Fixture AFL 2025 Fixture

[Chief]

2025 AFL FIXTURE

Times AEDT until Saturday April 5
Times AEST from Sunday April 6

OPENING ROUND

Thursday March 6

Brisbane Lions v Geelong Cats, The Gabba (7.50pm)

Friday March 7

Sydney Swans v Hawthorn, SCG (7.40pm)

Saturday March 8

Gold Coast Suns v Essendon, People First Stadium (5.15pm)

Sunday March 9

GWS Giants v Collingwood, ENGIE Stadium (3.20pm)

Bye: Adelaide Crows, Carlton, Fremantle, Melbourne, North Melbourne, Port Adelaide, Richmond, St Kilda, West Coast Eagles, Western Bulldogs

ROUND 1

Thursday March 13

Richmond v Carlton, MCG (7.30pm)

Friday March 14

Hawthorn v Essendon, MCG (7.40pm)

Saturday March 15

Geelong Cats v Fremantle, GMHBA Stadium (1.20pm)

Sydney Swans v Brisbane Lions, SCG (4.15pm)

Collingwood v Port Adelaide, MCG (7.35pm)

Western Bulldogs v North Melbourne, Marvel Stadium (7.35pm)

Sunday March 16

Adelaide Crows v St Kilda, Adelaide Oval (12.35pm)

Melbourne v GWS Giants, MCG (3.20pm)

West Coast Eagles v Gold Coast Suns, Optus Stadium (6.10pm)

ROUND 2

Thursday March 20

Carlton v Hawthorn, MCG (7.30pm)

Friday March 21

Western Bulldogs v Collingwood, MCG (7.40pm)

Saturday March 22

Essendon v Adelaide Crows, MCG (1.20pm)

Port Adelaide v Richmond, Adelaide Oval (4.15pm)

St Kilda v Geelong Cats, Marvel Stadium (7.35pm)

Sunday March 23

Brisbane Lions v West Coast Eagles, The Gabba (1.10pm)

North Melbourne v Melbourne, Marvel Stadium (3.20pm)

Fremantle v Sydney Swans, Optus Stadium (6.10pm)

Bye: Gold Coast Suns, GWS Giants

ROUND 3

Thursday March 27

Essendon v Port Adelaide, Marvel Stadium (7.30pm)

Friday March 28

Carlton v Western Bulldogs, Marvel Stadium (7.40pm)

Saturday March 29

Melbourne v Gold Coast Suns, MCG (1.20pm)

St Kilda v Richmond, Marvel Stadium (4.15pm)

Hawthorn v GWS Giants, UTAS Stadium (7.35pm)

Sunday March 30

Adelaide Crows v North Melbourne, Adelaide Oval (3.20pm)

West Coast Eagles v Fremantle, Optus Stadium (6.10pm)

Bye: Brisbane Lions, Collingwood, Geelong Cats, Sydney Swans

ROUND 4

Thursday April 3

Collingwood v Carlton, MCG (7.30pm)

Friday April 4

Geelong Cats v Melbourne, GMHBA Stadium (7.40pm)

Saturday April 5

Gold Coast Suns v Adelaide Crows, People First Stadium (1.20pm)

Richmond v Brisbane Lions, MCG (4.15pm)

North Melbourne v Sydney Swans, Marvel Stadium (7.35pm)

Sunday April 6

GWS Giants v West Coast Eagles, ENGIE Stadium (1.10pm)

Port Adelaide v St Kilda, Adelaide Oval (3.20pm)

Fremantle v Western Bulldogs, Optus Stadium (5.10pm)

Bye: Essendon, Hawthorn

ROUND 5 (Gather Round)

Thursday April 10

Adelaide Crows v Geelong Cats, Adelaide Oval (7.40pm)

Friday April 11

Collingwood v Sydney Swans, Adelaide Oval (7.40pm)

Saturday April 12

North Melbourne v Gold Coast Suns, Barossa (12.35pm)

Carlton v West Coast Eagles, Adelaide Oval (1.20pm)

Western Bulldogs v Brisbane Lions, Norwood Oval (4.15pm)

Melbourne v Essendon, Adelaide Oval (7.35pm)

Sunday April 13

Richmond v Fremantle, Barossa (12.35pm)

St Kilda v GWS Giants, Norwood Oval (3.20pm)

Port Adelaide v Hawthorn, Adelaide Oval (7.20pm)

ROUND 6

Thursday April 17 (Easter Thursday)

Brisbane Lions v Collingwood, The Gabba (7.30pm)

Friday April 18 (Good Friday)

North Melbourne v Carlton, Marvel Stadium (3.20pm)

West Coast Eagles v Essendon, Optus Stadium (6.10pm)

Saturday April 19

Melbourne v Fremantle, MCG (1.20pm)

Adelaide Crows v GWS Giants, Adelaide Oval (4.15pm)

Richmond v Gold Coast Suns, Marvel Stadium (7.35pm)

Sunday April 20 (Easter Sunday)

Sydney Swans v Port Adelaide, SCG (3.20pm)

Western Bulldogs v St Kilda, Marvel Stadium (7.20pm)

Monday April 21 (Easter Monday)

Geelong Cats v Hawthorn, MCG (3.20pm)

ROUND 7

Thursday April 24

Melbourne v Richmond, MCG (7.30pm)

Friday April 25 (Anzac Day)

Collingwood v Essendon, MCG (3.20pm)

Fremantle v Adelaide Crows, Optus Stadium (8.10pm)

Saturday April 26

St Kilda v Brisbane Lions, Marvel Stadium (1.20pm)

Port Adelaide v North Melbourne, Adelaide Oval (4.15pm)

GWS Giants v Western Bulldogs, Manuka (7.35pm)

Sunday April 27

Gold Coast Suns v Sydney Swans, People First Stadium (1.10pm)

Carlton v Geelong Cats, MCG (3.20pm)

Hawthorn v West Coast Eagles, Marvel Stadium (4.40pm)

ROUND 8

Thursday May 1

Essendon v North Melbourne, Marvel Stadium (7.30pm)

Friday May 2

St Kilda v Fremantle, Marvel Stadium (7.40pm)

Saturday May 3

Western Bulldogs v Port Adelaide, Mars Stadium (1.20pm)

Adelaide Crows v Carlton, Adelaide Oval (4.15pm)

West Coast Eagles v Melbourne, Optus Stadium (7.35pm)

Collingwood v Geelong Cats, MCG (7.35pm)

Sunday May 4

Sydney Swans v GWS Giants, SCG (1.10pm)

Hawthorn v Richmond, MCG (3.20pm)

Brisbane Lions v Gold Coast Suns, The Gabba (7.20pm)

ROUND 9

Thursday May 8

Fremantle v Collingwood, Optus Stadium (8.10pm)

Friday May 9

St Kilda v Carlton, MCG (7.40pm)

Saturday May 10

Melbourne v Hawthorn, MCG (1.20pm)

Essendon v Sydney Swans, Marvel Stadium (4.15pm)

Gold Coast Suns v Western Bulldogs, TIO Darwin (7.35pm)

Port Adelaide v Adelaide Crows, Adelaide Oval (8.10pm)

Sunday May 11

Richmond v West Coast Eagles, MCG (1.10pm)

Geelong Cats v GWS Giants, GMHBA Stadium (3.20pm)

North Melbourne v Brisbane Lions, Ninja Stadium (4.40pm)

ROUND 10 (Sir Doug Nicholls Indigenous Round)

Thursday May 15

Gold Coast Suns v Hawthorn, TIO Darwin (7.30pm)

Friday May 16

Sydney Swans v Carlton, SCG (7.40pm)

Saturday May 17

Collingwood v Adelaide Crows, MCG (1.20pm)

GWS Giants v Fremantle, ENGIE Stadium (4.15pm)

Western Bulldogs v Essendon, Marvel Stadium (4.15pm)

Port Adelaide v Geelong Cats, Adelaide Oval (7.35pm)

Sunday May 18

Richmond v North Melbourne, MCG (1.10pm)

Brisbane Lions v Melbourne, The Gabba (3.20pm)

West Coast Eagles v St Kilda, Optus Stadium (4.40pm)

ROUND 11 (Sir Doug Nicholls Indigenous Round)

Thursday May 22

Geelong Cats v Western Bulldogs, GMHBA Stadium (7.30pm)

Friday May 23

Essendon v Richmond, MCG (7.40pm)

Saturday May 24

Carlton v GWS Giants, Marvel Stadium (1.20pm)

Hawthorn v Brisbane Lions, MCG (4.15pm)

North Melbourne v Collingwood, Marvel Stadium (7.35pm)

Fremantle v Port Adelaide, Optus Stadium (8.10pm)

Sunday May 25

Adelaide Crows v West Coast Eagles, Adelaide Oval (1.10pm)

Melbourne v Sydney Swans, MCG (3.20pm)

St Kilda v Gold Coast Suns, Marvel Stadium (4.40pm)

ROUND 12

Thursday May 29

Brisbane Lions v Essendon, The Gabba (7.30pm)

Friday May 30

Collingwood v Hawthorn, MCG (7.40pm)

Saturday May 31

Gold Coast Suns v Fremantle, People First Stadium (1.20pm)

GWS Giants v Richmond, ENGIE Stadium (4.15pm)

Sydney Swans v Adelaide Crows, SCG (7.35pm)

Sunday June 1

Melbourne v St Kilda, TIO Traeger (3.20pm)

West Coast Eagles v Geelong Cats, Optus Stadium (7.20pm)

Bye: Carlton, North Melbourne, Port Adelaide, Western Bulldogs

ROUND 13

Thursday June 5

Western Bulldogs v Hawthorn, Marvel Stadium (7.30pm)

Friday June 6

Adelaide Crows v Brisbane Lions, Adelaide Oval (7.40pm)

Saturday June 7

Richmond v Sydney Swans, MCG (1.20pm)

Geelong Cats v Gold Coast Suns, GMHBA Stadium (4.15pm)

GWS Giants v Port Adelaide, Manuka (7.35pm)

Sunday June 8

North Melbourne v West Coast Eagles, Hands Oval – South Bunbury (3.20pm)

Carlton v Essendon, MCG (7.15pm)

Monday June 9 (King’s Birthday)

Melbourne v Collingwood, MCG (3.20pm)

Bye: Fremantle, St Kilda

ROUND 14

Thursday June 12

St Kilda v Western Bulldogs, Marvel Stadium (7.30pm)

Friday June 13

Hawthorn v Adelaide Crows, UTAS Stadium (7.40pm)

Saturday June 14

Brisbane Lions v GWS Giants, The Gabba (1.20pm)

Essendon v Geelong Cats, MCG (4.15pm)

North Melbourne v Fremantle, Optus Stadium (7.35pm)

Sunday June 15

Port Adelaide v Melbourne, Adelaide Oval (3.20pm)

West Coast Eagles v Carlton, Optus Stadium (6.10pm)

Bye: Collingwood, Gold Coast Suns, Richmond, Sydney Swans

ROUND 15

Thursday June 19

Fremantle v Essendon, Optus Stadium (8.10pm)

Friday June 20

Geelong Cats v Brisbane Lions, GMHBA Stadium (7.40pm)

Saturday June 21

Carlton v North Melbourne, MCG (1.20pm)

Port Adelaide v Sydney Swans, Adelaide Oval (4.15pm)

Collingwood v St Kilda, Marvel Stadium (7.35pm)

Sunday June 22

GWS Giants v Gold Coast Suns, ENGIE Stadium (1.10pm)

Western Bulldogs v Richmond, Marvel Stadium (3.20pm)

Bye: Adelaide Crows, Hawthorn, Melbourne, West Coast Eagles

ROUND 16 (days and times TBC)

Thursday June 26 – Sunday June 29

Collingwood v West Coast Eagles, Marvel Stadium

Fremantle v St Kilda, Optus Stadium

Gold Coast Suns v Melbourne, People First Stadium

Hawthorn v North Melbourne, UTAS Stadium

Port Adelaide v Carlton, Adelaide Oval

Richmond v Adelaide Crows, MCG

Sydney Swans v Western Bulldogs, SCG

Bye: Brisbane Lions, Essendon, Geelong Cats, GWS Giants

ROUND 17 (days and times TBC)

Thursday July 3 – Sunday July 6

Adelaide Crows v Melbourne, Adelaide Oval

Brisbane Lions v Port Adelaide, The Gabba

Carlton v Collingwood, MCG

Essendon v Gold Coast Suns, Marvel Stadium

Geelong Cats v Richmond, GMHBA Stadium

North Melbourne v Western Bulldogs, Marvel Stadium

St Kilda v Hawthorn, Marvel Stadium

Sydney Swans v Fremantle, SCG

West Coast Eagles v GWS Giants, Optus Stadium

ROUND 18 (days and times TBC)

Thursday July 10 – Sunday July 13

Carlton v Brisbane Lions, Marvel Stadium

Fremantle v Hawthorn, Optus Stadium

Gold Coast Suns v Collingwood, People First Stadium

GWS Giants v Geelong Cats, ENGIE Stadium

Melbourne v North Melbourne, MCG

Port Adelaide v West Coast Eagles, Adelaide Oval

Richmond v Essendon, MCG

St Kilda v Sydney Swans, Marvel Stadium

Western Bulldogs v Adelaide Crows, Mars Stadium

ROUND 19 (days and times TBC)

Thursday July 17 – Sunday July 20

Adelaide Crows v Gold Coast Suns, Adelaide Oval

Brisbane Lions v Western Bulldogs, The Gabba

Carlton v Melbourne, MCG

Collingwood v Fremantle, MCG

Essendon v GWS Giants, Marvel Stadium

Geelong Cats v St Kilda, GMHBA Stadium

Hawthorn v Port Adelaide, UTAS Stadium

Sydney Swans v North Melbourne, SCG

West Coast Eagles v Richmond, Optus Stadium

ROUND 20 (days and times TBC)

Thursday July 24 – Sunday July 27

Adelaide Crows v Port Adelaide, Adelaide Oval

Essendon v Western Bulldogs, Marvel Stadium

Fremantle v West Coast Eagles, Optus Stadium

Gold Coast Suns v Brisbane Lions, People First Stadium

GWS Giants v Sydney Swans, ENGIE Stadium

Hawthorn v Carlton, MCG

North Melbourne v Geelong Cats, Marvel Stadium

Richmond v Collingwood, MCG

St Kilda v Melbourne, Marvel Stadium

ROUND 21 (days and times TBC)

Thursday July 31 – Sunday August 3

Adelaide Crows v Hawthorn, Adelaide Oval

Collingwood v Brisbane Lions, MCG

Fremantle v Carlton, Optus Stadium

Geelong Cats v Port Adelaide, GMHBA Stadium

Gold Coast Suns v Richmond, People First Stadium

Melbourne v West Coast Eagles, Marvel Stadium

St Kilda v North Melbourne, Marvel Stadium

Sydney Swans v Essendon, SCG

Western Bulldogs v GWS Giants, Marvel Stadium

ROUND 22 (days and times TBC)

Thursday August 7 – Sunday August 10

Brisbane Lions v Sydney Swans, The Gabba

Carlton v Gold Coast Suns, Marvel Stadium

Geelong Cats v Essendon, GMHBA Stadium

GWS Giants v North Melbourne, ENGIE Stadium

Hawthorn v Collingwood, MCG

Melbourne v Western Bulldogs, MCG

Port Adelaide v Fremantle, Adelaide Oval

Richmond v St Kilda, MCG

West Coast Eagles v Adelaide Crows, Optus Stadium

ROUND 23 (days and times TBC)

Friday August 15 – Sunday August 17

Adelaide Crows v Collingwood, Adelaide Oval

Carlton v Port Adelaide, Marvel Stadium

Essendon v St Kilda, Marvel Stadium

Fremantle v Brisbane Lions, Optus Stadium

Gold Coast Suns v GWS Giants, People First Stadium

Hawthorn v Melbourne, MCG

North Melbourne v Richmond, Ninja Stadium

Sydney Swans v Geelong Cats, SCG

Western Bulldogs v West Coast Eagles, Marvel Stadium

ROUND 24 (days and times TBC)

Friday August 22 – Sunday August 24

Brisbane Lions v Hawthorn, The Gabba

Collingwood v Melbourne, MCG

Essendon v Carlton, MCG

GWS Giants v St Kilda, ENGIE Stadium

North Melbourne v Adelaide Crows, Marvel Stadium

Port Adelaide v Gold Coast Suns, Adelaide Oval

Richmond v Geelong Cats, MCG

West Coast Eagles v Sydney Swans, Optus Stadium

Western Bulldogs v Fremantle, Marvel Stadium

 

[StackedHunch]

They’re also getting teams like Hawthorn, GWS and the Western Bulldogs on neutral grounds… teams they’re likely to lose to in genuine away games.

Tbh, as much as the AFL have given Port a leg up against us with Gather Round, we're far stronger at York Park against most teams, and, though the AFL's hype has dudded Hawthorn fans with no game at the MCG, Port are a much better team in big games, and generally mediocre at smaller events.

 

[Randomizor]

Stop trying to make Carlton happen AFL. They’re not going to happen.

 

[Underarm]

Hawthorn shouldn't get the choice. If clubs want to take their home games to Bumfúck Idaho, all 18 clubs should share the load equally as to who fills the "away" slot in those fixtures. And if you get Essendon at York Park instead of at the MCG, well that's the bed you made for yourself.

So you'd be fine if gc played their derby in Darwin or cairns every so often?

You'd be happy playing North Melbourne in Bunbury?

 

[Grasshopper17]

So you'd be fine if gc played their derby in Darwin or cairns every so often?

You'd be happy playing North Melbourne in Bunbury?

Under the arrangement I've outlined it would happen far less regularly for my club than it happens currently.

Share the load. Regardless of where you are on the ladder.

 

[Saints4ever]

Hawthorn shouldn't get the choice. If clubs want to take their home games to Bumfúck Idaho, all 18 clubs should share the load equally as to who fills the "away" slot in those fixtures. And if you get Essendon at York Park instead of at the MCG, well that's the bed you made for yourself.

You do realise that low drawing clubs only sell their low drawing matches against low drawing clubs for a reason yeah?

It’s not to grow the game, it’s not about spreading the great game to different parts of the country.

It’s entirely putting dollars in the bank.

Now let’s say the Hawks play Collingwood in Launceston. That’s now a double kick in the guts to the hawks not only does it take a low drawing game away from Launceston that would make money it also loses them a shit load of money not playing at the mcg.

Make no mistakes clubs sell games to make money and for no other reason so why the hell would you sell a high drawing game.

 

[Hawkk]

Hawthorn shouldn't get the choice. If clubs want to take their home games to Bumfúck Idaho, all 18 clubs should share the load equally as to who fills the "away" slot in those fixtures. And if you get Essendon at York Park instead of at the MCG, well that's the bed you made for yourself.

I don’t think so bro -

That would be like the Hawthorn Football Club asking for the same level of distribution cough charity that Adelaide get from the AFL

 

[Elixuh]

Does the AFL award Carlton the flag before or immediately after Opening Round?

 

[Grasshopper17]

You do realise that low drawing clubs only sell their low drawing matches against low drawing clubs for a reason yeah?

It’s not to grow the game, it’s not about spreading the great game to different parts of the country.

It’s entirely putting dollars in the bank.

Now let’s say the Hawks play Collingwood in Launceston. That’s now a double kick in the guts to the hawks not only does it take a low drawing game away from Launceston that would make money it also loses them a shit load of money not playing at the mcg.

Make no mistakes clubs sell games to make money and for no other reason so why the hell would you sell a high drawing game.

sigh

OK Laura

 

[hawkman]

Does the AFL award Carlton the flag before or immediately after Opening Round?

I think they were awarded the minor premier on Thursday. The problem for Carlton is they have to win 3 finals to win the flag.

 

[BigBreakfast]

Forget the gambling houses then.

You list out the 18 teams from your most likely to least likely to win the flag. We can use that for all I care. Unless you have a massively inferior ability to estimate probabilities to the betting companies of course...

It’s November MR

I’m sure the betting foolishness won’t even jump on your very tiny bandwagon yet.

Relax and enjoy the (absence) of festivities

 

[BuffDog]

Going to be interesting to see what Hawthorn do once Tassie enter the comp. Do they stay in Launceston or will their additional home games be at Marvel or the MCG?

Similar for Essendon, I was under the impression we were lobbying for additional MCG home games. Carlton and St Kilda got extra but we didn’t - That might change once North take two home games back to Marvel.

 

[Saints4ever]

sigh

OK Laura

Nothing to do with Laura.
Clubs sell their home games for 1 reason and 1 reason only.
Notice how Collingwood, Carlton, Richmond and Essendon don’t sell homes.
Hawthorn, North Melbourne, St Kilda, Western Bulldogs and Melbourne wouldn’t sell their home games either in an ideal world but when they do sell them obviously it’s got to be against low drawing sides or what’s the point.

 

[Grasshopper17]

Nothing to do with Laura.
Clubs sell their home games for 1 reason and 1 reason only.
Notice how Collingwood, Carlton, Richmond and Essendon don’t sell homes.
Hawthorn, North Melbourne, St Kilda, Western Bulldogs and Melbourne wouldn’t sell their home games either in an ideal world but when they do sell them obviously it’s got to be against low drawing sides or what’s the point.

Everything to do with Laura. Under current arrangements low drawing sides will be low drawing sides forever. FOREVER.

Well, until they cease to exist I suppose.

This is the epitome of short term gain for long term pain. It's not the clubs' faults really I suppose; this is the rod the AFL's making for their back.

 

[Saints4ever]

Everything to do with Laura. Under current arrangements low drawing sides will be low drawing sides forever. FOREVER.

Well, until they cease to exist I suppose.

This is the epitome of short term gain for long term pain. It's not the clubs' faults really I suppose; this is the rod the AFL's making for their back.

You could put North Melbourne, Western Bulldogs and St Kilda in prime time every week and they would never have the support of Collingwood, Carlton and Essendon.

The fixture is extremely unfair and nowhere is their balance but clubs selling their home games is on them not the AFL and the club should have some say over what games they sell.

 

[Grasshopper17]

You could put North Melbourne, Western Bulldogs and St Kilda in prime time every week and they would never have the support of Collingwood, Carlton and Essendon.

I don't agree with that at all. It might take years, generations even, but give these clubs the right kind of exposure and I think we'd eventually see something closer to an equilibrium.

Which, ultimately, is a win for everyone. I'm sure there are Collingwood and Carlton fans out there (and probably even people within those clubs) that harbour at least a degree of resentment at having the revenue streams their club generates used to prop up clubs that don't.

 

[Crankyhawk]

On paper they have a prelim finalist, the side they barely beat in the semi, an arch rival they've beaten once in the last 6 times they've played and only twice since 2018, another arch rival where they've gone 50/50 through the past 4/5 years and two sides they should be beating twice

It's certainly not a difficult set but it's not the cakewalk many are predicting

That looks like you are talking about port but I thought the original question was around Carlton’s soft draw (getting both spud teams - Richmond and wce)

 

[Crankyhawk]

Hawthorn shouldn't get the choice. If clubs want to take their home games to Bumfúck Idaho, all 18 clubs should share the load equally as to who fills the "away" slot in those fixtures. And if you get Essendon at York Park instead of at the MCG, well that's the bed you made for yourself.

We barely get Essendon as a home game.

 

[Mat Mann]

Going to be interesting to see what Hawthorn do once Tassie enter the comp. Do they stay in Launceston or will their additional home games be at Marvel or the MCG?

Similar for Essendon, I was under the impression we were lobbying for additional MCG home games. Carlton and St Kilda got extra but we didn’t - That might change once North take two home games back to Marvel.

Yeah we get to host a game at the MCG but ultimately it's status quo, still 2 games a year same as most non-vic sides, and considering we have to play finals there it's an utter disgrace by the AFL, but tbf, they couldn't give a F about the small melb clubs they have screwed over for the last 20+ years with the docklands disaster.

Bassat is spot on with his comments re the AFL, we are supposed to shut up and take whatever we are given, which is another absolute shitshow of a fixture,
3 trips to SA in 5 weeks,
2 trips to Perth,
1 to NT and NSW,
1 Thursday game
2 Friday
2 Saturday Night
1 Sunday evening
and 6 Sunday slots

top 6 teams from 2024 in 1st nine rounds plus Crows and Freo

even if we do well out of this, we'd at best be going 50/50 and therefore not deemed good enough to get extra Prime time slots, so once again relegated to the fixture dregs

Everything to do with Laura. Under current arrangements low drawing sides will be low drawing sides forever. FOREVER.

Well, until they cease to exist I suppose.

This is the epitome of short term gain for long term pain. It's not the clubs' faults really I suppose; this is the rod the AFL's making for their back.

it's all of the AFL's making, we made more out of 1 game at the MCG vs Pies/Essendon/Carlton than we do for the rest of the year at Docklands. when we've had to write cheques to the venue because we keep getting Sunday slots vs interstate sides, ofc Clubs are going to find alternatives

 

[TheEscapeClub]

3025

My descendants and I will hold you and you descendants to this comment. I've bookmarked it to pass it down the line, through the generations.

I will leave my BF account in my will with all login details.

 

[CarterS]

3 trips to SA in 5 weeks,
2 trips to Perth,

Lions had this last year, it's crazy that any team should have 5 trips to SA/WA.

 

[CCurnow3votes]

Disappointing.

I was looking forward to travelling to Geelong.

No doubt.

Another missed opportunity to tour Collingwood’s new training centre.

 

[eth-dog]

That looks like you are talking about port but I thought the original question was around Carlton’s soft draw (getting both spud teams - Richmond and wce)

I am. They get Port, Hawthorn, Collingwood and Essendon part from those two as well.

 

[Crankyhawk]

I am. They get Port, Hawthorn, Collingwood and Essendon part from those two as well.

Ah I think I got confused when you said “they get a preliminary finalist and the side they barely beat in the semi” and I was thinking “Carlton didn’t make a semi” but you meant the side port barely beat.

 

[BallaratBulldog]

I can't wait for people to say the Dogs don't travel with 5 Melbourne games in a row to finish the season, ignoring they were crammed in earlier in the year.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

You could put North Melbourne, Western Bulldogs and St Kilda in prime time every week and they would never have the support of Collingwood, Carlton and Essendon.

The fixture is extremely unfair and nowhere is their balance but clubs selling their home games is on them not the AFL and the club should have some say over what games they sell.

This is true, even if things were always equitable the smaller clubs would stay smaller.

The divide has been made worse by decades of getting the crap timeslots behind a paywall, even when playing well. Without similar levels of exposure, the smaller clubs don't have the chance to grow their supporter base to the same extent. Its not the kids of existing followers (though that too) but the kids of families with no footy background, they end up following the clubs they actually get to see.

The media rights cycle grab for cash boosts the already powerful, and hides the smaller clubs. The unequal funding is largely compensation for the inequities of that year but not the cumulative effect.