Fixture 2026 Fixture

[FreoRicci]

Double up in Adelaide. Man I love this league. Let’s celebrate it

 

[daniel_4tw]

Geelong’s last three games against Essendon, North and Richmond is pretty hilarious for the runner up.

 

[JasRulz63]

Lions good draw in terms of difficulty but don't have many prime time games at all which is a surprise.

Brisbane having three Thursday/Friday night games, while giving Carlton seven is an interesting choice.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

AFL 2026 FIXTURE DIFFICULTY

Based on the 2025 percentage of the teams they play twice in 2026

(Hardest) 1. Geelong

2. Gold Coast Suns

3. Collingwood

4. Fremantle

5. Hawthorn

6. Western Bulldogs

7. Adelaide Crows

8. Brisbane Lions

9. Carlton

10. Melbourne

11. Sydney Swans

12. Essendon

13. St Kilda

14. West Coast Eagles

15. GWS Giants

16. Richmond

17. Port Adelaide

(Easiest) 18. North Melbourne



Just leaving this here so when a couple sides fall unexpectedly no one claims we got an easy draw.

 

[fl4gd0n5]

But hang on, we kept hearing about how the AFL was going to screw them with the fixture? Seems they've given them a double reach around instead lol, the old draft and fixture double.

What? Who said they would screw them in terms of fixture difficulty? It was just that they wouldn’t get many Thursday/Friday night games. Not sure what you are referring to with the draft either, the reason Essendon has picks 5 and 6 is because they traded with Melbourne last year. If they really wanted to give Essendon a leg up, they would’ve given band 1 compo for Draper.

 

[beside the seaside]

Double up in Adelaide. Man I love this league. Let’s celebrate it

We've got it too, I actually don't mind it, stay for a week and get two trips out of the way. Guess it's different when you travel every second week.

 

[beside the seaside]

What? Who said they would screw them in terms of fixture difficulty? It was just that they wouldn’t get many Thursday/Friday night games. Not sure what you are referring to with the draft either, the reason Essendon has picks 5 and 6 is because they traded with Melbourne last year. If they really wanted to give Essendon a leg up, they would’ve given band 1 compo for Draper.

Apologies was totally confused and got teams mixed up, had already deleted the original post

 

[SSSSSS]

AFL 2026 FIXTURE DIFFICULTY

Based on the 2025 percentage of the teams they play twice in 2026

(Hardest) 1. Geelong

2. Gold Coast Suns

3. Collingwood

4. Fremantle

5. Hawthorn

6. Western Bulldogs

7. Adelaide Crows

8. Brisbane Lions

9. Carlton

10. Melbourne

11. Sydney Swans

12. Essendon

13. St Kilda

14. West Coast Eagles

15. GWS Giants

16. Richmond

17. Port Adelaide

(Easiest) 18. North Melbourne



Just leaving this here so when a couple sides fall unexpectedly no one claims we got an easy draw.

Nice cruisy run into September again.

Bombers and Tigers at KP. North.

Jezza 100 watch is back on if he starts hot.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Sydney must have some sort of agreement with the AFL that they just don't play us in Victoria. After OR, it will be 12/17 H+A games between the two clubs since start of 2013 in NSW. One of the remaining five at Metricon. Just the four in VIC.

We're set for only our 2nd home game vs Sydney since mid 2019.

 

[FreoRicci]

We've got it too, I actually don't mind it, stay for a week and get two trips out of the way. Guess it's different when you travel every second week.

It’s harder as interstate team. Adelaide then Collingwood especially both at that ground.
Got the Western Derby straight after that.

 

[JasRulz63]

AFL 2026 FIXTURE DIFFICULTY

Based on the 2025 percentage of the teams they play twice in 2026

(Hardest) 1. Geelong

2. Gold Coast Suns

3. Collingwood

4. Fremantle

5. Hawthorn

6. Western Bulldogs

7. Adelaide Crows

8. Brisbane Lions

9. Carlton

10. Melbourne

11. Sydney Swans

12. Essendon

13. St Kilda

14. West Coast Eagles

15. GWS Giants

16. Richmond

17. Port Adelaide

(Easiest) 18. North Melbourne



Just leaving this here so when a couple sides fall unexpectedly no one claims we got an easy draw.

Geelong's draw based on the double ups is quite rough. Double ups against Brisbane, Adelaide, Collingwood, Gold Coast, Fremantle and North is almost as tough as you can get based on these new rules and where you expect these teams to be next year.

That ranking based on percentage is also skewed a bit by the fact Brisbane only had the 8th best percentage this year.

Hawthorn got a very cushy draw for a preliminary finalist.

 

[1972championsofaust]

Marshmallow Draw for the Power….
How do they not make the Top 10 Finals this season!

 

[SSSSSS]

Geelong's draw based on the double ups is quite rough. Double ups against Brisbane, Adelaide, Collingwood, Gold Coast, Fremantle and North is almost as tough as you can get based on these new rules and where you expect these teams to be next year.

Hawthorn got a very cushy draw for a preliminary finalist.

Best draw we've had in years. Kinda worries me a bit.

We typically get shafted.

Only thing I'll complain about is starting and ending the season away. Takes a bit of excitement out of the season out for me but just nitpicking.

 

[SSSSSS]

Port in Melbourne round 1

First time since Ben Brown's 10 goal haul in 2019 i believe

Is this the first game JHF will play against North in Melb?

 

[fl4gd0n5]

Geelong's draw based on the double ups is quite rough. Double ups against Brisbane, Adelaide, Collingwood, Gold Coast, Fremantle and North is almost as tough as you can get based on these new rules and where you expect these teams to be next year.

That ranking based on percentage is also skewed a bit by the fact Brisbane only had the 8th best percentage this year.

Hawthorn got a very cushy draw for a preliminary finalist.

Bulldogs had the third best % last year, and finished ninth. Would a better measure be just adding the ladder positions of all double ups?

 

[eth-dog]

But hang on, we kept hearing about how the AFL was going to screw them with the fixture? Seems they've given them a double reach around instead lol, the old draft and fixture double.

We have as many double ups against finals sides as we do bottom 6 despite finishing 15th. Tell me more about how we have an "easy" fixture?

 

[STPer18]

AFL 2026 FIXTURE DIFFICULTY

Based on the 2025 percentage of the teams they play twice in 2026

(Hardest) 1. Geelong

2. Gold Coast Suns

3. Collingwood

4. Fremantle

5. Hawthorn

6. Western Bulldogs

7. Adelaide Crows

8. Brisbane Lions

9. Carlton

10. Melbourne

11. Sydney Swans

12. Essendon

13. St Kilda

14. West Coast Eagles

15. GWS Giants

16. Richmond

17. Port Adelaide

(Easiest) 18. North Melbourne



Just leaving this here so when a couple sides fall unexpectedly no one claims we got an easy draw.

Can we get this post pinned if/when the inevitable mid-season oppo whining starts to heat up next year?

 

[Elixuh]

Brisbane having three Thursday/Friday night games, while giving Carlton seven is an interesting choice.

I genuinely think there is a significant cohort of the AFL supporting public who tune in to watch Carlton fail in prime time which justifies the slots.

 

[Elixuh]

Can we get this post pinned if/when the inevitable mid-season oppo whining starts to heat up next year?

Preseason draws don’t mean much. Geelong were given the second easiest draw in 2025. Sad!

 

[STPer18]

Preseason draws don’t mean much. Geelong were given the second easiest draw in 2025. Sad!

Come on, the sooking is supposed to happen mid next year, not now. Sad!

 

[Elixuh]

Hawthorn has been given one of the easiest draws for a prelim side that I’ve seen since, well, Geelong’s 2025 draw.

Basically guarantees them top 4. Should really be minor premiers. No excuses.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Preseason draws don’t mean much. Geelong were given the second easiest draw in 2025. Sad!

Oh dear. Curly is back.

 

[kid_a]

I genuinely think there is a significant cohort of the AFL supporting public who tune in to watch Carlton fail in prime time which justifies the slots.

I'm one of that cohort

 

[JasRulz63]

Can we get this post pinned if/when the inevitable mid-season oppo whining starts to heat up next year?

Under the same ranking system in that post, Geelong's draw was mid table before the start of the year and second easiest by the end of the year.

I doubt that will be the case next year. That looks like a genuinely tough draw. I expect North to rise, and the other five teams would be considered genuine top 4 chances.

 

[iBeng]

What a joke.