The AFL have announced that their Premiership will return in June with players back training in small groups from Monday.

Full contact training will be allowed from May 25 as Australia, which hasn’t suffered to the same extent as many other countries from Covid-19, relaxes the restrictions currently in place.

Players took a 50% pay cut in May with a number of Irish players taking the opportunity to fly home to Ireland. Many of those are now back already or on the way to Australia.

"The AFL has today announced that clubs will return to training on Monday, May 18 and the 2020 Toyota AFL Premiership season will resume on Thursday, June 11," said the AFL in a statement.

"Players and football department officials will return to clubs on Monday, with clubs completing a 3.5 week training block before matches officially restart.  

"Clubs will initially train in maximum groups of eight, before resuming full contact training from Monday, May 25.

"All players and returning football department staff will have been tested for Covid-19 prior to returning to the club and undergone education sessions on the protocols they will need to follow, including rigorous ongoing screening and regular testing, throughout both the training and return to play period. This will also apply for umpires and AFL Match day staff once the season resumes."

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