AFLW 2021/22 Season: Fixture

[The Victorian]

When should we expect an AFLW fixture?

Also, with the Cricket fixtures being announced, this is when the following AFLW venues will not be available due to cricket matches scheduled (does not include Domestic fixtures as they haven't been announced yet. I'll add them in once scheduled)

MANUKA OVAL, CANBERRA (GWS GIANTS)
27th-30th January- Women's Ashes Test Match
8th February- Twenty20 International

OPTUS STADIUM, PERTH (FREMANTLE/WEST COAST)
14th-18th January- Ashes Test Match
30th January- One Day International

METRICON STADIUM, GOLD COAST (GOLD COAST SUNS)
15th February- Twenty20 International

 

[Teen Wolf]

I'm not expecting a fixture release before October, but in the meantime here's a little something I've put together to ponder...

The Ten Must-Have Matchups of AFLW VI

C’WOOD v FREMANTLE at VICTORIA PARK
The Magpies and Dockers have met on four occasions, with all encounters taking place in WA and Freo leading the head-to-head 3-1. It is one of two top-6 matchups that didn’t occur last season (the other being Adelaide v North, more on that later).

BRISBANE v CARLTON at HICKEY PARK
The Lions and Blues have met four times, with all encounters taking place at Ikon Park. Carlton lead the head-to-head 3-0-1, meaning it is the league’s longest undefeated streak excluding matches involving GWS (against whom neither Carlton nor Brisbane have ever lost).

GWS GIANTS v C’WOOD at HENSON PARK
Putting aside a couple all-Vic affairs, these first three matchups are the only remaining instances of a Hateful 8* team yet to play a home game against a fellow Hateful 8* Team. GWS lead the head-to-head 2-1, with the last encounter taking place at Morwell in 2019. In a two-birds-with-one-stone move, I’d also like to see an early sign of the AFL’s commitment to play games at Henson Park when the Swans join the league. The Giants hosting a big Melbourne club might be a good way to test the waters for women’s footy at the venue. Better make it an afternoon game though.
*Just a name for the first eight teams in the league

MELBOURNE v GEELONG at TRAEGER PARK (Indigenous Round)
May not be an appetising contest (there probably wouldn’t even be the Purcell-against-her-old-team thing to look for), but having the Dees and Cats face off in Alice Springs ticks quite a few other boxes: all Tenacious 10** teams will have finally played each other; it would likely get a smaller crowd if played in either Geelong or Cranbourne (90mins+ drive apart); and Melbourne would get to honour their contract with NT, unlike this year.
**Just a name for the first ten teams in the league

GOLD COAST v ST KILDA at FANKHAUSER RESERVE
The only matchup between the 2020 expansion teams yet to occur. Fankhauser Reserve hasn't hosted an AFLW game because the fixture between the Suns and Crows was cancelled last year. Gold Coast will only have a narrow window to play at Mackay, which might not line up with when Metricon Stadium is busy with cricket. Thus, a third venue—the home of the Southport Sharks, in this case—could come in handy.

NORTH MELB. v MELBOURNE at ARDEN STREET OVAL
The Kangaroos and Demons have met three times, with all encounters taking place at Casey Fields. The Dees lead the head-to-head 2-1, and this year’s match was hailed by many as the best display of AFLW footy to date. It would make sense for North to not host a Collingwood or Carlton at Arden Street, but I see no good reason for why they wouldn’t get a home game in Victoria against Melbourne next season (though I have my doubts about it happening).

ST KILDA v RICHMOND at RSEA PARK
The only clash between these two 2020 expansion teams was in front of no crowd while the Tigers were at rock bottom. The second meeting might be a more interesting contest, and if it should coincide with the opening of the 1000-seat grandstand attached to the Danny Frawley Centre (completion date currently scheduled for early 2022, admittedly rather vague) then even better.

CARLTON v MELBOURNE at IKON PARK
Two of the four still-standing prelim finalists of 2020, it was quite ridiculous that they didn’t meet in 2021. Not only is this matchup now a certainty to occur next season, it’s storming through on the inside rail as a late contender for the season opener. But I’m more leaning toward it being the Friday night game of Round 2 (which Seven typically airs before that timeslot is relegated to a Fox-exclusive in the following weeks).

ADELAIDE v NORTH MELB. at NORWOOD OVAL
North are yet to travel to SA, having hosted the two meetings with the Crows in the past. Their first faceoff was a ripper for 3 quarters at Werribee before Adelaide ran away with it. The second, in which Riddell was present for the Kangas this time but Phillips and Randall weren’t for the Crows, was all one-way traffic at North Hobart from early in the piece.

GEELONG v W. BULLDOGS at MARS STADIUM
The Cats will probably be without their home ground for a few weeks around late December/early January. It would be possible to just schedule away games for them during that time, but I think there are other opportunities worth exploring. The Member for this-and-that and the Mayor of such-and-such have made it clear they want AFLW to be played in Ballarat, but I sense there isn’t much incentive for the Bulldogs to move their home games from Whitten Oval which itself is getting squillions to accommodate women’s footy. Another option for the Cats would be to play a game at the recently upgraded Geelong West Oval, for which there are similar AFLW ambitions… but I suspect broadcasting facilities and scheduling conflicts (like the situation with Mackay: only a narrow window to play there which might not line up with when GMHBA Stadium is out of action) could potentially get in the way.

Bonus

Just spitballing with these ones:

BRISBANE v ADELAIDE at… METRICON STADIUM?
Early-season grand final re-match (compensate for some intrigue that will be lacking for the Q Clash), played under lights at Carrara (helps to share the night fixtures around better), double-header with a Suns game (efficient for TV production costs).

FREMANTLE v WEST COAST on… NEW YEAR’S EVE?
We don’t even know for sure how long the Christmas break is going to be, but if it’s just one week off then we may see a game played on 31 December 2021 (a Friday, as it happens). The question then becomes whether the AFL will be interested in making an event of it. I’ll throw up the Blues v Pies as a suggestion in honour of NYE football tradition, though the only thing that would really work into Seven’s schedule is a Derby at 7pm AWST, starting just after the end of the Big Bash in Adelaide and finishing just before midnight in the east.

 

[HereIam86]

Next season starts in December are they going to have byes for Christmas and New Years?

 

[Teen Wolf]

Next season starts in December are they going to have byes for Christmas and New Years?

There will be at least one week off for Christmas, and whether it's two weeks will probably come down to some back-and-forth between the league and the AFLPA.

I have a feeling the AFL would prefer two weeks off from games, but the players might consider that to be too much of a disruption in terms of maintaining match fitness etc.

 

[Teen Wolf]

So just to explain my theory in the previous post, it's pretty clear that the grand final will be on the weekend of March 12-13 because of this:

The next AFLW season will begin in December this year to give the 10-round competition clear air and prevent an overlap with the AFL competition, with the Grand Final to be held in mid-March, 2022.

And I believe the season will start on the weekend of December 3, because of this:

What about a potential clash with tennis and cricket?
"The start will be really important for us, to make sure we do get off to a good start. We think the window we select will get us off to a good start," AFL head of women's football Nicole Livingstone said.

It would be crazy (although not entirely unsurprising) to make that comment but then have the build-up of the first round overshadowed by the start of the Ashes. Therefore, if both of those assertions (Dec 3 start, and Mar 12-13 Grand Final) are correct, it means one of two things.

Either the Christmas break would have to be two weeks long:




Orrr they'll have to take the 2nd week off at some other stage during the season. That could even mean having a split round in late January to reduce the clash with the Aus Open and Big Bash:

 

[MooreTreloar]

Would love to see Collingwood v Carlton at Victoria Park.

Collingwood are yet to properly have a home game against Carlton yet.

 

[Teen Wolf]

What about a potential clash with tennis and cricket?
"The start will be really important for us, to make sure we do get off to a good start. We think the window we select will get us off to a good start,"

Well it turns out the BBL is going to begin on the "first weekend" of December now.

So the good start for AFLW is going to be pretty hard to achieve when even the season opener is likely to be relegated to a secondary channel in order to make way for cricket. That is, unless the Thursday night slot remains free, which isn't out of the question I guess.

 

[Teen Wolf]

Well it turns out the BBL is going to begin on the "first weekend" of December now.

So the good start for AFLW is going to be pretty hard to achieve when even the season opener is likely to be relegated to a secondary channel in order to make way for cricket. That is, unless the Thursday night slot remains free, which isn't out of the question I guess.

Luckily, or perhaps by design, reports of the BBL starting on the "first weekend" meant Sunday night 5th December. So the opening round of AFLW should be able to get away without any scheduling conflicts thankfully, from a TV perspective at least.

Main AFLW grounds scheduled for BBL matches are as follows.

Metricon Stadium: 13 Dec, 4 Jan
GMHBA Stadium: 6 Jan, 11 Jan

So not a big deal for the Cats but it's looking like the Suns won't be spending much time at Carrara.

 

[The Nostradamus]

When’s the fixture due?

first game the first week of December?

 

[BallaratBulldog]

I feel like they shouldn't lock in fixtures like the AFL 2021 draw did despite Covid. Should give themselves as much room as they can maybe only round 1. In fact a bit like last AFLW season.

 

[TheTassieHawk]

I feel like they shouldn't lock in fixtures like the AFL 2021 draw did despite Covid. Should give themselves as much room as they can maybe only round 1. In fact a bit like last AFLW season.

This may well happen.

Hopefully all the details about when the comp is intended to start and finish, preseason scheduling and planned breaks are advised even if actual matches aren’t.

 

[The Victorian]

Was thinking given what is happening atm maybe the AFL will release season dates and a soft draw like what they have done for the AFL this season.

Looking at the potential season dates and concluding the week before the men's season commences also including a break over Christmas.

Potential season dates:
Round 1: Thu 9- Sun 12 December
Round 2: Fri 17- Sun 19 December
Bye: Christmas weekend
Round 3: Fri 31 Dec- Sun 2 January
Round 4: Fri 7- Sun 9 January
Round 5: Fri 14- Sun 16 January
Round 6: Fri 21- Sun 23 January
Round 7: Fri 28- Sun 30 January
Round 8: Fri 4- Sun 6 February
Round 9: Fri 11- Sun 13 February
Round 10: Fri 18- Sun 20 February
Finals Week 1: Sat 26/Sun 27 February
Finals Week 2: Sat 5/Sun 6 March
Grand Final: Saturday 12 March

In terms of a typical weekend schedule to avoid the heat as much as possible:

FRIDAY
5:10pm: Twilight (FOX)
7:20pm: Night (FOX)

SATURDAY
5:00pm: Twilight (SEVEN)
7:10pm: Night (SEVEN)

SUNDAY
3:45pm: Afternoon: (SEVEN)
5:10pm: Twilight (FOX)
7:20pm: Night (FOX)

In terms of ground availability:
GWS Giants will be interesting (in a normal season if COVID didn't prevent games being played in NSW/Sydney) as Manuka Oval, Blacktown, Drummoyne will all be unavailable due to cricket. Giants Stadium won't be available until late in the season in February due to BBL being played at the stadium. I have no clue where they will play then.

GMHBA Stadium will be hosting BBL in early January so won't be available post Christmas until around Round 6/Round 7. They could play at Deakin Uni or they could just have a block of away games with a block of home games early and late in the season.

Kangaroos won't be able to play games in Launceston due to cricket too so North Hobart Oval would probably host extra games.

Metricon Stadium has the cricket pitch already in with matches in WBBL in October, BBL in December then T20I in early February. I cannot see them taking the pitch out then putting it back in so I'd assume this rules out Metricon Stadium to host Suns matches for much of the season. This could mean that they play matches around the coast at venues such as Southport, Bond University, Broadbeach as the elite AFLW stadium at oval no.2 hasn't commenced construction yet.

Will we see matches at Ikon Park given the current redevelopments taking place?

I think it helps that clubs play at club grounds not major stadia that mostly share with other sports like cricket.

 

[Teen Wolf]

Was thinking given what is happening atm maybe the AFL will release season dates and a soft draw like what they have done for the AFL this season.

Looking at the potential season dates and concluding the week before the men's season commences also including a break over Christmas.

Potential season dates:
Round 1: Thu 9- Sun 12 December
Round 2: Fri 17- Sun 19 December
Bye: Christmas weekend
Round 3: Fri 31 Dec- Sun 2 January
Round 4: Fri 7- Sun 9 January
Round 5: Fri 14- Sun 16 January
Round 6: Fri 21- Sun 23 January
Round 7: Fri 28- Sun 30 January
Round 8: Fri 4- Sun 6 February
Round 9: Fri 11- Sun 13 February
Round 10: Fri 18- Sun 20 February
Finals Week 1: Sat 26/Sun 27 February
Finals Week 2: Sat 5/Sun 6 March
Grand Final: Saturday 12 March

In terms of a typical weekend schedule to avoid the heat as much as possible:

FRIDAY
5:10pm: Twilight (FOX)
7:20pm: Night (FOX)

SATURDAY
5:00pm: Twilight (SEVEN)
7:10pm: Night (SEVEN)

SUNDAY
3:45pm: Afternoon: (SEVEN)
5:10pm: Twilight (FOX)
7:20pm: Night (FOX)

In terms of ground availability:
GWS Giants will be interesting (in a normal season if COVID didn't prevent games being played in NSW/Sydney) as Manuka Oval, Blacktown, Drummoyne will all be unavailable due to cricket. Giants Stadium won't be available until late in the season in February due to BBL being played at the stadium. I have no clue where they will play then.

GMHBA Stadium will be hosting BBL in early January so won't be available post Christmas until around Round 6/Round 7. They could play at Deakin Uni or they could just have a block of away games with a block of home games early and late in the season.

Kangaroos won't be able to play games in Launceston due to cricket too so North Hobart Oval would probably host extra games.

Metricon Stadium has the cricket pitch already in with matches in WBBL in October, BBL in December then T20I in early February. I cannot see them taking the pitch out then putting it back in so I'd assume this rules out Metricon Stadium to host Suns matches for much of the season. This could mean that they play matches around the coast at venues such as Southport, Bond University, Broadbeach as the elite AFLW stadium at oval no.2 hasn't commenced construction yet.

Will we see matches at Ikon Park given the current redevelopments taking place?

I think it helps that clubs play at club grounds not major stadia that mostly share with other sports like cricket.

Have I not already addressed most of this, including...

The AFL have suggested the season will start on the first weekend of December.

Blacktown will be available. UTAS sufficiently available.

And no they aren't going to have 2 games on Friday and 1 Sunday night. Way too much of a disruption for the vast majority of players who have 9-5 full-time jobs.

 

[The Victorian]

Have I not already addressed most of this, including...

The AFL have suggested the season will start on the first weekend of December.

Blacktown will be available. UTAS sufficiently available.

And no they aren't going to have 2 games on Friday and 1 Sunday night. Way too much of a disruption for the vast majority of players who have 9-5 full-time jobs.

Where did you post it? I must have missed it. EDIT: Sorry I didn't see your post. I wonder why I didn't get a notification!

Blacktown won't though. It is used for cricket

 

[Teen Wolf]

Blacktown won't though. It is used for cricket

And it will continue to be used for cricket, not saying otherwise. But, my guess, the Giants will still play most home games there.

 

[briztoon]

And it will continue to be used for cricket, not saying otherwise. But, my guess, the Giants will still play most home games there.

Do you mean cricket and AFLW will be played concurrently on the same field?

 

[Teen Wolf]

Do you mean cricket and AFLW will be played concurrently on the same field?

Do you think I mean cricket and AFLW will be played on the same field at the exact same time?

 

[briztoon]

Do you think I mean cricket and AFLW will be played on the same field at the exact same time?

I don’t know, that’s why I asked. The post I quoted isn’t exactly clear.

Edit. Forget the exact same time, part. I never thought you meant that. But both cricket and AFLW sharing an oval during the same period.

 

[Teen Wolf]

I don’t know, that’s why I asked. The post I quoted isn’t exactly clear.

Ok. Yes, cricket and AFLW will be played on the same field at the exact same time. That is absolutely what I meant.

 

[briztoon]

Ok. Yes, cricket and AFLW will be played on the same field at the exact same time. That is absolutely what I meant.

See my edit.

 

[Teen Wolf]

Edit. Forget the exact same time, part. I never thought you meant that. But both cricket and AFLW sharing an oval during the same period.

But you surely don't expect me to go into specific future arrangements to define "concurrently" or "same period", as if the AFL and Cricket NSW (and state governments) have left me in charge of these things. As I said before, it's just my guess.

What I'm aware of is this: the wicket on Blacktown ISP's main ground is infamously poor, and no Shield/List A/club cricket has been fixtured there in recent times. It has mostly been used for WBBL from Oct-Nov (which is currently scheduled to happen again), and India were based there at the beginning of last season's tour due to certain restrictions imposed on CA and the BCCI.

I'm also aware of AFLW being played on ovals with a traditional cricket wicket (i.e. not a drop-in) with high-level cricket matches played there in a matter of weeks before and after.

 

[briztoon]

But you surely don't expect me to go into specific future arrangements to define "concurrently" or "same period", as if the AFL and Cricket NSW (and state governments) have left me in charge of these things. As I said before, it's just my guess.

What I'm aware of is this: the wicket on Blacktown ISP's main ground is infamously poor, and no Shield/List A/club cricket has been fixtured there in recent times. It has mostly been used for WBBL from Oct-Nov (which is currently scheduled to happen again), and India were based there at the beginning of last season's tour due to certain restrictions imposed on CA and the BCCI.

I'm also aware of AFLW being played on ovals with a traditional cricket wicket (i.e. not a drop-in) with high-level cricket matches played there in a matter of weeks before and after.

My take.

If an AFLW team is playing every second week on an oval, there won’t be any cricket being played there.

Ideally, even amateur curators want 15 to 17 days to prepare a new wicket.

Every 3 weeks, would be possible, but the AFLW team wouldn’t be able to train on the square in the intervening period.

 

[Teen Wolf]

My take.

If an AFLW team is playing every second week on an oval, there won’t be any cricket being played there.

Ideally, even amateur curators want 15 to 17 days to prepare a new wicket.

Every 3 weeks, would be possible, but the AFLW team wouldn’t be able to train on the square in the intervening period.

GWS don't need to play there every second week. They need it for 3-4 home games within an 11-12 week period.

Cricket will continue to be played at Blacktown. The cricket currently scheduled there for the upcoming season won't impact AFLW. If more cricket ends up scheduled there for the upcoming season then, my guess (based on stuff I outlined in the previous post), it won't be sufficient enough to stop GWS from getting their 3-4 home games in.

So with that in mind, I don't know what your point is.

 

[briztoon]

GWS don't need to play there every second week. They need it for 3-4 home games within an 11-12 week period.

Cricket will continue to be played at Blacktown. The cricket currently scheduled there for the upcoming season won't impact AFLW. If more cricket ends up scheduled there for the upcoming season then, my guess (based on stuff I outlined in the previous post), it won't be sufficient enough to stop GWS from getting their 3-4 home games in.

So with that in mind, I don't know what your point is.

From your previous posts, I thought you were suggesting GWS would be based at Blacktown for the season, playing all their home games there.

I couldn’t see how GWS could play football on a field they shared with cricket, if the field was being used for different sports on alternate weekends.

Seeing as you aren’t saying that, forget the conversation.

 

[Munga]

They'll have to fixture clubs together that hadn't played each other last season.
For example, the Saints can't go a third season without playing Gold Coast and Brisbane.
Having said that, I'm not really keen to see Rowbottom line up against us now