And it was definitely felt in the sporting world as COVID-19 saw some very different approaches.

However after plenty of uncertainty sport did return, premierships were won and we were able to celebrate success both on and off the field.

With the new year under way, we look back at the most read sport stories of 2020 from www.dailyadvertiser.com.au.

We start one a sombre note as readers flocked to remember the life of Ness, following his sudden death in April.

From his beloved Turvey Park to racing, touch and even cricket, the colourful personality of Ness was depicted by those close to him.

"He was extremely loyal, extremely humble and he was everyone's best mate," his son Michael said.

The six-time Southern District Racing Association premiership winner was suspended in August as a result of horses he trained allegedly being slaughtered.

Sutherland denied he sent horses to a third party with the expectation that they would be euthanised.

However he was later disqualified for three years and is awaiting the results of his appeal.

Turvey Park forged ahead into the AFL Riverina Championships but did so without co-coaches Mark Carroll and Jeremy Sykes.

The pair stepped down citing coronavirus concerns in July.

Josh Ashcroft and Chase Grintell stepped into the role as the Bulldogs won just once in the shortened season.

One of the competition's oldest clubs sat out the 2020 season due to coronavirus concerns and didn't return.

At the annual general meeting in November, the Bulldogs didn't apply to take part in the 2021 season as they look to rejuvenate the club in the George Tooke Shield.

It means Group Nine has a nine-team competition this year.

In the midst of a stellar cricket season, Blake Harper's sporting aspirations came to a sudden halt when a 700 kilogram hay bale fell on him at his Ariah Park farm in January.

The reigning best and fairest winner at Collingullie-Glenfield Park somehow escaped with a badly-damaged spleen and bruising to his heart and liver.

Initially he was set to miss 12 months of sport but fortunately Harper recovered in time to be part of South Wagga's finals campaign.

There was plenty of interest in what the AFL Riverina competitions would look like in July.

With the Farrer League cancelled after three withdrawals, the remaining clubs were given the opportunity to take on their Riverina League counterparts in a new-look competition. None did.

Instead five Riverina League clubs and Hume League premiers Osborne took part in a successful one-off season.

There is very little love lost between Gundagai and Tumut and it boiled over in the Group Nine finals.

Four players were charged from the semi-final clash and Derek Hay and Damian Willis both faced missing the grand final.

However both avoided suspension after taking their cases to the group Nine judiciary to be part of a massive grand final win by the Tigers.

Tumut pair Jordan Anderson and Lachlan Bristow were also successful at the judiciary.

Twenty five years on from winning his Brownlow Medal, Paul Kelly recalled how being named the AFL fairest and best turned his life upside down.

Kelly was so convinced he had little chance to take out the honour wife Lyndelle didn't initially make the trip but plans soon changed as the vote progressed.

The win even helped the Sydney Swans break into the rugby league dominated scene.

It was a big signing that never really came to fruition due to coronavirus.

Brothers were set to be buoyed by another big body through the middle.

However Faukafa returned home to New Zealand and border restrictions never allowed him to return.

There had only been two points separating the two sides in their first three clashes of the season before the Tigers delivered an empathic performance to make it two Group Nine premierships in three years.

Their arch rivals proved to be no match at Equex Centre as the hype leading into the clash soon dissipated as Gundagai fired in the tries.

He may be small in stature, but there aren't many bigger icons in rugby league.

One half of the NRL's premiership trophy, Summons was remembered for not only his prowess on the field but his contribution to the Wagga community off it following his death in May.

After an incident at his bucks party changed his life forever 14 years ago, the quadriplegic revealed just how his world has changed.

However it's a story of a proud family man rather than one of sadness.

The promising footballer, who caught one of Maurice Greene's shoes at the Sydney Olympics, reflected on his life declaring he wouldn't change it.

Brothers Mathew and Jack Lyons sizzled in Gundagai's grand final victory scoring five tries between them on the right edge.

However their premiership success masked a tough week after the loss of their grandmother Lucy.

The pair were thrilled to seal the title in her honour.

Jake Hay's first grade debut for Gundagai was delayed after suffering a head knock in the under 18s but the schoolboy still had plenty of support.

His moment to debut for his junior club alongside older brother Derek arrived a few weeks later and now there are bigger things in store for the playmaker.

It's a tough task comparing players over long periods of time but the call on the best 17 of the decade attracted plenty of interest.

Although not part of the criteria being a premiership player turned into a miss have item on the list dominated by Gundagai, Southcity and Albury players.

After a 261-game and 1287-goal career the new AFL Southern NSW regional manager stepped away from a glittering career shortly before the original starting date of the Riverina League season.

In a throwback to full forwards of the past, Geppert won 10 consecutive league leading goalkicking awards from 2008-17 spanning across the two AFL Riverina competitions where he won four Farrer League flags, to go with his three Riverina League premierships.

The Hume League premiers shocked Wagga Tigers to start the AFL Riverina Championships.

In what ended up being a round one boilover, Osborne took advantage of a dramatic lead in by the Tigers, downing the Riverina League premiers by 15 points.

It was to be the eventual premiers only loss of the season and Osborne's only win for the season.

The former Wagga Kangaroos and South Sydney star Greg Hawick was remembered as a trailblazer of the sport in the Riverina.

Part of five South Sydney premierships through the 1950s before sensationally joining Kangaroos as captain-coach, Hawick continued to represent NSW and Australia from Wagga.

One of the most decorated players at Kangaroos, he led the club to their first ever premiership in 1962 and followed it up with another grand final success in 1963.

Mathew Lyons makes the list again, this time with his Queensland Cup plans for 2021.

The centre leaves a big hole to fill for the Tigers after a change of circumstances led him to try his luck with the Sunshine Coast Falcons after two stellar seasons back in Group Nine.

Maurus was declared the new victor of the Wagga Gold Cup after House Of Cartier returned a positive swab.

John Thompson's overseas import was elevated to victory after a stewards inquiry found Randwick trainer John Sargent guilty of presenting House Of Cartier with the prohibited substance, 4-hydroxy xlazine, a form of sedative, in her system.

The signing Albury Tigers star Brayden O'Hara and the return of juniors Jake Gaynor and Shaun Driscoll helped Wagga Tigers seal back-to-back premierships.

With the Ovens and Murray competition not going ahead plenty of star power helped create a potent attack.