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.
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. During that round, matches were played in empty stadiums for the first time in the league's history.
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. 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.
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.
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. 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. 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.
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. 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. The VFLW season was likewise delayed and eventually cancelled.
AFL 2019 off-season list changes Retirements and delistings PlayerReasonClub gamesCareer gamesRefAlex RanceRetired200200Shaun GriggRetired171214Mav WellerRetired2123Connor MenadueDelisted3939Jacob TownsendDelisted2048Callum MooreDelisted88
Free agency DatePlayerFree agent typeFormer clubNew clubCompensationRef 5 October Brandon Ellis Restricted 2nd round
Trades DateGainedLostTrade partnerRef 16 October Pick 56 Dan Butler
National draft RoundOverall pickPlayerStatePositionTeam fromLeague fromRef 1 21 Thomson Dow VIC Midfielder Bendigo Pioneers NAB League 2 43 Noah Cumberland QLD Forward Brisbane Lions academy NEAFL 2 44 Will Martyn QLD Midfielder/Wing Brisbane Lions academy NEAFL 3 46 Hugo Ralphsmith VIC Wing/Forward Sandringham Dragons NAB League 3 54 Bigoa Nyuon VIC Defender Dandenong Stingrays NAB League
2020 squad
2020 season Marsh Community Series Match Date Score Opponent Opponent's score Result Home/away Venue Attendance 1 Sunday 1 March, 4:00pm 6.8 (44) 13.6 (84) Lost by 40 points Home Norm Minns Oval, Wangaratta - 2 Sunday 8 March, 12:40pm 14.11 (95) 17.7 (109) Lost by 14 points Away Robertson Oval, Wagga Wagga 6,556
Home and away season Round Date Score Opponent Opponent's score Result Home/away Venue Attendance Ladder 1 Thursday 19 March, 7:25pm 16.9 (105) 12.9 (81) Won by 24 points Home MCG 0 6th 2 Thursday 11 June, 7:40pm 5.6 (36) 5.6 (36) Draw Away MCG 0 5th 3 Thursday 18 June, 7:40pm 5.9 (39) 11.5 (71) Lost by 32 points Home MCG 0 9th 4 Saturday 27 June, 4:35pm 10.7 (67) 15.3 (93) Lost by 26 points Away Marvel Stadium 0 14th 5 Sunday 5 July, 3:35pm 12.7 (79) 8.4 (52) Won by 27 points Home MCG 0 11th 6 Sunday 12 July, 3:35pm 4.10 (34) 3.8 (26) Won by 8 points Home/Neutral The Gabba 3,606 6th 7 Saturday 18 July, 7:40pm 11.11 (77) 2.11 (23) Won by 54 points Home/Neutral Metricon Stadium 4,337 4th 8Friday 24 July, 7:50pm 6.14 (50) 9.8 (62) Lost by 12 points Away GIANTS Stadium 5,500 9th 9 Wednesday 29 July, 7:10pm 13.12 (90) 7.7 (49) Won by 41 points Away/Neutral Metricon Stadium 2,824 5th 10 Tuesday 4 August, 7:10pm 12.10 (82) 4.17 (41) Won by 41 points Home/Neutral Metricon Stadium 5,651 4th 11 Saturday 8 August, 4:35pm 11.6 (72) 13.15 (93) Lost by 21 points Away Adelaide Oval 10,256 6th 12 Monday 17 August, 7:10pm 8.5 (53) 4.8 (32) Won by 21 points Home/Neutral The Gabba 4,062 6th 13 Saturday 22 August, 7:40pm 10.13 (73) 10.1 (61) Won by 12 points Away/Neutral TIO Stadium 5,401 5th 14 Thursday 27 August, 7:10pm 14.4 (88) 9.7 (61) Won by 27 points Home/Neutral Metricon Stadium 3,628 4th 15 Wednesday 2 September, 7:10pm 8.8 (56) 4.5 (29) Won by 27 points Home/Neutral Metricon Stadium 1,818 3rd 16BYE 4th 17 Friday 11 September, 7:50pm 7.15 (57) 4.7 (31) Won by 26 points Away/Neutral Metricon Stadium 7,061 3rd 18 Saturday 19 September, 5:10pm 12.5 (77) 4.9 (33) Won by 44 points Away Adelaide Oval 17,710 3rd
Finals Match Date Score Opponent Opponent's Score Result Home/Away Venue Attendance Qualifying final Friday 2 October, 7:50pm 8.6 (54) 10.9 (69) Lost by 15 points Away The Gabba 22,104 Semi-final Friday 9 October, 6:50pm 12.8 (80) 6.13 (49) Won by 31 points Home/Neutral Metricon Stadium 13,778 Preliminary final Friday 16 October, 7:20pm 6.10 (46) 6.4 (40) Won by 6 points Away Adelaide Oval 24,292 Grand Final Saturday 24 October, 6:30pm 12.9 (81) 7.8 (50) Won by 31 points Home/Neutral The Gabba 29,707
Ladder
Awards League awards All-Australian team PlayerPositionAppearance Named Dustin MartinForward pocket4thNominatedDylan Grimes--NominatedNick Vlastuin--
Brownlow Medal tally
Player 3 vote games 2 vote games 1 vote games Total votes PlaceDustin Martin322155thShai Bolton300926thKane Lambert200643rdTrent Cotchin110555thJack Graham100386thDion Prestia100386thJayden Short011386thLiam Baker011386thJack Riewoldt0102117thDerek Eggmolesse-Smith0102117thShane Edwards0011157thJake Aarts0011157thBachar Houli0011157thNick Vlastuin0011157thNoah Balta0011157th Total117956 -
22 Under 22 team PlayerPositionAppearance Named Noah Balta Centre half-back 1st Named Liam Baker Half-back 1st Nominated Shai Bolton – –
Club awards Jack Dyer Medal
Position Player Votes Medal 1st Jayden Short 53 Jack Dyer Medal 2nd Dustin Martin 50 Jack Titus Medal 3rd Nick Vlastuin 49 Maurie Fleming Medal 4th Shai Bolton 44 Fred Swift Medal 5th Kamdyn McIntosh 43 Kevin Bartlett Medal 6th Liam Baker 42 7th Dylan Grimes 41 8th Noah Balta 40 9th Kane Lambert 39 10th Trent Cotchin 37Source:
Michael Roach Medal
Position Player Goals 1st Jack Riewoldt 33 2nd Tom Lynch 32 3rd Dustin Martin 22 4th Jason Castagna 17 5th Shai Bolton 15Source:
AFL Women's List building and recruitment Expansion signings DatePlayerClub fromLeague from AFL Women's AFL Women's AFL Women's
Trades DateGainedLostTrade partnerRef 16 April Sabrina Frederick Pick 12 24 April Monique Conti Pick 1
Academy/VFLW pre-list signings DatePlayerClub fromLeague fromClassification AFL Women's Delisted free agent Richmond VFL Women's Open-age Richmond VFL Women's Open-age Richmond VFL Women's Open-age Richmond VFL Women'sOpen-age Rookie Richmond VFL Women's Open-age Richmond VFL Women's Open-age
National draft RoundOverall pickPlayerPositionTeam fromLeague fromRef 1 7 Sophie Molan Midfielder GWV Rebels NAB League 2 25 Laura McClelland Defender Eastern Ranges NAB League 2 31 Ella Wood Midfielder GWV Rebels NAB League 2 40 Sarah Sansonetti Half-back Northern Knights NAB League 3 43 Holly Whitford Midfielder Melbourne University VFL Women's 3 55 Nekaela Butler Small defender GWV Rebels NAB League 4 58 Cleo Saxon-Jones Ruck / forward Western Jets NAB League 4 71 Laura Bailey Defender Richmond VFL Women's 5 73 Emma Horne Midfielder Richmond VFL Women's 5 84 Kate Dempsey Defender Richmond VFL Women's 6 87 Ciara Fitzgerald Defender Northern Knights NAB League 6 93 Emily Harley Forward Oakleigh Chargers NAB League 6 96 Lauren Tesoriero Midfielder Richmond VFL Women's
2020 squad
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. Round Date Score Opponent Opponent's score Result Home/away Venue Attendance Conference ladder(of 7) 1 Friday 7 February, 7:45pm 2.2 (14) 6.12 (48) Lost by 34 points Home Ikon Park 15,337 7th 2 Saturday 15 February, 4:10pm 2.10 (22) 5.3 (33) Lost by 11 points Away Metricon Stadium 7,071 7th 3 Sunday 23 February, 3:10pm 2.8 (20) 12.4 (76) Lost by 56 points Home Ikon Park 3,697 7th 4 Saturday 29 February, 3:10pm 7.3 (45) 10.7 (67) Lost by 22 points Home Queen Elizabeth Oval 4,906 7th 5 Saturday 7 March 5:10pm 1.5 (11) 7.14 (56) Lost by 45 points Away Robertson Oval 3,377 7th 6 Saturday 14 March, 5:10pm 0.3 (3) 6.6 (42) Lost by 39 points Away RSEA Park 0 7th 7 Friday 20 March, 5:45pm DNP Home Ikon Park 8 Sunday 29 March, 1:10pm DNP Away Unley Oval
Awards League awards All-Australian team PlayerPositionAppearance Nominated Monique Conti--
22 Under 22 team PlayerPositionAppearance Named Monique Conti Wing 1st
Club awards Best and Fairest award Position Player Votes 1st Monique Conti 25 2nd Phoebe Monahan 22 3rd Gabby Seymour 18 4th Christina Bernardi 16 4th Grace Campbell 16 4th Kodi Jacques 16 7th Sabrina Frederick 15 7th Sophie Molan 15 7th Sarah Sansonetti 15 10th Alice Edmonds 14Source:
Leading goalkicker award
Position Player Goals 1st Courtney Wakefield 4 2nd Christina Bernardi 3 2nd Sabrina Frederick 3 4th Katie Brennan 1 4th Kodi Jacques 1 4th Laura McClelland 1 4th Tayla Stahl 1Source:
VFL/VFLW seasons (cancelled)
Richmond had been expected to field a reserves men's team in the Victorian Football League for a seventh 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. Likewise, the club did not field a team in the VFL Women's competition as that season was also cancelled.
References
External links Richmond Tigers Official AFL Site Official Site of the Australian Football League