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Essendon great Matthew Lloyd is firm in his belief that the winner of the 2020 premiership will forever be tainted in similar fashion to Sam Mitchell and Trent Cotchin’s Brownlow Medal win.

And he has a bold idea which would find a proper premiership.

The pair were awarded the 2012 Brownlow after original winner Jobe Watson was stripped of the medal as part of his involves in the Essendon supplements saga.

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“Have we ever called Sam Mitchell or Trent Cotchin a Brownlow Medallist? I haven’t heard anyone call them that. It’s an asterisk Brownlow,” he said on Channel 9’s Footy Classified.

“Jobe Watson won that year and everyone looks upon that.

“I just believe giving a premiership to a side for 15 games. 17 is the minimum, if we get down to 12 games with finals and a premiership is given, it will never be remembered.

“‘Oh yeah that year, remember when Port Adelaide won that one, it wasn’t a real premiership’.”

With the AFL season already confirmed to be a maximum 17 games, Lloyd explained there was a better way of awarding the premiership.

AFL players Trent Cotchin (left) and Sam Mitchell are seen on stage after they were presented their 2012 Brownlow medals in 2016. Photo: Julian Smith/AAP Image. Source: AAP





“I’d rather an epic 34-game season where we get games off and then have another 22 games next year into finals,” he suggested.

“I’d rather an epic 34-games, you give players a break over Christmas, play each other twice. So be it (different lists), have the draft at the right time. A 12-game or 15-game season, I can’t cop that.”

However, veteran journalist Caroline Wilson was certain the AFL was still aiming for a 17-game season, suggesting there was still uncertainty as to whether the 2020 T20 World Cup will be held.

If the World Cup goes ahead, it would mean the MCG is out of action for a number of weeks during October and November.

It could force the AFL to hold the Grand Final at Marvel Stadium.