Fixture 2023 Fixture

[Windy Cindy]

Due to the extra round, there are 9 teams that will get 6 double ups and 9 that will get 5. The AFL obviously doesn't see our 2022 season as a true indication of where we are at as a team and so didn't give us a cushy draw. Oh well.

You've also got to understand that the AFL specifically rigs these fixtures so that the teams it believes should be playing finals will play each other in the last few rounds to establish interest in matches all the way until the end of the season. If you look at the last eight games, you'll get a fair idea of who they think should be playing finals (or still be in contention for them).

Geelong - Sydney twice, Collingwood twice, Western Bulldogs twice, Port Adelaide twice, Essendon twice (5 double ups) - typically, the AFL gives Geelong another reach around by making sure that Geelong is one of the teams that doesn't have to play another double up. Why they do this? Probably because Geelong in the finals means extra games at the MCG against lower ranked Victorian teams. You'll just have to get used to it. Last eight games: North Melbourne @ Kardinia, Essendon @ Kardinia, Brisbane @ Gabba, Fremantle @ Kardinia, Port Adelaide @ Kardinia, Collingwood @ MCG, St Kilda @ Marvel Stadium, Western Bulldogs @ Kardinia.

Melbourne - Sydney twice, Brisbane twice, Richmond twice, Carlton twice, Hawthorn twice, North Melbourne twice (6 double ups) - should be making finals again with this fixture. Last eight games: St Kilda @ Marvel Stadium, Brisbane @ MCG, Adelaide @ MCG, Richmond @ MCG, North Melbourne @ Blundstone Arena, Carlton @ MCG, Hawthorn @ MCG, Sydney @ MCG.

Sydney - Geelong twice, Melbourne twice, Fremantle twice, Richmond twice, Gold Coast twice, GWS twice (6 double ups) - get on Sydney to miss finals. Last eight games: Richmond @ MCG, Western Bulldogs @ SCG, Fremantle @ Optus Stadium, Essendon @ Marvel Stadium, GWS @ Giants Stadium, Gold Coast @ SCG, Adelaide @ Adelaide Oval, Melbourne @ SCG.

Collingwood - Geelong twice, Brisbane twice, Carlton twice, Port Adelaide twice, Essendon twice (5 double ups) - Are Collingwood really that good? If they are, top four beckons. Again, a fixture based on marketing and television rights more than anything else. Last six games: Western Bulldogs @ Marvel Stadium, Fremantle @ MCG, Port Adelaide @ Adelaide Oval, Carlton @ MCG, Hawthorn @ MCG, Geelong @ MCG, Brisbane @ Marvel Stadium, Essendon @ MCG.

Fremantle - Sydney twice, Brisbane twice, West Coast twice, Western Bulldogs twice, Hawthorn twice (5 double ups) - this one I don't get. Are the AFL trying to get Fremantle over as the face with a cushy fixture so they can win their inaugural premiership? Last eight games: Carlton @ Optus Stadium, Collingwood @ MCG, Sydney @ Optus Stadium, Geelong @ Kardinia, Brisbane @ Optus Stadium, West Coast @ Optus Stadium, Port Adelaide @ Optus Stadium, Hawthorn @ MCG.

Brisbane - Melbourne twice, Collingwood twice, Fremantle twice, St Kilda twice, Gold Coast twice, Adelaide twice (6 double ups) - expectations are through the roof at Brisbane. Can they handle the pressure? Last eight games: West Coast @ Gabba, Melbourne @ MCG, Geelong @ Gabba, Gold Coast @ Metricon, Fremantle @ Optus Stadium, Adelaide @ Gabba, Collingwood @ Marvel Stadium, St Kilda @ Gabba.

Richmond - Melbourne twice, Sydney twice, Western Bulldogs twice, St Kilda twice, Port Adelaide twice, West Coast twice (6 double ups) - getting close to Last Dance territory for the Tigers. Last eight games: Sydney @ SCG, West Coast @ Optus Stadium, Hawthorn @ MCG, Melbourne @ MCG, Western Bulldogs @ Marvel Stadium, St Kilda @ Marvel Stadium, North Melbourne @ MCG, Port Adelaide @ Adelaide Oval.

Western Bulldogs - Geelong twice, Fremantle twice, Richmond twice, Port Adelaide twice, GWS twice, Hawthorn twice (6 double ups) - I don't expect the Bulldogs to make the finals next year - only four matches in the last eight games against top 12 opponents from last year. Last eight games: Collingwood @ Marvel Stadium, Sydney @ SCG, Essendon @ Marvel Stadium, GWS @ Mars Stadium, Richmond @ Marvel Stadium, Hawthorn @ University of Tasmania Stadium, West Coast @ Marvel Stadium, Geelong @ Kardinia.

Carlton - Melbourne twice, Collingwood twice, Gold Coast twice, St Kilda twice, GWS twice, West Coast twice (6 double ups) - if these campaigners can't make finals with this piss easy fixture, they might was well fold. Last eight games: Fremantle @ Optus Stadium, Port Adelaide @ Marvel Stadium, West Coast @ Marvel Stadium, Collingwood @ MCG, St Kilda @ Marvel Stadium, Melbourne @ MCG, Gold Coast @ Metricon Stadium, GWS @ Marvel Stadium.

St Kilda - Brisbane twice, Richmond twice, Carlton twice, Gold Coast twice, Hawthorn twice, North Melbourne twice (6 double ups) - this is the sort of fixture that I expected us to get. St Kilda aren't very good though. Last eight games: Melbourne @ Marvel Stadium, Gold Coast @ Metricon Stadium, North Melbourne @ Marvel Stadium, Hawthorn @ Marvel Stadium, Carlton @ Marvel Stadium, Richmond @ Marvel Stadium, Geelong @ Marvel Stadium, Brisbane @ Gabba.

Port Adelaide - Geelong twice, Collingwood twice, Richmond twice, Western Bulldogs twice, Adelaide twice, Essendon twice (6 double ups) - if you look at other clubs fixtures, it's not that bad. It's only bad if you think we're ******* s**t. Last eight games: Gold Coast @ Adelaide Oval, Carlton @ Marvel Stadium, Collingwood @ Adelaide Oval, Adelaide @ Adelaide Oval, Geelong @ Kardinia, GWS @ Adelaide Oval, Fremantle @ Optus Stadium, Richmond @ Adelaide Oval.

Gold Coast - Sydney twice, Brisbane twice, Carlton twice, Adelaide twice, St Kilda twice, North Melbourne twice (6 double ups) - yes, that means St Kilda, Port Adelaide and the Gold Coast get an extra double up that Geelong, Collingwood and Fremantle should have got but didn't because this s**t is as rigged as *. Last eight games: Port Adelaide @ Adelaide Oval, St Kilda @ Metricon, GWS @ Manuka Oval, Brisbane @ Metricon, Adelaide @ Adelaide Oval, Sydney @ SCG, Carlton @ Metricon, North Melbourne @ Blundstone Arena.

If you get rid of the Bulldogs who only have 4 matches against top twelves sides from last year in the last eight rounds of the season, everyone else in the top 12 has 5/6 games out of the last 8 that are what would be considered eight point games.

Have we ever won an 8 point game?

can’t recall us winning many in his 9 years

 

[Lefti93]

Round 4, Sydney at SCG. Coolsies.

 

[elpirate]

I'm Ok with it.

 

[240volt]

They're as sick of Ken Hinkley as we are.

Hopefully We will come out firing and win games early despite the poor draw.

 

[Jonts]

I'd feel more confident with this draw if Josh Carr was the head coach, instead of Hinkley.

Wait till round 13

 

[Papa G]

We only play the WA teams once each. I honestly can't remember a time when one of our double ups was against a WA team.

 

[philreich]

I can imagine Koch at round 11 if we're 7-4, "Given our challenging first half of the year, the fact that we're 7-4 surely proves what a master coach Ken is", and offers him an extension.

 

[PatientMental]

We only play the WA teams once each. I honestly can't remember a time when one of our double ups was against a WA team.

Freo 18 and 19
West Coast 17 and 18

 

[Ports1870]

If we are genuine we should be winning 3 of our first 5, and then the next 4 after that.

 

[PatientMental]

If we are genuine we should be winning 3 of our first 5, and then the next 4 after that.

If we were genuine we wouldn't have lost to 6th, 9th, 13th, 14th, in the first 5 rounds last season.

But hey, Ken brings out the worst in the team.

 

[TeeKray]

We are genuine. Genuinely mediocre.

Let's face it, we all know we're going to go 11-12 or 12-11 and finish 10th or 11th. One of the things about changing literally nothing in a decade is you become extremely predictable.

 

[PatientMental]

We are genuine. Genuinely mediocre.

Let's face it, we all know we're going to go 11-12 or 12-11 and finish 10th or 11th. One of the things about changing literally nothing in a decade is you become extremely predictable.

The good thing about an extra round is that we could go 13-10 and still miss out.

 

[Holden Hillbilly]

Horne-Francis v North Melbourne​

After the most publicised departure of the off-season, former No.1 draft pick Jason Horne-Francis will come face-to-face with his ex-teammates in round nine at Blundstone Arena in Hobart. Having returned to his home state just a year into his time at North, the 19-year-old can expect a hostile reception from the Kangaroos and their Tassie supporters, particularly livewire Cam Zurhaar, who has made some not-so-subtle references to Horne-Francis on social media in the months since his controversial exit.

DON'T MISS 'EM: The 21 must-watch games of 2023

You won't want to miss some of these mouthwatering clashes this season

www.afl.com.au

 

[TeeKray]

Port v North in Hobart making the list of top 21 must-watch games is not exactly a ringing endorsement for the upcoming season.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

It's a tough draw, especially compared to Carlton who just missed the 8.

But I like 3 games at the MCG against well supported teams, only one long haul flight to Perth, one brace of back to back games at AO, no trips to Queensland or footy outposts in regional Australia, start and finish at Adelaide Oval.

 

[PatientMental]

Port v North in Hobart making the list of top 21 must-watch games is not exactly a ringing endorsement for the upcoming season.

havent read it, but i'm assuming its just the trade fallout matches and the easter monday, anzac, dreamtime, queens birthday matches

 

[Pt Augusta Power]

First win will be west coast again.

 

[TeeKray]

It's a tough draw, especially compared to Carlton who just missed the 8.

But I like 3 games at the MCG against well supported teams, only one long haul flight to Perth, one brace of back to back games at AO, no trips to Queensland or footy outposts in regional Australia, start and finish at Adelaide Oval.

I thought you'd be bitterly disappointed at no Ballarat game on the fixture.

 

[PatientMental]

havent read it, but i'm assuming its just the trade fallout matches and the easter monday, anzac, dreamtime, queens birthday matches

Yep, i was right

Coaches against their old team.

Players potentially playing against their old team

Wank 'blockbuster' games

And a casual token mention of the cross town rivalries

Ctrl+c, Ctrl+v every year.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

I thought you'd be bitterly disappointed at no Ballarat game on the fixture.

pastmyprimus has moved back to Adelaide

I won't miss a game where snow is expected

 

[Janus]

So 9 clubs play an extra game? Can you explain this logic here?

Geelong for example also play Fremantle twice.

Hmm it was late when I posted that. Obviously made a mistake Will edit accordingly. Would have picked up the error had I just kept going with the remaining 6 teams

Adelaide plays Port, Collingwood, GWS, Gold Coast, Brisbane and West Coast - 6 double ups

GWS plays Carlton, Adelaide, Sydney, Hawthorn, Essendon and Western Bulldogs - 6 double ups

Essendon plays GWS, West Coast, North Melbourne, Collingwood, Port Adelaide and Geelong -6 double ups

Hawthorn plays Fremantle, Melbourne, Western Bulldogs, St Kilda, GWS and North Melbourne - 6 double ups

West Coast plays Fremantle, Adelaide, North Melbourne, Essendon, Carlton and Richmond - 6 double ups

North Melbourne plays West Coast, Hawthorn, St Kilda, Melbourne, Gold Coast and Essendon - 6 double ups

 

[Holden Hillbilly]

 

[Janus]

View attachment 1571259

I’ll take the 6th hardest fixture over the 2nd hardest (which ended up being the hardest) any day of the week.

Also I’m going to say it - we’re going to beat Geelong at Kardinia in 2023. It’s way past time.

 

[TeeKray]

Still haven't played GWS in Sydney since 2013 and now won't until at least 2024. Haven't even played them in Canberra since 2017.

 

[Scholz Supremacy]

Still haven't played GWS in Sydney since 2013 and now won't until at least 2024. Haven't even played them in Canberra since 2017.

We haven’t even played a game in NSW since Round 2, 2018.