Sydney and Essendon will clash in round two when footy returns. Picture: AFL Photos

THE AFL has unveiled a new timeslot – 6.05pm Sunday evening – in its return batch of matches for the 2020 Toyota AFL Premiership Season.

Rounds two to five of the season, suspended after round one due to the COVID-19 pandemic, were publicly released Monday afternoon. 

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One of the most anticipated matches of the year has been scheduled for the Friday timeslot of round three, when Western Bulldogs play GWS at Marvel Stadium. The two teams have developed a fierce rivalry, with two late 2019 games among the most fiery of recent times.

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AFL unveils rounds 2-5, find out who your club is playing

AFL GM of clubs and broadcasting Travis Auld unveils the fixture for the first four weeks of the season restart

>>Full fixture for rounds two to five below

West Coast and Fremantle will play all matches in the rounds two, three, four and five block in south-east Queensland, and the two South Australian teams will do the same for rounds three, four and five.

The Crows will play the Power at Adelaide Oval in round two, before basing themselves on the Gold Coast.

FULL STATEMENT Return to play fixture

All four SA and WA teams will be absorbing one "home" game each while based in south-east Queensland.

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Metricon Stadium, the Suns' home ground will be used for double headers in rounds three and four.

Collingwood and Richmond will kick-off the AFL's resumption at the MCG on Thursday June 11 at 7.40pm.

The Friday night fixture for round two will be a home game for Geelong against Hawthorn.

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AFL general manager of clubs and broadcasting Travis Auld said the initial rounds of resumption were designed around highlighting traditional rivalries.

"To re-launch the season we have focused on scheduling blockbuster match-ups across these four weeks, particularly in the Thursday and Friday night primetime slots," Auld said.

"As we navigate through the remaining 108 games plus finals, we will continue to be adaptable with our scheduling, ensuring our fixtures align with the relevant state government restrictions in place at the time.

"It is important for us to stay flexible and agile throughout this season, but we are looking forward to matches getting underway and supporters being able to watch their clubs and players in action again."

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Collingwood's four games in the rounds three to five block see it play St Kilda, GWS (at Giants Stadium) and Essendon, which is the Anzac Day "replacement" game. 

Bar the round two Showdown, all matches in the four-week block will be played on the eastern seaboard.

Rounds six and seven are expected to be announced after round three.

The AFL is hopeful that SA and WA continue to relax COVID-19 enforced restrictions, which would ultimately allow the four teams based in those states to play matches at home, this removing the requirement to be based in south-east Queensland.

Matches for the remainder of the season will mostly fall into the "now traditional" Thursday to Sunday structure.

Toyota AFL Premiership Season

Round Two

Thursday, June 11
Collingwood vs. Richmond, MCG, 7:40pm AEST

Friday, June 12
Geelong vs. Hawthorn, GMHBA Stadium, 7:50pm AEST

Saturday, June 13
Brisbane vs. Fremantle, Gabba, 1:45pm AEST
Carlton vs. Melbourne, Marvel Stadium, 4:35pm AEST
Port Adelaide vs. Adelaide, Adelaide Oval, 7:10pm ACST
Gold Coast vs. West Coast, Metricon Stadium, 7:40pm, 7:40pm

Sunday, June 14
Greater Western Sydney vs. North Melbourne, Giants Stadium, 1:05pm AEST
Sydney Swans vs. Essendon, SCG, 3:35pm AEST
St Kilda vs. Western Bulldogs, Marvel Stadium, 6:05pm AEST

Round Three

Thursday, June 18
Richmond vs. Hawthorn, MCG, 7:40pm AEST

Friday, June 19
Western Bulldogs vs. Greater Western Sydney, Marvel Stadium, 7:50pm AEST

Saturday, June 20
North Melbourne vs. Sydney, Marvel Stadium, 1:45pm AEST
Collingwood vs. St Kilda, MCG, 4:35pm AEST
Geelong vs. Carlton, GMHBA Stadium, 7:40pm AEST
Brisbane vs. West Coast, Gabba, 7:40pm AEST

Sunday, June 21
Gold Coast vs. Adelaide, Metricon Stadium, 1:05pm AEST
Essendon vs. Melbourne, MCG, 3:35pm AEST
Fremantle vs. Port Adelaide, Metricon Stadium, 6:05pm AEST 

Round Four

Thursday, June 25
Sydney vs. Western Bulldogs, SCG, 7:40pm AEST

Friday, June 26
Greater Western Sydney vs. Collingwood, Giants Stadium, 7:50pm AEST

Saturday, June 27
Port Adelaide vs. West Coast, Metricon Stadium, 1:45pm AEST
St Kilda vs. Richmond, Marvel Stadium, 4:35pm AEST
Essendon vs. Carlton, MCG, 7:40pm AEST
Gold Coast vs. Fremantle, Metricon Stadium, 7:40pm AEST

Sunday, June 28
Brisbane vs. Adelaide, Gabba, 1:05pm AEST
Melbourne vs. Geelong, MCG, 3:35pm AEST
Hawthorn vs. North Melbourne, Marvel Stadium, 6:05pm AEST

Round Five

Thursday, July 2
West Coast  vs. Richmond, Metricon Stadium, 7:40pm AEST

Friday, July 3
Collingwood vs. Essendon, MCG, 7:50pm AEST

Saturday, July 4
Carlton vs. St Kilda, MCG, 1:45pm AEST
Geelong vs. Gold Coast, GMHBA, 4:35pm AEST
Western Bulldogs vs. North Melbourne, Marvel Stadium, 7:40pm AEST
Brisbane vs. Port Adelaide, Gabba, 7:40pm AEST

Sunday, July 5
Adelaide vs. Fremantle, Metricon Stadium, 1:05pm AEST
Sydney vs. Melbourne, SCG, 3:35pm AEST
Greater Western Sydney vs. Hawthorn, Giants Stadium, 6:05pm AEST

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