Essendon will have a fierce restart to the 2020 season, facing arch-rivals Carlton and Collingwood within the first month of the AFL season resuming.
The AFL today confirmed the first four weeks of the revised fixture, which will see the Bombers resume against Sydney at the SCG on Sunday, June 14, before clashes against Melbourne (MCG, Sunday, June 21), Carlton (MCG, Saturday night, June 27) and Collingwood (MCG, Friday night, July 3).
In a win for the Bomber faithful, all four of Essendon's games will be broadcast by Channel 7 on free-to-air television.
The new schedule of matches will be released in four-week blocks, allowing the AFL flexibility to adapt to changing coronavirus restrictions later in the year.
The restart to competition follows weeks of negotiations between the AFL, state governments, health authorities and clubs.
The AFL will attempt to complete a shortened 153-game season before holding a regulation eight-team finals series, with the Grand Final likely to be played on October 24.
RD 2-5 FIXTURE
| ROUND | OPPONENT | VENUE | HOME/AWAY | LOCAL TIME AND DATE | BROADCAST |
| 2 | Sydney | SCG | Away | 3:35pm, Sunday, June 14 | Channel 7, Fox Footy |
| 3 | Melbourne | MCG | Home | 3:35pm, Sunday, June 21 | Channel 7, Fox Footy |
| 4 | Carlton | MCG | Home | 7:40pm, Saturday, June 27 | Channel 7, Fox Footy |
| 5 | Collingwood | MCG | Away | 7:50pm, Friday, July 3 | Channel 7, Fox Footy |
