The AFL Premiership has been suspended following the weekend's matches because of the coronavirus pandemic ©Getty Images

The Australian Football League (AFL) suspended their season until June in the middle of a match between Hawthorn and Brisbane due to the preventative measures taken in the country during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Originally, the AFL, the governing body for Australian Rules football, had planned to run the first four rounds of the season, but made a U-turn, closing the season for more than two months after the opening round.

Although suspended during the game, Hawthorn defeated Brisbane at the Melbourne Cricket Ground by a score of 90-62.

Later in the day, West Coast and Melbourne also completed the weekend after the announcement.

All AFL matches were played behind closed doors, but further action was taken when the Australian State Governments announced the closure of their borders due to coronavirus.

The women's AFL season will not crown a champion as their season has also been closed.

Gillon MacLachlan, chief executive officer of the AFL, said, "Our industry provides livelihoods for thousands and thousands of people but our key focus at the moment – like every organisation in the country – is to do everything that needs to be done to help slow the spread of this virus and to keep people as healthy as possible.

"It is unprecedented in the impact it is having on our game and the wider community, and as a community and as a code, we all need to take the unprecedented and required actions to get through this together."

Before the closure, the AFL was one of the only leagues globally that was still active.

Although the AFL have closed their doors, the National Rugby League (NRL) have reaffirmed their position of continuing to play their season until there is advice from the Government to shut down.

NRL chief executive officer Todd Greenberg said he had given "careful consideration" to federal and state Government's decisions to shut down non-essential travel.

He said, "We have, and always will, stringently follow all Government health advice and medical protocols to protect the health and safety of the community, and our players.

"At this stage, our intent is to play on and we remain committed to the continuation of the 2020 season as far as Government advice allows it."

Australia has over 1,300 confirmed cases of COVID-19 to date with seven people dying as a result of the spread.