2026 Fixture Discussion - Release is Nigh

[southcoast]

I notice the AFL, courtesy of its media arm (Ch7), have started the fixture controlled release program.

Opening Round
Thurs 5th March - SCG - Swans V Blues (who'd have thought the AFL would manipulate the fixtures to create a special event)
Fri and Sat dates and times TBC - Gabba - Lions V Dogs and/or People First - Suns V Cats and/or Engie Stadium GWS V Hawks.

This year will also see a game in Vic as part of opening round - that being Pies v Saints at MCG. This fixture to appease the Vics who groaned about no AFL in Vic when season starts and, would you believe is Pies requested they don't travel to northern states as they travelled the previous two years.

Really?

Source - https://7news.com.au/sport/afl/open...ner-brisbane-host-western-bulldogs-c-20605568

As for remainder of the season fixtures, I'm interested in seeing:
1. When and where we get Lions and Suns and Swans and Geelong.
2. Whether or not Norfs only get the one trip to WA - instead of a return away game V Eagles and/or Dockers.
3. What time slots we get - I suspect we will become the Sunday afternoon specialists in 2026.
4. Whether or not we get the additional trip to Tas and/or NT?
5. Pies/Tigers/Blues MCG loading.

 

[Matele]

Who knew you could just reject travel requests? We’ve been missing a trick for 39 years.

 

[WCE_18]

Essentially the Pies are asking not to play GC, Lions, GWS and Swans twice.

By requesting not travelling to Northern states it would eliminate playing them twice next year and get home advantage against 4 teams you would say are top 8 sides.

 

[Elite Pete]

Essentially the Pies are asking not to play GC, Lions, GWS and Swans twice.

By requesting not travelling to Northern states it would eliminate playing them twice next year and get home advantage against 4 teams you would say are top 8 sides.

I think the request was not to travel for opening round.

They play Brissy I believe Easter weekend I believe most years.

Is the Saints vs Pies round 0 the next ‘traditional clash’ that can’t be changed and deserves national telecast and prime time slot.

Derby and Showdowns still get no priority

 

[Wooshaaaa]

The AFL needs to prevent the non Victorian clubs travelling every second week. They have to figure out a way to allow each team a 4 week stint at home.

So for us...
Round 1-9 home and away

Round 10-15
Home game
Dockers home game
Home game
Norf home game Bunbury
Home game
Bye
Home game

Round 16-23 home and away

So first 9 weeks and last 8 weeks travel every second week, but broken up with 7 weeks in Perth in the middle of the year.

 

[KERRPOW]

For those wondering, Full fixture release thurs 26th nov.

 

[KERRPOW]

Gonna take a stab and say we will play the dockers, crows, gold coast, port, essendon and the saints twice.

 

[Elite Pete]

Gonna take a stab and say we will play the dockers, crows, gold coast, port, essendon and the saints twice.

Like a prediction or two.

I reckon we get the Roos twice this year and one will be at Gather round.

Freo locked, will get the Tigers twice as well. I’ll throw in Port, Saints and Blues.

Pies will be the WA day game.

I’ll go we are due for a Canberra game as well.

 

[southcoast]

Gonna take a stab and say we will play the dockers, crows, gold coast, port, essendon and the saints twice.

I'd like to think we get Tiges and Norfs twice at least.

 

[Lazzas]

AFL to expand finals with wildcard round revealed for 2026 season.

AFL to expand finals with wildcard round revealed for 2026 season

BREAKING: AFL to expand finals with wildcard round revealed for 2026 season

www.foxsports.com.au

 

[Bleedblueandgold]

Hmm, idk if I like this, although we won't be playing finals for a few more years, teams we are death riding will be given an opportunity to finish higher than 9-10th spot, but also vice versa for teams finishing 7-8th. Overall, it's not unexpected with soon to be 19 teams (and perhaps later 20) in a few years.

 

[new breed]

AFL to expand finals with wildcard round revealed for 2026 season.

AFL to expand finals with wildcard round revealed for 2026 season

BREAKING: AFL to expand finals with wildcard round revealed for 2026 season

www.foxsports.com.au

We are chance to play finals , 8-10 wins gets us 9th or 10th .

Incentives galore now !!

 

[Keys]

For those wondering, Full fixture release thurs 26th nov.

Thursday this week according to Mitch Cleary

 

[KERRPOW]

Thursday this week according to Mitch Cleary

Where the hell did i pull those dates from.

 

[D-N-R]

Hopefully our bye comes a bit earlier next year. We could have done with it a couple of rounds earlier this year. Team was running on fumes.

 

[Bleedblueandgold]

They should just wait til Tassie enter the comp and make it a finals top 10.
At worst it should just be a top 9 with 8th vs 9th in the week after the regular season.
The ridiculous continuation of opening round is still the worst of it tho.

 

[Barrybran]

Thursday this week according to Mitch Cleary

Same pattern every year. Once news starts to drop, the fixture release is imminent. One of the few things that is reliable about the AFL.

 

[Keys]

Clubs can now have double ups against 4 teams in their bracket of 6 instead of the previous maximum of 3

Means we should get double ups against 4 of Port, Melbourne, Essendon, Richmond and North. One against Freo who were in the middle 6 and just one top 6 team

 

[ballsohard]

Clubs can now have double ups against 4 teams in their bracket of 6 instead of the previous maximum of 3

Means we should get double ups against 4 of Port, Melbourne, Essendon, Richmond and North. One against Freo who were in the middle 6 and just one top 6 team

Hoping to get 2x Richmond/Essendon/Melbourne.

I don't think we will play North twice as we are already playing an away game against them at Optus, don't think they would schedule WCE vs NM @ Optus 2x in one season.

 

[southcoast]

Hoping to get 2x Richmond/Essendon/Melbourne.

I don't think we will play North twice as we are already playing an away game against them at Optus, don't think they would schedule WCE vs NM @ Optus 2x in one season.

Coz 'travel' - you're probably right but that's BS.

Tis OK for interstate teams to travel every second weekend (avg) but ......... I will wait with bated breath to see what the final outcome is.

 

[Keys]

Hoping to get 2x Richmond/Essendon/Melbourne.

I don't think we will play North twice as we are already playing an away game against them at Optus, don't think they would schedule WCE vs NM @ Optus 2x in one season.

As Elite Pete posted earlier a double up game against North in gather round makes a lot of sense

 

[Ochre]

As Elite Pete posted earlier a double up game against North in gather round makes a lot of sense

What's the most remote part of SA imaginable for them to schedule it at? Snowtown?

 

[bzparkes]

Clubs can now have double ups against 4 teams in their bracket of 6 instead of the previous maximum of 3

Means we should get double ups against 4 of Port, Melbourne, Essendon, Richmond and North. One against Freo who were in the middle 6 and just one top 6 team

Well that's better. Should see easier draws for the lower teams and harder ones for some of the top ones who got cushy ones before.












Oh who am I kidding?....

 

[Elite Pete]

What's the most remote part of SA imaginable for them to schedule it at? Snowtown?

Andamooka.

Find out Wednesday but if they go with it it will be at the Parade or Barossa but AFL don’t always use logic with fixturing.

If it’s not the Roos double up we know 5 of our 6.

Tigers - x 2 wins
Bombers - x 2 wins
Power - x 2 wins
Dees - x 2 wins
+ Roos at Optus we are on 9 wins.

All of a sudden we are talking Wild Card West Coast Eagles .

JHF vs Harley could make for a Gather round build up game but it I’ll be a Vic team vs Power.

 

[Ochre]

Nothing in there says we will get 4x double ups right, just that it's possible?