The AFL has been suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic following an Australian government crackdown on non-essential travel.
The league - featuring 17 Irish players - got up and running behind closed doors this weekend before the call was made to postpone play today. Games will be suspended until May 31 from Monday onwards.
There are still hopes to complete the full schedule in the AFL - but the AFL Women's League (AFLW) has been cancelled at the semi-final stage and no cup will be awarded this year.
10 Irish players were involved in the AFLW playoffs but Dublin's Melbourne Football Club duo Sinead Goldrick and Niamh McEvoy returned home to Ireland in midweek after the Australian government recommended that non-Australian citizens leave the country.
Fermanagh's Joanne Doonan , Aisling McCarthy from Tipperary, Mairead Seoighe from Galway, Donegal's Katy Herron, and Clara Fitzpatrick from Down also flew home yesterday.
AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan said: "It was the right decision to start the season, and clearly it is now the right decision to stop.
"That is why we have acted immediately to take this step to play our role in the community and to protect the long-term future of our game."
McLachlan added that the men's competition was prepared to run as late as possible in 2020 to complete the season if it was required.
