Round 1 fixture: St Kilda to begin 2020 AFL season against North Melbourne
St Kilda fans will get their first opportunity to see new recruits Brad Hill, Zak Jones, Dougal Howard, Dan Butler and Paddy Ryder for the first time in Round 1, 2020, under the roof at Marvel Stadium. Jay Clark reveals their opponent.
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St Kilda looks set to unveil its battery of new recruits against North Melbourne in Round 1 next year.
The AFL has lined up the Saints to take on the Roos in an evenly-matched season-opener under the roof as part of the draft of its 2020 fixture.
While the league is yet to finalise the fixture and could yet make last-minute changes before releasing it later next week, the two clubs look set to start exciting new chapters under new coaches, Brett Ratten and Rhyce Shaw, against each other in their first match of the regular season.
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It will be a new-look St Kilda side featuring as many as five new recruits.
The Saints are coming off a successful trade period where the club added electrifying wingman Brad Hill, tough midfielder Zak Jones, tall utility Dougal Howard, speedster Dan Butler and veteran ruckman Paddy Ryder.
Last year’s top draft pick Max Ming could also be in the frame after working his way back from a knee reconstruction.
North could also hand x-factor midfielder Aiden Bonar his first North jersey after making the move from GWS Giants in the exchange period.
After being taken pick No. 11 two years ago, the Roos picked up Bonar for a future third-round selection which former Melbourne and Sydney great Gerard Healy labelled one of the steals of the trade period.
The Kangaroos are also slated to head to the Gabba to take on the Brisbane Lions in Round 2.
Carlton and reigning premier Richmond are again expected to kick-off the new season.
The fixture, set to be released on Thursday, has been complicated by the increase to an eight-game AFLW season, which is expected to further overlap the AFL draw.
There is a thought in some circles that the league could introduce as many as 10 Thursday night games next year, up from eight in 2019, but that appears unlikely.
The shadow cast by the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo is also understood to have shaped decision-making at AFL headquarters.
It’s understood ratings took a hit during this year’s Ashes series, with the league debating ways to minimise the drain of footy viewership during the July 24 to August 9 Games.