North Melbourne coach Rhyce Shaw has used the phrase "adapt to win" many times in 2020. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused havoc, delaying the season for the best part of three months and testing the resilience of players and clubs alike. 

Only those teams which can unite, and "adapt" to the situation, will prosper. 

"I think this year presents a war of attrition feel, given the eight weeks that we’ve been through," Shaun Higgins told SEN.

Strict protocols, fly-in-fly-out games, regular COVID testing and of course, close to two months away from the club, are all a reality of AFL in 2020.

But according to Higgins, the ability to overcome adversity is part of what makes the game great. 

“I think the physical toll on our bodies is something that separates our game from other sports, and it’s a part of the game that we all love," he said. 

“When you look back at players who have stood out over different decades, they’re the ones that find a way and go to another level when fatigue sets in."

Higgins said he and his teammates were ready for whatever challenges lie ahead. 

“Even looking back at our game in Round 1, we were down to one on the bench. We’re a team that loves to grind out games.”