The 2020 AFL season has been a bit of a shit-show, to be perfectly honest. And no we’re not talking about the Adelaide Crows’ dismal record. All of the league’s Victorian-based clubs have now relocated to Queensland hubs, and the Sunshine State is also keen to host this year’s grand final.
With the season kicking off just as the coronavirus began to spread around Australia, the AFL has since faced a series of unprecedented challenges. In March, the season was suspended after just one round. It recommenced in early June, but Victoria’s recent spike in coronavirus cases has really thrown things into a spin.
The MCG hasn’t been officially ruled out as the grand final location, but it’s looking more unlikely by the day. Though, CEO Gillon McLachlan is remaining obstinate for the time being. “The grand final is at the MCG until there are circumstances and reasons that it can’t be,” he said in a press conference on Wednesday. “And then we will make a different decision. But we’re not talking about that today.”
The AFL includes teams from Western Australia, New South Wales, and South Australia too, of course, and these states have all expressed interest in taking charge of this year’s grand final. But Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk reckons her state is the logical option.
“If the season is largely played in Queensland then I think it’s only fair we also host the grand final,” Palaszczuk said.
The grand final could also be happening sooner than the late-October date proposed upon the season’s recommencement. Six rounds have been played so far and the schedule for the next two is already in place. Looking beyond that, however, McLachlan is floating a compressed format that gets things done within ten weeks.
“If the players can do it and the clubs can make it work, we will compress,” he said. “So, up to ten weeks – and it may be less.”
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