We look back at this unique year and the local footy stories that defined it
It’s been a unique, bizarre, massive year in local footy and there wasn’t even a game played. We look back on the biggest headlines of 2020.
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Well, fair to say 2020 has been a season like no other.
For local footy competitions around Melbourne and across Victoria it has meant cancelled seasons and a deep sense of loss.
However, the footy-less winter has allowed us to look back at some of the greats of the our game and how they shaped clubs and entire leagues.
Here are the top 20 biggest Local Footy yarns of 2020.
1. EVERY SINGLE PLAYER UP FOR GRABS IN THE AFL DRAFT
Author: Paul Amy
Views: 28,403
The 2020 AFL Draft was a rating winner on TV and for Local Footy. The complete list of draft nominations only went live a matter of days ago but surged to the No.1 spot for 2020.
2. VICTORIAN LOCAL FOOTY WIPEOUT COMPLETE
Author: Ben Higgins
Views: 25,640
It started with the Heathcote and District Football League pulling the pin in May and the dominoes continued to fall until AFL Outer East and Southern were the final leagues to officially cancel their seasons in July.
3. SHOCK AS EASTERN, NORTHERN LEAGUES CANCEL SEASON
Author: Paul Amy, Daniel Cencic, Ben Higgins, David Turner
Views: 24,146
The first metropolitan leagues to officially cancel their senior seasons, the Eastern and Northern leagues broke ranks from their fellow suburban leagues quite early but were vindicated as Melbourne’s second wave swept through.
4. LEADER’S TOP 50 LOCAL FOOTBALLERS
Author: Paul Amy, Daniel Cencic, Luke D’Anello, Ben Higgins
Views: 18,725
Quite possibly the biggest task of the season was compiling the top 50 players across metropolitan Melbourne’s leagues. However, when it came to No.1, there were few arguments.
5. RONNIE JAMES: THE YOUNG STAR TAKEN TOO SOON
Author: Paul Amy
Views: 18,329
Ronnie James made his debut in a VFL Grand Final at just 14 years old and played his first VFL game for Footscray at 16. Tragically, he was killed in a water skiing accident aged 19. In the year he would have turned 50, Paul Amy paid tribute to a footy phenom taken too soon.
6. VALE FORMER VFL STAR CHRIS MICHALIADES
Author: Paul Amy
Views: 15,984
The former Sandringham and Port Melbourne star passed away this year, aged 29. Through sheer determination and hard work he rose to be a star of the VFL, earning representative honours and the chance to train with St Kilda.
7. GUYS WHO NOMINATED FOR DRAFT AS A ‘BIT OF A JOKE’
Author: Paul Amy
Views: 14,214
Meet the VAFA thirds player who put his hand up for a career in the AFL, while there was a Beaconsfield youngster and a bush reserves player who also nominated for a laugh.
8. EASTERN FOOTBALL LEAGUE’S TOP 20 PLAYERS SINCE 2000
Author: Daniel Cencic
Views: 13,492
The EFL is one of Melbourne’s biggest suburban league’s and has been home to some out-and-out superstars since the turn of the millennium. Daniel Cencic had the unenviable task to whittling them down to 20.
9. WHO WAS THE BEST VFL PLAYER SINCE 2000?
Author: Paul Amy
Views: 12,813
The VFL is the highest level of football outside the AFL in Victoria, so it’s no surprise some legendary players have graced the competition in the past 20 years. Paul Amy ranks the top 50.
10. SIX SONS OF AFL GUNS GIVE FRANKSTON STAR POWER
Author: Paul Amy
Views: 12,669
The names will be familiar to any AFL fan and Frankston were hoping they’d lead the club up the VFL ladder this season. Why back in January – before some of us had even heard of COVID-19 – the Dolphins were making 2020 a family-friendly season.
11. FEVOLA’S SUBURBAN FOOTY COMEBACK CONFIRMED
Author: Luke D’Anello
Views: 12,109
It would have been one of the biggest stories of the season if it had gone ahead. “Fev” returning to WRFL powerhouse Deer Park as the club chased an incredible eighth straight premiership. Alas, it wasn’t meant to be but who knows what 2021 will bring.
12. WHERE DAISY THOMAS WILL PLAY FOOTY THIS YEAR
Author: Paul Amy
Views: 12,101
Fresh out of the AFL, Thomas sparked a whirlwind of rumours when he started training with VAFA powerhouse St Kevin’s earlier this year. However, he said there was only one club he would have considered pulling the boots back on for.
13. LOCAL FOOTY TREATS KICK-OFF DATES AS A BIG WIN
Author: Paul Amy, Luke D’Anello
Views: 12,063
Remember that two week period when it looked like local footy might actually get up in Melbourne. Local footy clubs and leagues were jubilant. However, that feeling didn’t last long as the COVID-19 second wave arrived.
14. FIGHT ON TO SAVE ICONIC VICTORIAN CLUB
Author: Paul Amy
Views: 10,752
As the coronavirus destroyed the VFL season, 146-year-old VFL club Port Melbourne launched a public fundraising initiative to ensure it survived the pandemic.
15. WHERE YOU CAN WATCH EX-AFL PLAYERS IN 2020
Author: Luke D’Anello
Views: 10,061
A story from a simpler time … January. We were all gearing up for another footy season and the chance to catch a glimpse of former stars strutting their stuff in the local comp. Look out for our list for 2021.
16. LOCAL FOOTY LEAGUE SEASONS DELAYED FURTHER
Author: Paul Amy, Ben Higgins, David Turner
Views: 9,959
Melbourne’s six metropolitan leagues met regularly this season as they considered how best to handle the pandemic and still get a season away. On the eve of Round 1 in March, the season was first pushed back to May 31. But we all know what happened from there.
17. THIRD SUBURBAN FOOTY LEAGUE SCRAPS 2020 SEASON
Author: Luke D’Anello
Views: 9,652
After the Eastern and Northern leagues had pulled the pin in early June, the Western Region Football League followed suit a couple of weeks later with the league stating several clubs held fears their long-term sustainability was at risk if a season went ahead.
18. BEST SUBURBAN FOOTY CLUBS OF THE PAST DECADE
Author: Daniel Cencic, Luke D’Anello, Ben Higgins
Views: 9,529
Our writers looked at the most successful metropolitan clubs of the 2010s by measuring their winning percentages. It might come as no surprise a certain seven-time consecutive premiership-winning club topped the list.
19. ‘FARCICAL’: CONFUSION OVER LOCAL FOOTY TRAINING
Author: Luke D’Anello, Ben Higgins
Views: 8,483
When AFL Victoria released its COVID-19 return to training protocols in May they seemingly did so without consulting leagues or clubs, leading to a fierce backlash. As it turned out it was all pointless anyway.
20. EX-SAINT FOLLOWS SPORTING PASSION WITH DAD’S BLESSING
Author: Simon McEvoy
Views: 8,320
Ex-St Kilda midfielder Bailey Rice had been set to play for Northern league club Whittlesea in 2020. However, the pandemic saw him look for a new adventure and he’s now accepted a punting scholarship in the US.
Seagulls land new coach recommended by former Cats star
North Shore has a new coach, who has been working with a former AFL coach and 199-game Cat.
All the signings of the 2024-25 Ovens and Murray league off-season
The off-season is well underway for Ovens and Murray league clubs who have unveiled a host of recruits for 2025. Here are all the moves in our signing tracker.