AFL suspends season until end of May in response to Coronavirus

March 22, 2020

With Western Australia and South Australia having today announced they are to close their borders in a bid to slow the spread of Coronavirus, the AFL has announced that it is suspend its 2020 season until 31st May.

Amid tightening travel rules, AFL Chief Executive Gillon McLachlan announced this afternoon that the season would halt from the conclusion of this weekend's games.

The AFL Commission informed clubs of the decision this afternoon, with the scheduled Hawthorn-Brisbane and West Coast-Melbourne games to be completed to finish round one before the shutdown commences.

Commenting on the move, McLachlan stated “to say 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 the 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.

"I know that everyone involved in our game and our millions of supporters will be impacted by this decision and that many people will suffer significant hardship as are people right across the community but I also know that we all have a responsibility to the community and each other. And we have the will to work collectively to overcome this crisis."

McLachlan also confirmed the AFLW season would be concluded immediately, with no Premiership title awarded.

After Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Sunday morning announced the latest series of drastic measures to counter the coronavirus outbreak, including the banning of non-essential travel, and the endorsement of the states issuing their own border-shutdowns, many AFL clubs felt the season had to be stopped.

The NRL and Football Federation Australia are now under pressure to halt their seasons.

Click here to view the AFL's statement on the season suspension.

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