 (64)	Gabba (crowd: 3,655)	Report
Saturday, 25 July (3:35 pm)	Sydney 9.6 (60)	def.	Hawthorn 7.11 (53)	SCG (crowd: 4,264)	Report
Saturday, 25 July (7:10 pm)	Port Adelaide 6.8 (44)	def. by	St Kilda 12.1 (73)	Adelaide Oval (crowd: 16,727)	Report
Sunday, 26 July (12:35 pm)	Adelaide 8.11 (59)	def. by	Essendon 9.8 (62)	Adelaide Oval (crowd: 15,155)	Report
Sunday, 26 July (3:35 pm)	West Coast 18.3 (111)	def.	Collingwood 6.9 (45)	Optus Stadium (crowd: 24,824)	Report
Sunday, 26 July (6:10 pm)	Melbourne 7.7 (49)	def. by	Brisbane Lions 7.11 (53)	Metricon Stadium (crowd: 3,011)	Report
Monday, 27 July (6:10 pm)	Fremantle 2.4 (16)	def. by	Geelong 6.12 (48)	Optus Stadium (crowd: 20,251)	Report

Round 9

	Round 9
Wednesday, 29 July (7:10 pm)	Western Bulldogs 7.7 (49)	def. by	Richmond 13.12 (90)	Metricon Stadium (crowd: 2,824)	Report
Thursday, 30 July (7:50 pm)	Melbourne 4.8 (32)	def. by	Port Adelaide 12.11 (83)	Gabba (crowd: 323)	Report
Friday, 31 July (3:40 pm)	Carlton 9.4 (58)	def. by	Hawthorn 14.5 (89)	Optus Stadium (crowd: 12,304)	Report
Friday, 31 July (8:10 pm)	Essendon 3.10 (28)	def. by	Brisbane Lions 14.7 (91)	Metricon Stadium (crowd: 4,863)	Report
Saturday, 1 August (2:35 pm)	North Melbourne 19.5 (119)	def.	Adelaide 7.8 (50)	Metricon Stadium (crowd: 522)	Report
Saturday, 1 August (5:10 pm)	St Kilda 15.11 (101)	def.	Sydney 6.12 (48)	Gabba (crowd: 2,978)	Report
Saturday, 1 August (6:10 pm)	West Coast 11.7 (73)	def.	Geelong 10.4 (64)	Optus Stadium (crowd: 26,211)	Report
Sunday, 2 August (3:35 pm)	Gold Coast 4.11 (35)	def. by	Greater Western Sydney 9.7 (61)	Metricon Stadium (crowd: 4,363)	Report
Sunday, 2 August (4:10 pm)	Fremantle 10.1 (61)	def.	Collingwood 7.7 (49)	Optus Stadium (crowd: 20,912)	Report
St Kilda defeated Sydney for the first time since round nine, 2012, ending a ten match losing streak.[66]

Round 10

	Round 10
Monday, 3 August (6:40 pm)	Port Adelaide 8.7 (55)	def.	Western Bulldogs 5.12 (42)	Adelaide Oval (crowd: 14,159)	Report
Tuesday, 4 August (7:10 pm)	Richmond 12.10 (82)	def.	Brisbane Lions 4.17 (41)	Metricon Stadium (crowd: 5,651)	Report
Wednesday, 5 August (5:40 pm)	Geelong 13.12 (90)	def.	North Melbourne 9.3 (57)	Gabba (crowd: 2,282)	Report
Wednesday, 5 August (7:40 pm)	Adelaide 5.7 (37)	def. by	Melbourne 13.10 (88)	Adelaide Oval (crowd: 12,022)	Report
Thursday, 6 August (5:40 pm)	Collingwood 6.14 (50)	def.	Sydney 6.5 (41)	Gabba (crowd: 4,146)	Report
Thursday, 6 August (8:10 pm)	Gold Coast 11.8 (74)	def. by	St Kilda 12.6 (78)	Metricon Stadium (crowd: 3,095)	Report
Friday, 7 August (7:50 pm)	Essendon 8.7 (55)	def. by	Greater Western Sydney 8.11 (59)	Metricon Stadium (crowd: 1,178)	Report
	Bye: Carlton, Fremantle, Hawthorn, West Coast

Round 11

	Round 11
Saturday, 8 August (4:05 pm)	Port Adelaide 13.15 (93)	def.	Richmond 11.6 (72)	Adelaide Oval (crowd: 10,256)	Report
Saturday, 8 August (7:40 pm)	Brisbane Lions 14.12 (96)	def.	Western Bulldogs 11.6 (72)	Gabba (crowd: 11,061)	Report
Sunday, 9 August (1:35 pm)	West Coast 11.6 (72)	def.	Carlton 7.8 (50)	Optus Stadium (crowd: 19,092)	Report
Sunday, 9 August (5:40 pm)	Melbourne 13.14 (92)	def.	North Melbourne 5.5 (35)	Adelaide Oval (crowd: 2,172)	Report
Monday, 10 August (6:10 pm)	St Kilda 4.10 (34)	def. by	Geelong 14.9 (93)	Gabba (crowd: 3,903)	Report
Monday, 10 August (6:40 pm)	Fremantle 7.6 (48)	def.	Hawthorn 4.8 (32)	Optus Stadium (crowd: 18,512)	Report
Tuesday, 11 August (6:05 pm)	Adelaide 5.8 (38)	def. by	Collingwood 10.2 (62)	Adelaide Oval (crowd: 8,577)	Report
Wednesday, 12 August (7:10 pm)	Gold Coast 11.7 (73)	drew with	Essendon 11.7 (73)	Metricon Stadium (crowd: 4,303)	Report
	Bye: Greater Western Sydney, Sydney

Round 12

	Round 12
Thursday, 13 August (6:10 pm)	Sydney 10.6 (66)	def.	Greater Western Sydney 3.7 (25)	Optus Stadium (crowd: 6,464)	Report
Friday, 14 August (7:50 pm)	Geelong 14.7 (91)	def.	Port Adelaide 4.7 (31)	Metricon Stadium (crowd: 3,378)	Report
Saturday, 15 August (2:35 pm)	North Melbourne 8.4 (52)	def. by	Brisbane Lions 7.11 (53)	Metricon Stadium (crowd: 2,722)	Report
Saturday, 15 August (5:10 pm)	Melbourne 16.4 (100)	def.	Collingwood 6.8 (44)	Gabba (crowd: 5,338)	Report
Saturday, 15 August (6:10 pm)	Fremantle 5.6 (36)	def. by	Carlton 5.10 (40)	Optus Stadium (crowd: 24,114)	Report
Sunday,16 August (1:05 pm)	Western Bulldogs 16.15 (111)	def.	Adelaide 8.6 (54)	Metricon Stadium	Report
Sunday, 16 August (3:35 pm)	St Kilda 10.8 (68)	def.	Essendon 5.3 (33)	Gabba
Sunday, 16 August (4:10 pm)	West Coast 12.9 (81)	def.	Hawthorn 7.7 (49)	Optus Stadium (crowd: 22,870)
Monday, 17 August (7:10 pm)	Richmond	vs.	Gold Coast	Gabba
Jack Newnes kicked a goal after the final siren to win the match for Carlton.

Round 13

	Round 13 (Sir Doug Nicholls Round)
Friday, 21 August (7:20 pm)	Gold Coast	vs.	Carlton	TIO Stadium
Saturday, 22 August (1:45 pm)	Western Bulldogs	vs.	Melbourne	Metricon Stadium
Saturday, 22 August (4:05 pm)	Port Adelaide	vs.	Hawthorn	Adelaide Oval
Saturday, 22 August (7:10 pm)	Essendon	vs.	Richmond	TIO Stadium
Saturday, 22 August (6:10 pm)	Fremantle	vs.	Sydney	Optus Stadium
Sunday, 23 August (12:35 pm)	Adelaide	vs.	Geelong	Adelaide Oval
Sunday, 23 August (3:35 pm)	Brisbane Lions	vs.	St Kilda	Gabba
Sunday, 23 August (4:10 pm)	West Coast	vs.	Greater Western Sydney	Optus Stadium
Monday, 24 August (7:10 pm)	Collingwood	vs.	North Melbourne	Gabba

Round 14

	Round 14
Thursday, 27 August (4:10 pm)	Hawthorn	vs.	Essendon	Adelaide Oval
Thursday, 27 August (7:10 pm)	Richmond	vs.	West Coast	Metricon Stadium
Friday, 28 August (7:50 pm)	Western Bulldogs	vs.	Geelong	Metricon Stadium
Saturday, 29 August (1:15 pm)	Port Adelaide	vs.	Sydney	Adelaide Oval
Saturday, 29 August (2:35 pm)	Fremantle	vs.	Greater Western Sydney	Optus Stadium
Saturday, 29 August (7:10 pm)	Melbourne	vs.	St Kilda	TIO Traeger Park
Sunday, 30 August (3:35 pm)	Carlton	vs.	Collingwood	The Gabba
Sunday, 30 August (6:10 pm)	Gold Coast	vs.	North Melbourne	Metricon Stadium
	Bye: Adelaide, Brisbane Lions
Source

Round 15

	Round 15
Tuesday, 1 September (5:10 pm)	Hawthorn	vs.	Adelaide	Adelaide Oval
Tuesday, 1 September (8:10 pm)	West Coast	vs.	Essendon	The Gabba
Wednesday, 2 September (7:10 pm)	Richmond	vs.	Fremantle	Metricon Stadium
Thursday, 3 September (4:40 pm)	Sydney	vs.	Melbourne	Cazaly's Stadium
Thursday, 3 September (7:10 pm)	Greater Western Sydney	vs.	Carlton	Metricon Stadium
Friday, 4 September (7:50 pm)	Brisbane Lions	vs.	Collingwood	The Gabba
	Bye: Geelong, Gold Coast, North Melbourne, Port Adelaide, St Kilda, Western Bulldogs

Round 16

	Round 16
Saturday, 5 September (7:40 pm)	North Melbourne	vs.	Port Adelaide	Metricon Stadium
Sunday, 6 September (1:05 pm)	St Kilda	vs.	Hawthorn	Metricon Stadium
Sunday, 6 September (3:35 pm)	Geelong	vs.	Essendon	The Gabba
Sunday, 6 September (6:10 pm)	Western Bulldogs	vs.	West Coast	Metricon Stadium
Monday, 7 September (7:10 pm)	Melbourne	vs.	Fremantle	Cazaly's Stadium
Tuesday, 8 September (5:10 pm)	Adelaide	vs.	Greater Western Sydney	Adelaide Oval
Tuesday, 8 September (8:10 pm)	Carlton	vs.	Sydney	Metricon Stadium
Wednesday, 9 September (7:10 pm)	Brisbane Lions	vs.	Gold Coast	The Gabba
	Bye: Collingwood, Richmond

Round 17

	Round 17
Thursday, 10 September (7:10 pm)	St Kilda	vs.	West Coast	The Gabba
Friday, 11 September (7:50 pm)	Geelong	vs.	Richmond	Metricon Stadium
Saturday, 12 September (1:45 pm)	North Melbourne	vs.	Fremantle	Metricon Stadium
Saturday, 12 September (4:05 pm)	Port Adelaide	vs.	Essendon	Adelaide Oval
Saturday, 12 September (7:40 pm)	Greater Western Sydney	vs.	Melbourne	The Gabba
Sunday, 13 September (1:05 pm)	Carlton	vs.	Adelaide	Metricon Stadium
Sunday, 13 September (3:05 pm)	Hawthorn	vs.	Western Bulldogs	Adelaide Oval
Sunday, 13 September (6:10 pm)	Sydney	vs.	Brisbane Lions	Cazaly's Stadium
Monday, 14 September (7:10 pm)	Collingwood	vs.	Gold Coast	The Gabba

Round 18

	Round 18
TBC	Adelaide	vs.	Richmond	TBD
TBC	Brisbane Lions	vs.	Carlton	TBD
TBC	Collingwood	vs.	Port Adelaide	TBD
TBC	Essendon	vs.	Melbourne	TBD
TBC	Fremantle	vs.	Western Bulldogs	TBD
TBC	Hawthorn	vs.	Gold Coast	TBD
TBC	North Melbourne	vs.	West Coast	TBD
TBC	St Kilda	vs.	Greater Western Sydney	TBD
TBC	Sydney	vs.	Geelong	TBD

Win/loss table

Colour	Result
Green	Win
Red	Loss
Blue	Draw

Bold – Home game
X – Bye
Opponent for round listed above margin

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	F1	F2	F3	GF	Ladder
Adelaide	Syd 3	PA 75	GCS 53	BL 37	Frem 20	WCE 33	StK 23	Ess 3	NM 69	Melb 51	Coll 24	WB 57	Geel	X	Haw	GWS	Carl	Rich					18
Brisbane Lions	Haw 28	Frem 12	WCE 30	Adel 37	PA 37	Geel 27	GWS 20	Melb 4	Ess 63	Rich 41	WB 24	NM 1	StK	X	Coll	GCS	Syd	Carl					2
Carlton	Rich 24	Melb 1	Geel 2	Ess 1	StK 18	WB 52	PA 3	NM 7	Haw 31	X	WCE 22	Frem 4	GCS	Coll	GWS	Syd	Adel	BL					13
Collingwood	WB 52	Rich 0	StK 44	GWS 2	Ess 15	Haw 32	Geel 22	WCE 66	Frem 12	Syd 9	Adel 24	Melb 56	NM	Carl	BL	X	GCS	PA					7
Essendon	Frem 6	Syd 6	X	Carl 1	Coll 15	NM 14	WB 42	Adel 3	BL 63	GWS 4	GCS 0	StK 35	Rich	Haw	WCE	Geel	PA	Melb					9
Fremantle	Ess 6	BL 12	PA 29	GCS 13	Adel 20	StK 6	WCE 30	Geel 32	Coll 12	X	Haw 16	Carl 4	Syd	GWS	Rich	Melb	NM	WB					14
Geelong	GWS 32	Haw 61	Carl 2	Melb 3	GCS 37	BL 27	Coll 22	Frem 32	WCE 9	NM 33	StK 59	PA 60	Adel	WB	X	Ess	Rich	Syd					3
Gold Coast	PA 47	WCE 44	Adel 53	Frem 13	Geel 37	Melb 17	Syd 32	WB 5	GWS 26	StK 4	Ess 0	Rich	Carl	NM	X	BL	Coll	Haw					12
Greater Western Sydney	Geel 32	NM 20	WB 24	Coll 2	Haw 34	PA 17	BL 20	Rich 12	GCS 26	Ess 4	X	Syd 41	WCE	Frem	Carl	Adel	Melb	StK					8
Hawthorn	BL 28	Geel 61	Rich 32	NM 4	GWS 34	Coll 32	Melb 43	Syd 7	Carl 31	X	Frem 16	WCE 32	PA	Ess	Adel	StK	WB	GCS					15
Melbourne	WCE 27	Carl 1	X	Geel 3	Rich 27	GCS 17	Haw 43	BL 4	PA 51	Adel 51	NM 57	Coll 56	WB	StK	Syd	Frem	GWS	Ess					10
North Melbourne	StK 2	GWS 20	Syd 11	Haw 4	WB 49	Ess 14	Rich 54	Carl 7	Adel 69	Geel 33	Melb 57	BL 1	Coll	GCS	X	PA	Frem	WCE					17
Port Adelaide	GCS 47	Adel 75	Frem 29	WCE 48	BL 37	GWS 17	Carl 3	StK 29	Melb 51	WB 13	Rich 21	Geel 60	Haw	Syd	X	NM	Ess	Coll					1
Richmond	Carl 24	Coll 0	Haw 32	StK 26	Melb 27	Syd 8	NM 54	GWS 12	WB 41	BL 41	PA 21	GCS	Ess	WCE	Frem	X	Geel	Adel					6
St Kilda	NM 2	WB 39	Coll 44	Rich 26	Carl 18	Frem 6	Adel 23	PA 29	Syd 53	GCS 4	Geel 59	Ess 35	BL	Melb	X	Haw	WCE	GWS					5
Sydney	Adel 3	Ess 6	NM 11	WB 28	WCE 34	Rich 8	GCS 32	Haw 7	StK 53	Coll 9	X	GWS 41	Frem	PA	Melb	Carl	BL	Geel					16
West Coast	Melb 27	GCS 44	BL 30	PA 48	Syd 34	Adel 33	Frem 30	Coll 66	Geel 9	X	Carl 22	Haw 32	GWS	Rich	Ess	WB	StK	NM					4
Western Bulldogs	Coll 52	StK 39	GWS 24	Syd 28	NM 49	Carl 52	Ess 42	GCS 5	Rich 41	PA 13	BL 24	Adel 57	Melb	Geel	X	WCE	Haw	Frem					11
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	F1	F2	F3	GF	Ladder

Ladder

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	D	PF	PA	PP	Pts	Qualification
1	Port Adelaide	12	9	3	0	826	648	127.5	36	Finals series
2	Brisbane Lions	12	9	3	0	853	721	118.3	36
3	Geelong	12	8	4	0	888	641	138.5	32
4	West Coast	11	8	3	0	752	621	121.1	32
5	St Kilda	12	8	4	0	850	734	115.8	32
6	Richmond	11	6	4	1	731	627	116.6	26
7	Collingwood	12	6	5	1	681	649	104.9	26
8	Melbourne	11	6	5	0	733	620	118.2	24
9	Greater Western Sydney	11	6	5	0	668	680	98.2	24
10	Western Bulldogs	12	6	6	0	763	779	97.9	24
11	Essendon	11	5	5	1	625	726	86.1	22
12	Carlton	11	5	6	0	696	729	95.5	20
13	Gold Coast	11	4	6	1	700	694	100.9	18
14	Fremantle	11	4	7	0	544	616	88.3	16
15	Sydney	11	4	7	0	601	709	84.8	16
16	Hawthorn	11	4	7	0	613	743	82.5	16
17	North Melbourne	12	3	9	0	684	823	83.1	12
18	Adelaide (E)	12	0	12	0	542	990	54.7	0

Updated to match(es) played on 15 August 2020. Source: AFL
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for.
(E) Eliminated.

Ladder progression

• Numbers highlighted in green indicates the team finished the round inside the top 8.
• Numbers highlighted in blue indicates the team finished in first place on the ladder in that round.
• Numbers highlighted in red indicates the team finished in last place on the ladder in that round.
• Underlined numbers indicates the team did not play during that round, either due to a bye or a postponed game.
• Subscript numbers indicate ladder position at round's end.

Points by round

Team ╲ Round	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18
Port Adelaide	41	81	121	161	161	201	241	241	281	321	361	361
Brisbane Lions	015	411	85	123	162	163	202	242	282	283	322	362
Geelong	014	47	410	86	123	162	165	203	206	245	283	323
West Coast	43	412	415	416	815	1211	168	205	244	246	284	324
St Kilda	010	46	411	87	124	127	166	204	243	282	285	325
Richmond	46	65	69	614	1011	146	184	189	225	264	266
Collingwood	42	64	102	105	1010	145	183	188	1810	228	267
Melbourne	016	414	414	415	417	815	1212	1213	1215	1612	2010	248
Greater Western Sydney	45	48	412	810	127	1210	1213	1612	207	247	248	249
Western Bulldogs	017	018	416	813	128	1212	169	206	208	209	2011	2410
Essendon	47	83	84	88	125	164	1610	207	209	2010	229
Gold Coast	018	410	83	122	126	129	167	1610	1611	1611	1812
Carlton	013	016	413	812	812	128	1211	1611	1612	1613	1613
Fremantle	012	015	017	017	416	814	815	816	1216	1216	1614	1614
Sydney	48	49	87	811	814	817	816	1214	1217	1217	1217	1615
Hawthorn	44	413	88	124	129	1213	1214	1215	1613	1614	1615	1616
North Melbourne	49	82	86	89	813	816	817	817	1214	1215	1216	1217
Adelaide	011	017	018	018	018	018	018	018	018	018	018	018

Source:

Club leadership

Club	Coach	Captain(s)	Vice-captain(s)	Leadership group	Ref.
Adelaide	Matthew Nicks	Rory Sloane		Matt Crouch, Tom Doedee, Tom Lynch, Brodie Smith	[67]
Brisbane Lions	Chris Fagan	Dayne Zorko	Harris Andrews	Jarrod Berry, Darcy Gardiner, Ryan Lester, Jarryd Lyons, Stefan Martin, Hugh McCluggage, Lachie Neale	[68]
Carlton	David Teague	Patrick Cripps Sam Docherty		Ed Curnow, Liam Jones, Marc Murphy, Sam Walsh, Jacob Weitering	[69]
Collingwood	Nathan Buckley	Scott Pendlebury	Taylor Adams, Steele Sidebottom, Jeremy Howe	Brodie Grundy, Jordan Roughead	[70]
Essendon	John Worsfold	Dyson Heppell		Michael Hurley, Dylan Shiel, Devon Smith, David Zaharakis	[71]
Fremantle	Justin Longmuir	Nat Fyfe		Reece Conca, Joel Hamling, David Mundy, Alex Pearce, Michael Walters	[72]
Geelong	Chris Scott	Joel Selwood	Mark Blicavs, Patrick Dangerfield	Mitch Duncan, Mark O'Connor, Tom Stewart, Zach Tuohy	[73]
Gold Coast	Stuart Dew	David Swallow Jarrod Witts	Touk Miller	Sam Collins, Brayden Fiorini, Alex Sexton	[74]
Greater Western Sydney	Leon Cameron	Stephen Coniglio	Josh Kelly	Jeremy Cameron, Matt de Boer, Toby Greene, Lachie Whitfield	[75][76]
Hawthorn	Alastair Clarkson	Ben Stratton	Tom Mitchell, Jaeger O'Meara	Jack Gunston, Ben McEvoy, Liam Shiels, Isaac Smith	[77]
Melbourne	Simon Goodwin	Max Gawn	Jack Viney		[78]
North Melbourne	Rhyce Shaw	Jack Ziebell	Shaun Higgins, Robbie Tarrant	Ben Cunnington, Trent Dumont, Jamie Macmillan, Jasper Pittard, Jy Simpkin	[79]
Port Adelaide	Ken Hinkley	Tom Jonas	Hamish Hartlett, Ollie Wines		[80]
Richmond	Damien Hardwick	Trent Cotchin	Jack Riewoldt		[81]
St Kilda	Brett Ratten	Jarryn Geary	Sebastian Ross	Jack Billings, Bradley Hill, Tim Membrey, Dylan Roberton	[82]
Sydney	John Longmire	Josh Kennedy Luke Parker Dane Rampe		Lance Franklin, Callum Mills	[83]
West Coast	Adam Simpson	Luke Shuey	Josh Kennedy, Jeremy McGovern	Jack Darling, Andrew Gaff, Nic Naitanui, Elliot Yeo	[84]
Western Bulldogs	Luke Beveridge	Marcus Bontempelli		Josh Dunkley, Jason Johannisen, Mitch Wallis, Easton Wood	[85]

Coach changes

Coach	Club	Date	Notes	Caretaker	New coach
John Worsfold	Essendon	17 September 2019	Will step down at the conclusion of the club's 2020 season as part of a succession plan.[86]	N/A	Ben Rutten[86]

Awards

Coleman Medal

Player	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	Total
Tom Hawkins	2	0	2	1	3	3	0	3	2	3	5	6							30
Josh Kennedy	0	1	1	4	0	1	4	7	4	-	2	3							27
Dan Butler	0	2	2	3	2	1	3	2	2	4	0	1							22
Charlie Dixon	-	3	2	6	0	1	3	1	1	2	2	0							21
Tom Papley	1	3	2	4	1	2	2	4	1	1	-	0							21
Matt Taberner	1	2	2	1	1	2	2	1	4	-	2	3							21
Charlie Cameron	2	4	1	2	1	1	2	2	4	1	0	-							20
Ben King	1	1	3	2	3	1	1	0	1	3	2								18
Max King	2	2	1	0	2	1	2	1	3	1	0	3							18
Jeremy Cameron	3	1	1	2	2	2	2	0	2	2	-	1							18
Tom Lynch	0	3	1	2	3	1	1	0	2	3	1								17
Eric Hipwood	3	1	0	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	5	1							17
Mitch Wallis	1	1	1	0	2	1	3	1	3	0	3	0							16
Jack Gunston	0	2	2	0	3	1	3	1	3	-	1	2							18
Jack Riewoldt	3	0	0	1	1	1	1	1	1	4	3								16
Bayley Fritsch	0	1	-	1	2	2	2	2	0	2	2	2							16
Jeremy Finlayson	1	2	1	1	4	1	1	1	1	1	-	1							15
Gary Rohan	1	1	2	0	1	2	1	0	0	-	4	3							15
Jack Darling	1	1	1	0	2	2	2	1	2	-	2	2							16
Brody Mihocek	3	0	2	2	1	4	0	0	1	0	1	0							14
Toby Greene	4	0	-	3	1	1	-	5	0	-	-	-							14

Source:

Notes

References

1. "AFL statement on postponement of 2020 season". AFL. 22 March 2020.
2. "Season cut to 17 games, call delayed on R1 start". afl.com.au. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
3. "WATCH from 4.30pm AEDT: AFL postpones season". AFL.com.au. 22 March 2020. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
4. Damian Barrett; Mitch Cleary (15 May 2020). "REVEALED: AFL's first day back, full-contact training, more COVID tests". Australian Football League. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
5. Cleary, Mitch (20 June 2020). "Dons-Dees postponed after Bomber tests positive". AFL.com.au. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
6. Jon Ralph (11 May 2020). "Adelaide's quarantine-breaking 16 avoid suspension, but assistant coach Ben Hart stood down". Herald Sun. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
7. Marc McGowan (13 June 2020). "Young Demons forwards suspended for breaching COVID-19 protocols". Australian Football League. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
8. Riley Beveridge; Mitch Cleary (16 March 2020). "UPDATE: State league comps suspended due to corona crisis". Australian Football League. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
9. Marc McGowan (3 June 2020). "Curtain-raisers back? AFL gives clubs the green light to organise scratch matches". Retrieved 11 June 2020.
10. Cleary, Mitch; Beveridge, Riley (29 June 2020). "FIXTURE UPDATE: Tigers shut out of Queensland, new Thursday night game". afl.com.au. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
11. Sam McClure (29 July 2020). The Age. Melbourne, VIC https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/swans-giants-to-make-swift-nsw-exit-for-afl-s-queensland-hub-20200729-p55gje.html. Retrieved 8 August 2020. Missing or empty |title= (help)
12. Marc McGowan (20 May 2020). "New SA exemptions could make R2 Showdown a reality". Retrieved 25 May 2020.
13. "Fixture rewrite: Vic clubs forced north for R6-7, return date unknown". AFL.com.au. 3 July 2020.
14. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-11/adelaide-crows-sanctioned-for-coronavirus-quarantine-bungle/12232296
15. https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/afl-star-player-allegedly-crashes-into-parked-cars-flees-scene-20200417-p54knx.html
16. https://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/704946/club-statement-pickett-and-spargo
17. https://www.afl.com.au/news/446924/update-power-star-banned-from-showdown-for-covid-19-breach
18. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-29/essendon-conor-mckenna-released-from-coronavirus-quarantine/12403066
19. https://thewest.com.au/news/coronavirus/coronavirus-crisis-wa-police-wont-charge-fremantle-dockers-players-for-breaching-restrictions-ng-b881534365z
20. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-07-31/coronavirus-afl-fines-four-clubs-for-protocol-breaches/12513618
21. https://www.carltonfc.com.au/news/786139/afl-sanction-media-statement
22. https://wwos.nine.com.au/afl/afl-wife-trent-cotchin-social-media-covid19-breach-in-queensand-hub/80e7d184-fe0f-4d47-a1e1-b19d7b8e06a6
23. https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/hawthorn-also-fined-for-covid-19-protocol-breach-as-afl-takes-stand-20200731-p55het.html
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