Conor McKenna stretches during an Essendon Bombers AFL training session at The Hangar in Melbourne. File/AP

The Australian Football League has postponed a game between Essendon and Melbourne because a player who recently returned from Ireland has tested positive for COVID-19.

The Australian rules AFL competition was into the second weekend of matches after restarting in the wake of the shutdown for the coronavirus pandemic.

AFL chief exectuive Gillon McLachlan says Essendon player Conor McKenna tested positive but remained asymptomatic.

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Other matches will continue in the league.

McLachlan said McKenna was the only positive case after all Essendon’s players and staff were tested. He had a negative test earlier in the week before testing positive on Saturday.

The AFL said McKenna returned from Ireland last month and self-isolated for two weeks according to Australia's COVID-19 protocols before returning to full practice.

He was set to to play his first game of 2020 on Sunday. All players are required to complete a COVID-19 test 24 hours before from each main training session and match.