2020 Richmond Football Club season explained

Club:Richmond Football Club
Season:2020
President:Peggy O'Neal
(7th season)
Coach:AFL: Damien Hardwick
(11th season)
AFLW: Tom Hunter
(1st season)
Captain:AFL: Trent Cotchin
(8th season)
AFLW: Katie Brennan
(1st season)
Home Ground:AFL: MCG
AFLW: Princes Park
Preseason Comp:Pre-season
Preseason Result:AFL: (0-2)
AFLW: DNP
Regularseason Comp:AFL season
Regularseason Result:AFL: 3rd (12-1-4)
AFLW: (0-6)
Finals Series:AFL finals
Finals Result:AFL: 1st
AFLW: DNP
Club B&Amp;F:Best & fairest
Best And Fairest:AFL: Jayden Short
AFLW: Monique Conti
Leading Goalscorer:AFL: Jack Riewoldt
(33)
AFLW: Courtney Wakefield
(4)
Highest Attendance:AFLW: 15,337
(Round 1 vs.)
Lowest Attendance:AFLW: 3,697
(Round 3 vs.)
Average Attendance:AFLW: 9,517
Club Membership:100,420[1]
Prevseason:2019
Nextseason:2021

The 2020 season was the 113th season in which the Richmond Football Club has participated in the VFL/AFL and the first season in which it participated in the AFL Women's competition.

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic

The 2020 season was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which was formally declared a pandemic on 11 March 2020, eight days prior to the scheduled start of the AFL premiership season and 18 days prior to the final round of the AFL season.

AFL

Prior to the commencement of the season, the fixture was shortened from 22 matches per team to 17, under the expectation that matches would be forced to stop at the peak of the disease.[2]

The season commenced on 19 March as originally scheduled, but the introduction of restrictions (and later of formal quarantines) on interstate travel, resulted in suspension of the season after round one.[3] During that round, matches were played in empty stadiums for the first time in the league's history.[4]

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.[5] Though the initial run of games lasted just one week, the shortened game time was retained after the season's resumption to allow make-up games to be more easily scheduled between rounds when matches were postponed or refixtured.[6]

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, with the revised fixture released gradually throughout the year, and changing regularly and often at short notice when the situation forced it.[7]

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.

Following a virus outbreak in Melbourne in June, Richmond's base of operations was relocated to the Gold Coast, alongside eight other Victorian clubs.[8] The club played the remainder of their home games in the state, other than when travelling to other virus-free locations.

AFLW

In the AFLW, all matches played from 14 March onwards were played to empty stadiums.[9] The final two rounds of the home-and-away season were scratched and though Richmond did not qualify, the finals series was brought forward by two weeks and cancelled without a premier being awarded after just four finals matches were played.[10]

VFL and VFLW

The final weeks of the VFL pre-season series and the commencement of the season-proper were delayed in March due to the greater risk of external threats in the semi-professional state league environment.[11] Eventually, all AFL clubs withdrew from the competition and the season was cancelled in June. Richmond reserves players participated in ad hoc scratch matches against other clubs during the season and on occasion played in multi-club teams alongside rival players.[12] The VFLW season was likewise delayed and eventually cancelled.

AFL

2019 off-season list changes

Retirements and delistings

Player ReasonClub gamesCareer games Ref
Alex RanceRetired200200[13]
Shaun GriggRetired171214[14]
Mav WellerRetired2123[15]
Connor MenadueDelisted3939[16]
Jacob TownsendDelisted2048
Callum MooreDelisted88

National draft

Round Overall pick Player State Position Team from League from Ref
121Thomson DowMidfielderBendigo PioneersNAB League[19] [20]
243 Noah CumberlandForwardBrisbane Lions academyNEAFL[21]
244 Will MartynMidfielder/WingBrisbane Lions academyNEAFL[22]
346 Hugo RalphsmithWing/ForwardSandringham DragonsNAB League[23]
354Bigoa NyuonDefenderDandenong StingraysNAB League[24]

2020 season

Marsh Community Series

MatchDateScoreOpponentOpponent's scoreResultHome/awayVenueAttendance
1Sunday 1 March, 4:00pm 6.8 (44)13.6 (84)Lost by 40 pointsHomeNorm Minns Oval, Wangaratta-
2Sunday 8 March, 12:40pm14.11 (95)17.7 (109)Lost by 14 pointsAwayRobertson Oval, Wagga Wagga6,556

Home and away season

RoundDateScoreOpponentOpponent's scoreResultHome/awayVenueAttendanceLadder
1Thursday 19 March, 7:25pm16.9 (105)12.9 (81)Won by 24 pointsHomeMCG06th
2Thursday 11 June, 7:40pm5.6 (36)5.6 (36)DrawAwayMCG05th
3Thursday 18 June, 7:40pm5.9 (39)11.5 (71)Lost by 32 pointsHomeMCG09th
4Saturday 27 June, 4:35pm10.7 (67)15.3 (93)Lost by 26 pointsAwayMarvel Stadium014th
5Sunday 5 July, 3:35pm12.7 (79)8.4 (52)Won by 27 pointsHomeMCG011th
6Sunday 12 July, 3:35pm4.10 (34)3.8 (26)Won by 8 pointsHome/NeutralThe Gabba3,6066th
7Saturday 18 July, 7:40pm11.11 (77)2.11 (23)Won by 54 pointsHome/NeutralMetricon Stadium4,3374th
8Friday 24 July, 7:50pm6.14 (50)9.8 (62)Lost by 12 pointsAwayGIANTS Stadium5,5009th
9Wednesday 29 July, 7:10pm13.12 (90)7.7 (49)Won by 41 pointsAway/NeutralMetricon Stadium2,8245th
10Tuesday 4 August, 7:10pm12.10 (82)4.17 (41)Won by 41 pointsHome/NeutralMetricon Stadium5,6514th
11Saturday 8 August, 4:35pm11.6 (72)13.15 (93)Lost by 21 pointsAwayAdelaide Oval10,2566th
12Monday 17 August, 7:10pm8.5 (53)4.8 (32)Won by 21 pointsHome/NeutralThe Gabba4,0626th
13Saturday 22 August, 7:40pm10.13 (73)10.1 (61)Won by 12 pointsAway/NeutralTIO Stadium5,4015th
14Thursday 27 August, 7:10pm14.4 (88)9.7 (61)Won by 27 pointsHome/NeutralMetricon Stadium3,6284th
15Wednesday 2 September, 7:10pm8.8 (56)4.5 (29)Won by 27 pointsHome/NeutralMetricon Stadium1,8183rd
16BYE4th
17Friday 11 September, 7:50pm7.15 (57)4.7 (31)Won by 26 pointsAway/NeutralMetricon Stadium7,0613rd
18Saturday 19 September, 5:10pm12.5 (77)4.9 (33)Won by 44 pointsAwayAdelaide Oval17,7103rd

Finals

MatchDateScoreOpponentOpponent's ScoreResultHome/AwayVenueAttendance
Qualifying finalFriday 2 October, 7:50pm8.6 (54)10.9 (69)Lost by 15 pointsAwayThe Gabba22,104
Semi-finalFriday 9 October, 6:50pm12.8 (80)6.13 (49)Won by 31 pointsHome/Neutral Metricon Stadium13,778
Preliminary finalFriday 16 October, 7:20pm6.10 (46)6.4 (40)Won by 6 pointsAway Adelaide Oval24,292
Grand FinalSaturday 24 October, 6:30pm12.9 (81)7.8 (50)Won by 31 pointsHome/Neutral The Gabba29,707

Awards

League awards

All-Australian team
!PlayerPositionAppearance
Named Dustin MartinForward pocket4th
NominatedDylan Grimes--
NominatedNick Vlastuin--
Brownlow Medal tally

See main article: 2020 Brownlow Medal.

Player 3 vote games 2 vote games 1 vote games Total votes Place
Dustin Martin322155th
Shai Bolton300926th
Kane Lambert200643rd
Trent Cotchin110555th
Jack Graham100386th
Dion Prestia100386th
Jayden Short011386th
Liam Baker011386th
Jack Riewoldt0102117th
Derek Eggmolesse-Smith0102117th
Shane Edwards0011157th
Jake Aarts0011157th
Bachar Houli0011157th
Nick Vlastuin0011157th
Noah Balta0011157th
Total117956-
[25]
22 Under 22 team
!PlayerPositionAppearance
Named Centre half-back 1st
Named Half-back 1st
Nominated  -  -

Club awards

Jack Dyer Medal

See main article: Jack Dyer Medal.

Position Player Votes Medal
1stJayden Short53Jack Dyer Medal
2ndDustin Martin50Jack Titus Medal
3rdNick Vlastuin49Maurie Fleming Medal
4thShai Bolton44Fred Swift Medal
5thKamdyn McIntosh43Kevin Bartlett Medal
6thLiam Baker42
7thDylan Grimes41
8thNoah Balta40
9thKane Lambert39
10thTrent Cotchin37
Source:[26]
Michael Roach Medal

See main article: List of Richmond Football Club leading goalkickers.

Position Player Goals
1stJack Riewoldt33
2ndTom Lynch32
3rdDustin Martin22
4thJason Castagna17
5thShai Bolton15
Source:[27]

AFL Women's

List building and recruitment

Expansion signings

DatePlayerClub fromLeague from
AFL Women's[28]
AFL Women's[29]
AFL Women's[30]

Trades

DateGainedLostTrade partnerRef
16 AprilSabrina FrederickPick 12[31]
24 AprilMonique ContiPick 1[32]

Academy/VFLW pre-list signings

DatePlayerClub fromLeague fromClassification
AFL Women'sDelisted free agent[33]
RichmondVFL Women'sOpen-age[34]
RichmondVFL Women'sOpen-age[35]
RichmondVFL Women'sOpen-age[36]
RichmondVFL Women'sOpen-age[37]
Rookie
RichmondVFL Women'sOpen-age[38]
RichmondVFL Women'sOpen-age[39]

National draft

Round Overall pick Player Position Team from League from Ref
17Sophie MolanMidfielderGWV RebelsNAB League[40]
2 25Laura McClellandDefenderEastern RangesNAB League
231 Ella WoodMidfielderGWV RebelsNAB League
240Sarah SansonettiHalf-backNorthern KnightsNAB League
343Holly WhitfordMidfielderMelbourne UniversityVFL Women's
355Nekaela ButlerSmall defenderGWV RebelsNAB League
458Cleo Saxon-JonesRuck / forwardWestern JetsNAB League
471Laura BaileyDefenderRichmondVFL Women's
573Emma HorneMidfielderRichmondVFL Women's
584Kate DempseyDefenderRichmondVFL Women's
687Ciara FitzgeraldDefenderNorthern KnightsNAB League
693Emily HarleyForwardOakleigh ChargersNAB League
696Lauren TesorieroMidfielderRichmondVFL Women's

2020 season

Home and away season

Note: The final two rounds of the season were cancelled to bring forward the finals series in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

RoundDateScoreOpponentOpponent's scoreResultHome/awayVenueAttendanceConference ladder
(of 7)
1Friday 7 February, 7:45pm 2.2 (14)6.12 (48)Lost by 34 pointsHomeIkon Park15,3377th
2Saturday 15 February, 4:10pm 2.10 (22)5.3 (33)Lost by 11 pointsAwayMetricon Stadium7,0717th
3Sunday 23 February, 3:10pm2.8 (20)12.4 (76)Lost by 56 pointsHomeIkon Park3,6977th
4Saturday 29 February, 3:10pm7.3 (45)10.7 (67)Lost by 22 pointsHomeQueen Elizabeth Oval4,9067th
5Saturday 7 March 5:10pm1.5 (11)7.14 (56)Lost by 45 pointsAwayRobertson Oval3,3777th
6Saturday 14 March, 5:10pm0.3 (3)6.6 (42)Lost by 39 pointsAwayRSEA Park07th
7Friday 20 March, 5:45pmDNPHomeIkon Park
8Sunday 29 March, 1:10pmDNPAwayUnley Oval

Awards

League awards

22 Under 22 team

Club awards

Best and Fairest award
Position Player Votes
1stMonique Conti25
2ndPhoebe Monahan22
3rdGabby Seymour18
4thChristina Bernardi16
4thGrace Campbell16
4thKodi Jacques16
7thSabrina Frederick15
7thSophie Molan15
7thSarah Sansonetti15
10thAlice Edmonds14
Source:[41]
Leading goalkicker award

See main article: List of Richmond Football Club leading goalkickers.

Position Player Goals
1stCourtney Wakefield4
2ndChristina Bernardi3
2ndSabrina Frederick3
4thKatie Brennan1
4thKodi Jacques1
4thLaura McClelland1
4thTayla Stahl1
Source:[42]

VFL/VFLW seasons (cancelled)

See also: 2020 VFL season. Richmond had been expected to field a reserves men's team in the Victorian Football League for a seventhh consecutive season, defending their 2019 premiership. In March, the AFL issued a direction to all 18 clubs mandating that no AFL-listed player at a club could participate in a second-tier state league amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and in July, the season was formally cancelled for all participant clubs.[43] Likewise, the club did not field a team in the VFL Women's competition as that season was also cancelled.[44]

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Waterworth . Ben . Tigers dethroned as Victorian giants plummet: 2020 AFL membership ladder . 21 September 2020 . Fox Sports . News Corp Australia . 9 September 2020.
  2. Web site: Season cut to 17 games, call delayed on R1 start. afl.com.au. en. 2020-03-16.
  3. Web site: WATCH from 4.30pm AEDT: AFL postpones season. AFL.com.au. 22 March 2020. 22 March 2020.
  4. News: The AFL season is in limbo with Round 1 to be played without fans. 13 March 2020. 13 March 2020. Herald Sun. Jon Ralph.
  5. Web site: It's on: AFL confirms round one will go ahead. 18 March 2020. 18 March 2020. Damian Barrett. Australian Football League.
  6. News: AFL considering expanding interchange bench for season restart. Herald Sun. 27 May 2020. 27 May 2020. Jon Ralph.
  7. Web site: REVEALED: AFL's first day back, full-contact training, more COVID tests. 15 May 2020. 15 May 2020. Australian Football League. Damian Barrett. Mitch Cleary.
  8. Web site: Fixture rewrite: Vic clubs forced north for R6-7, return date unknown. AFL.com.au. 3 July 2020.
  9. Web site: Coronavirus crisis: What we know, what we don't. 13 March 2020. 13 March 2020. Australian Football League. Jourdan Canil.
  10. Web site: Straight to finals: AFLW season cut short due to coronavirus. Sarah Black. 18 March 2020. 18 March 2020. Australian Football League.
  11. Web site: UPDATE: State league comps suspended due to corona crisis. 16 March 2020. 16 March 2020. Riley Beveridge. Mitch Cleary. Australian Football League.
  12. Web site: Curtain-raisers back? AFL gives clubs the green light to organise scratch matches. Marc McGowan. 3 June 2020. 18 August 2020.
  13. News: Lerner . Ronny . Rance shocks with immediate AFL retirement . 20 December 2019 . The Age . Nine Entertainment Co . 19 December 2019.
  14. News: AFL 2019: Shaun Grigg officially announces retirement midway through season . 10 August 2019 . Fox Sports . News Corp Australia . 14 May 2019.
  15. News: Cleary . Mitch . Tough Tiger calls it quits after nine-year career across three clubs . 25 September 2019 . AFL Media . Telstra Media . 20 September 2019.
  16. News: Richmond announces list changes . 22 October 2019 . Richmond FC . Telstra Media . 22 October 2019.
  17. News: Brandon Ellis officially a SUN . 6 October 2019 . Gold Coast Suns FC . Telstra Media . 5 October 2019.
  18. News: Butler is with St Kilda . 16 October 2019 . St Kilda FC . Telstra Media . 16 October 2019.
  19. News: Collier-Dawkins lands at Tigerland . 23 November 2018 . Richmond FC . Telstra Media . 22 November 2018.
  20. News: Dow lands at Tigerland . 4 January 2020 . Richmond FC . Telstra Media . 27 November 2019.
  21. News: Welcome to Richmond, Noah Cumberland . 4 January 2020 . Richmond FC . Telstra Media . 28 November 2019.
  22. News: Martyn becomes a Tiger . 4 January 2020 . Richmond FC . Telstra Media . 28 November 2019.
  23. News: Ralphsmith to Richmond . 4 January 2020 . Richmond FC . Telstra Media . 28 November 2019.
  24. News: Nyuon joins Tigers . 4 January 2020 . RIchmond FC . Telstra Media . 28 November 2019.
  25. Web site: Brownlow 2019. AFL Tables.
  26. News: Greenberg . Tony . Short secures Jack Dyer Medal . 26 October 2020 . Richmond FC . Telstra Media . 26 October 2020.
  27. Web site: 2020 Player Stats. AFL Tables. 5 November 2020.
  28. News: Brennan becomes inaugural Richmond AFLW player . 9 April 2019 . . . 9 April 2019.
  29. Web site: Tigers sign AFLW trio. . Telstra Media. 12 April 2019.
  30. News: Bernardi joins AFLW Tigers. . Telstra Media. 15 April 2019. 15 April 2019.
  31. Web site: AFLW Tigers add more star power with Frederick . . Telstra Media. 16 April 2019. 16 April 2019.
  32. Web site: Bulldogs secure AFLW top draft pick. . Telstra Media. 24 April 2019.
  33. Web site: Burchell becomes an AFLW Tiger . 30 April 2019 . . . 30 April 2019.
  34. News: Spiteri . Tate . Wakefield becomes ninth AFLW Tiger . 16 May 2019 . . . 16 May 2019.
  35. News: Wood . Lauren . Richmond signs bank robbery getaway driver to its 2020 AFLW foundation list . 21 May 2019 . . 21 May 2019.
  36. News: Edmonds becomes 11th AFLW Tiger . 20 June 2019 . . . 20 June 2019.
  37. News: AFLW Tigers make quartet of signings . 23 July 2019 . Richmond FC . Telstra Media . 23 July 2019.
  38. News: Exciting youngster Kodi Jacques signs with AFLW Tigers . 1 November 2019 . Richmond FC . Telstra Media . 16 August 2019.
  39. News: Kalac . Grace . Woodward earns AFLW selection . 1 November 2019 . Richmond FC . Telstra Media . 6 September 2019.
  40. News: AFLW draftee pocket profiles . 22 October 2019 . Richmond FC . Telstra Media . 22 October 2019.
  41. News: Conti becomes Richmond’s inaugural AFLW best and fairest . 28 May 2020 . Richmond FC . Telstra Media . 28 May 2020.
  42. Web site: Richmond WFC 2020 Season (AFL). Australian Football. 28 May 2020.
  43. Web site: UPDATE: State league comps suspended due to corona crisis. Riley. Beveridge. Mitch. Cleary. Telstra Media. Australian Football League. 16 March 2020. 18 October 2020.
  44. News: Future AFLW stars to showcase their talents in VFLW Super Series. womens.afl. 16 June 2020. 18 October 2020.