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2026 fixture wishlist/discussion

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Explains why they moved the QClash from the Labor Day eve slot.

No celebration for Lions fans as i am not looking forward to that drive down the M1.
At least it's a twilight game
Maybe it will be raining again like last time and the decision to stay home and watch on TV will be an easy one.
 
Been busy with work. Didn't know the fixture dropped. Saw it this morning on the AFL website 'how did your team fare' article.

At first I was absolutely outraged by the lack of prime time games. Three Thursday night / Friday night games. THREE.

The stinking cats have 8. I was outraged I tell you. Outraged!!!!!

After I had a bex, coke & a lie down, I actually had a look at our fixture.

Oh wow. Boy oh boy wowee. That's a goodun.

We won't be able to blame the fixture if we don't threepeat kiddies.
 

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This might be of interest for people - not sure why the fixture is not given in a digestible form other than to get return clicks. Anyway, hopefully there are no errors!


2026 Lions fixture (note: Brisbane game start timings!)

Opening Round, Sat, Mar 7 Brisbane Lions v Western Bulldogs, The Gabba @ 6:35 PM

Round 1, Sat, Mar 14, Sydney Swans v Brisbane Lion @ SCG 6:10 PM

Round 2, Bye

Round 3, Sat, Mar 28, St Kilda v Brisbane Lions, Marvel Stadium @ 11:35 AM

Round 4 – Easter Weekend, Thu, Apr 2, Brisbane Lions v Collingwood, The Gabba @ 6:30 PM

Round 5 – Gather Round, Sat, Apr 11, North Melbourne v Brisbane Lions, Barossa Park @ 12:35 PM

Round 6, Sun, Apr 19, Melbourne v Brisbane Lions, MCG @ 3:15 PM

Round 7 – Anzac Round, Sun, Apr 26, Brisbane Lions v Adelaide Crows, The Gabba @ 3:15 PM

Round 8 Sat, May 2, Essendon v Brisbane Lions, Marvel Stadium @ 12:35 PM

Round 9, Fri, May 8, Brisbane Lions v Carlton, The Gabba @ 7:30 PM

Round 10 – Sir Doug Nicholls Round (Part 1), Thu, May 14, Brisbane Lions v Geelong Cats, The Gabba @ 7:30 PM

Round 11 – Sir Doug Nicholls Round (Part 2), Sun, May 24, GWS Giants v Brisbane Lions, ENGIE Stadium @ 12:30 PM

Round 12, Sat, May 30, Brisbane Lions v Fremantle, The Gabba @ 4:15 PM

Round 13, Sat, Jun 6, Gold Coast Suns v Brisbane Lions, People First Stadium @ 5:15 pm

Round 14 Sun, Jun 14, Richmond v Brisbane Lions, Ninja Stadium, Hobart @ 1:10 pm

Round 15, Bye

Round 16, Brisbane Lions v Sydney Swans, The Gabba @ TBA

Round 17, Geelong Cats v Brisbane Lions, GMHBA Stadium @ TBA

Round 18, Brisbane Lions v Essendon, The Gabba, @ TBA

Round 19, West Coast Eagles v Brisbane Lions, Optus Stadium @ TBA

Round 20, Brisbane Lions v Port Adelaide, The Gabba @ TBA

Round 21, Carlton v Brisbane Lions, Marvel Stadium @ TBA

Round 22, Brisbane Lions v Hawthorn, The Gabba @ TBA

Round 23, Brisbane Lions v Gold Coast Suns, The Gabba @ TBA

Round 24, Collingwood v Brisbane Lions, MCG @ TBA
 
This might be of interest for people - not sure why the fixture is not given in a digestible form other than to get return clicks. Anyway, hopefully there are no errors!


2026 Lions fixture (note: Brisbane game start timings!)

Opening Round, Sat, Mar 7 Brisbane Lions v Western Bulldogs, The Gabba @ 6:35 PM

Round 1, Sat, Mar 14, Sydney Swans v Brisbane Lion @ SCG 6:10 PM

Round 2, Bye

Round 3, Sat, Mar 28, St Kilda v Brisbane Lions, Marvel Stadium @ 11:35 AM

Round 4 – Easter Weekend, Thu, Apr 2, Brisbane Lions v Collingwood, The Gabba @ 6:30 PM

Round 5 – Gather Round, Sat, Apr 11, North Melbourne v Brisbane Lions, Barossa Park @ 12:35 PM

Round 6, Sun, Apr 19, Melbourne v Brisbane Lions, MCG @ 3:15 PM

Round 7 – Anzac Round, Sun, Apr 26, Brisbane Lions v Adelaide Crows, The Gabba @ 3:15 PM

Round 8 Sat, May 2, Essendon v Brisbane Lions, Marvel Stadium @ 12:35 PM

Round 9, Fri, May 8, Brisbane Lions v Carlton, The Gabba @ 7:30 PM

Round 10 – Sir Doug Nicholls Round (Part 1), Thu, May 14, Brisbane Lions v Geelong Cats, The Gabba @ 7:30 PM

Round 11 – Sir Doug Nicholls Round (Part 2), Sun, May 24, GWS Giants v Brisbane Lions, ENGIE Stadium @ 12:30 PM

Round 12, Sat, May 30, Brisbane Lions v Fremantle, The Gabba @ 4:15 PM

Round 13, Sat, Jun 6, Gold Coast Suns v Brisbane Lions, People First Stadium @ 5:15 pm

Round 14 Sun, Jun 14, Richmond v Brisbane Lions, Ninja Stadium, Hobart @ 1:10 pm

Round 15, Bye

Round 16, Brisbane Lions v Sydney Swans, The Gabba @ TBA

Round 17, Geelong Cats v Brisbane Lions, GMHBA Stadium @ TBA

Round 18, Brisbane Lions v Essendon, The Gabba, @ TBA

Round 19, West Coast Eagles v Brisbane Lions, Optus Stadium @ TBA

Round 20, Brisbane Lions v Port Adelaide, The Gabba @ TBA

Round 21, Carlton v Brisbane Lions, Marvel Stadium @ TBA

Round 22, Brisbane Lions v Hawthorn, The Gabba @ TBA

Round 23, Brisbane Lions v Gold Coast Suns, The Gabba @ TBA

Round 24, Collingwood v Brisbane Lions, MCG @ TBA
Reminds me of the good old days when you used to get the entire fixture printed on a card in about size-4 font with all the info you need. Would go through and highlight all the Lions games and it was the only thing on my pinboard that regularly got referred to…
 
We do have 5 evening time slots on Thurs, Fri & Sat. in the first 14 games or 36% of our games

Thursday: Pies (H), Cats (H)

Friday: Blues (H)

Sat: Evening - Dogs (H), Syd (A)

Sat: Day- STK (A), Nth (A), Ess (A)
Sat: Twilight- FRE (H), Suns (A)

Sunday: 3.15pm- Mel (A) & Crows (H)
Sunday: 12.30pm & 1.10pm- GWS (A), Ric (A)
The more I see this the more disappointed I am. Yes it's nice to have an easy fixture and play finals but very few neutrals and casual fans watch the Saturday early games, let alone the Sunday games.

Honestly the AFL have done us dirty - we have some of the most watchable players in the league - prime Rayner, Bailey, Andrews, Mcclugage. Incredible kids - Lohmann, Ashcroft x2, Fletcher, Willmott, Morris.

They're robbing them the chance at the big stage and the public of seeing them.

Curnowless Carlton got more games with their average list.

How is the crows game a Sunday 3.15?? 1 vs 3 last year.
 
The more I see this the more disappointed I am. Yes it's nice to have an easy fixture and play finals but very few neutrals and casual fans watch the Saturday early games, let alone the Sunday games.

Honestly the AFL have done us dirty - we have some of the most watchable players in the league - prime Rayner, Bailey, Andrews, Mcclugage. Incredible kids - Lohmann, Ashcroft x2, Fletcher, Willmott, Morris.

They're robbing them the chance at the big stage and the public of seeing them.

Curnowless Carlton got more games with their average list.

How is the crows game a Sunday 3.15?? 1 vs 3 last year.

Compared to last year it's not that bad but could have been slightly better.
As i mentioned in post 344 when comparing 2025 to 2026.

"The basic difference is 2 extra day games instead of twilight games".

Yes, other big Victorian clubs regularly get better time slots even when they are struggling like Carlton. Not sure that's going to change anytime soon especially early in the season when there is more hope for these teams. Later if Carlton and others struggle, they most likely change timeslots to less favorable ones for R16-24

Regarding the Crows Sunday 3.15pm game they have a five-day break to the next game. So, a Sunday night not really fair to them.
If it was played on Saturday night that would suit the Crows but would add a 6-day break for the Lions from the previous weeks game.
 
Regarding the Crows Sunday 3.15pm game they have a five-day break to the next game. So, a Sunday night not really fair to them.
If it was played on Saturday night that would suit the Crows but would add a 6-day break for the Lions from the previous weeks game.
They had 24 rounds to schedule this game - I'm not giving them an out 😊


Compared to last year it's not that bad but could have been slightly better.
As i mentioned in post 344 when comparing 2025 to 2026.
Sure. Doesn't make it right though.

I can't comprehend who at AFL house doesn't see the marketability or desirability of Ashcroft, Fletcher and Rayner. Dudded.
 
The more I see this the more disappointed I am. Yes it's nice to have an easy fixture and play finals but very few neutrals and casual fans watch the Saturday early games, let alone the Sunday games.

Honestly the AFL have done us dirty - we have some of the most watchable players in the league - prime Rayner, Bailey, Andrews, Mcclugage. Incredible kids - Lohmann, Ashcroft x2, Fletcher, Willmott, Morris.

They're robbing them the chance at the big stage and the public of seeing them.

Curnowless Carlton got more games with their average list.

How is the crows game a Sunday 3.15?? 1 vs 3 last year.

I agree in theory, but those are all also some of the most well-known players in the competition for all the finals people have seen them play in. They're a little off-Broadway during the Home & Away season, but they've had more prime time September coverage than anybody.

I do wonder if that's actually a part of it - the sense that we've had enormous exposure on the national stage in the last 24 months, and the desire to share that spotlight around a little bit.

Anyway, the off-Broadway slot suited us last year. I'm sure it will again.
 
I didn't realise that Broncos v Titans and Suns v Lions clash was deliberate.

I know a few who are a member of both and aren't happy with the clash.
 

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Reminds me of the good old days when you used to get the entire fixture printed on a card in about size-4 font with all the info you need. Would go through and highlight all the Lions games and it was the only thing on my pinboard that regularly got referred to…
I vaguely seem to remember some people would submit the marked card for footy tips comps.
 
How's about those three 6 days breaks in a row from rounds 7 to 10. wowee, can't recall seeing that and always thought there was a league limit on two in a row...
 
How's about those three 6 days breaks in a row from rounds 7 to 10. wowee, can't recall seeing that and always thought there was a league limit on two in a row...
Not too concerned - home, away, home, home.
The away game is a bit early (12:35), but can fly and back same day.


Aside from Sydney, all of our interstate games are day games. Good for banking some travel savings for later in the season as don’t need to pay for hotels.
 

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I just don't like paying for a streaming service (Kayo) that's not up to scratch when i watch Kayo anyhow.

$30 or $40 pm being the two prices for me to watch just 4 games (possibly 3) as i don't watch anything else on Kayo.
That's $60 or $80 for the two months needed in Brisbane. Not sure how many months needed in other states.

It could actually be 3 months depending how they calculate 14th March to 14th May
If it is 3 months i will only do it for 2 months for the sake of missing 1 game.

For $60 you can get 6 months of Netflix or 6 months of Prime
For $80 it jumps to 8 months for either of those streaming services. Or 4 months to have both.
 

On Brisbane’s lack of prime-time fixtures​

“There’s always one club who you sit back after doing the fixture process and feel would have liked to have got a couple more prime time games, and Brisbane is that this year.
“They do have some big games, they are in Opening Round against the Bulldogs, they’ve got Easter Thursday, they’ve got the Grand Final rematch in Round 10, but it largely comes down to the matchups any given round, and how they stack up against the rest of the round.
“If you look at Brisbane’s run home, there’s a number of big games, which we expect if they are performing, will feature in prime time.”
 

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2026 fixture wishlist/discussion

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