AFL 2020: West Coast Round 18 North Melbourne clash knocked back by league

The AFL has reportedly stepped in to shut down a private deal between two clubs to change the fixture for the final round of the season.

The Eagles will have to do it the hard way.

The AFL has reportedly knocked back an official request from West Coast and North Melbourne to have their Round 18 fixture moved to Perth.

The Eagles and Kangaroos are reported to have reached an agreement earlier this month for the Roos to shift their final game of the season to Perth in exchange for an $800,000 injection.

It was reported earlier this week the Roos were open to moving their home game from Queensland to Optus Stadium in a season where the club is reported to have lost up to $3 million in fixture changes as a result of coronavirus restrictions — including lost income from the club’s inability to stage annual fixtures in Tasmania as part of an agreement with the state government.

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However, The Herald Sun first reported on Monday the AFL has stepped in to shut the agreement down after raising issues of integrity towards the 2020 season.

The Eagles are right in the mix.

The report outlines the AFL rejected the proposal because it could potentially set a concerning precedent of effectively giving the Eagles an additional home game this season with the club locked in a tight fight for a spot in the AFL top four.

The Eagles will now have to beat North Melbourne in the final round of the season in Queensland to potentially claim a spot in the top four.

The AFL announced two weeks ago the Round 18 fixtures would only be revealed at the end of Round 17, as the league announced the footy frenzy fixtures for Rounds 14-17.

The league has also confirmed their will be a rest week at the conclusion of Round 18 before the start of the 2020 AFL Finals Series — pushing the AFL Grand Final date back to October 24.

Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson said earlier on Monday the league was playing with fire by potentially granting the Eagles their request.

“Oh, yeah, Jesus, it’s a difficult one. Really, really difficult one,” he said.

“It’s one that I shouldn’t really weigh into, to be fair, because it’s got nothing to do with us but it’s a real dilemma for the game.

“The game needs money and these clubs need money, including ours. There’s a lot of clubs (struggling), particularly the Melbourne-based ones …

“Some of the interstate clubs have been able to continue to have crowds and generate some level of revenue and income. They’ve been given a real leg up.

“When a North (type club) does have an opportunity to earn some money out of a game because they’ve been deprived of that through the season then who can question it?

“But for the teams that are competing with West Coast, in terms of a spot and a finals position, I think they might be a bit aggrieved.”