The AFL is reportedly set to scrap the 2020 Shanghai game due to coronavirus and instead wants it to be played in Cairns, according to 7 News.

It appears exceedingly unlikely the league will be able to play Round 12’s scheduled match between St Kilda and Port Adelaide, with the country still trying to deal with the spread of the disease.

Current advice from the Australian government is for all residents to avoid travelling to China.

Watch every match of every round of the 2020 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE & On-Demand with KAYO. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >



Round 18

But scrapping the game would mean a $700,000 hit to St Kilda’s bottom line, and the AFL is hoping the Queensland government could chip in if the game was to be played at Cazaly’s Stadium in Far North Queensland instead.

One game a season was played in Cairns between 2011 and 2018, always featuring the Gold Coast Suns. It was the location of the famous 2012 match between the Suns and Richmond, won after the siren by Karmichael Hunt.

“The AFL wants St Kilda vs Port Adelaide to be played in Cairns,” Tom Browne reported on 7 News.

“China’s off. The AFL will announce that in the coming days because of corona(virus).

“Marvel (Stadium) has been floated as the alternative venue but ... the AFL wants the game at Cairns’ Cazaly’s Stadium.

“Why? Well, St Kilda faces a big loss of the lucrative China game, up to $700,000, and the league’s wheeling and dealing in the background to see if the Queensland government can step in and back the game.

“At the moment I think St Kilda’s reluctant - they are fairly cash-strapped and budget-constrained, so they may have to go with it.”

