Is the coronavirus pandemic causing the shutdown of the league the biggest AFL controversy of the century?
Over the past 20 years there have been many scandals that sent shockwaves through the league and turned it upside down.
We've taken a look back at the 10 biggest AFL controversies since 2000.
Honourable mentions
Brisbane Lions using IV drips (2001)
Barry Hall's punch on Brent Staker (2008)
Ricky Nixon's 'St Kilda schoolgirl' incident (2011)
Kirk Tippett salary cap breach (2012)
Josh Thomas and Lachlan Keefe's drug ban (2015)
Adelaide Crows Collective Minds pre-season camp (2018)
Jaidyn Stephenson's betting scandal (2019)
But let's continue on with the real stuff...
3. Ben Cousins' fall from grace
After winning the Brownlow Medal in 2005 and winning a premiership with West Coast in 2006, Cousins became embroiled in a drugs scandal that still plagues him to this day. After first being stripped of his captaincy in 2005 after running from a booze bus in Perth, Cousins was arrested in December 2006 after passing out at Crown Casino in Melbourne.
After testing positive for drugs in March 2007, Cousins was stood down indefinitely by the Eagles. He appeared to turn his life around by 2009, having a brief comeback with Richmond and being the focus of a documentary 'Such is Life: The troubled times of Ben Cousins' chronicling his recovery.
Sadly, Cousins has since been in prison and continues to be plagued by his demons.
