Fixture 2026 Fixture Discussion

[Iamspock]

Why can't they have the state of origin but with the best players outside of the AFL, your local footy heroes, and they'll give 110% and it'll still be a rivalry

On the upside, Zac Butters will get a preview of what it will be like to play with Bont, not against him...

 

[bobs head soup]

On the upside, Zac Butters will get a preview of what it will be like to play with Bont, not against him...

At some point in the game, you'd think the Vic onball trio would be Bont, Butters and Ed (current AA rover).

That'd be fun to watch.

 

[geoffjennings79]

After having a quick scan of the full fixture, I don't see us losing a game next year as long as Sellwood stays fit

On the contrary, I can't see us winning a single game. Everyone else has gotten better, Hawks and Bombers have pinched Spangher and McLean with inside knowledge, King knows Bevo's moves, we only picked up a fringe player from the Suns, lost Ugle-Hagan, didn't take the opportunity to trade for Steven May, and Wilkie knocked us back because everyone knows Beveridge hates lockdown defenders... and competitive rucks... but loves low output small forwards like McNeil and Vandermeer. We may as well go full self-destruct and say we're against net zero and the Paris Climate Agreement too. What a time to be on BF as a Bulldogs supporter. We'll spend all of 2026 with 17 other teams' posters coming on here gloating after every win. Wish we could fast forward to round 1 2027 so we can see the 2026 #1 draft pick run out alongside Bont, to give us a boost of optimism...

 

[threenewpadlocks]

Another nice little nugget I found.

For their Thursday night games, AFL doesn't like scheduling Melbourne teams at home vs. Interstate teams (and when they do, they like Sydney and Brisbane which has some local support).

Crowds tank for this type of matchup - it's a work night after all and you want the game being a Perth/Adelaide/Swans/Lions home game because those are 'in demand' tickets or otherwise have it being a marquee matchup between Melbourne teams. AFL also likes the western timezones for TV night games in the dead of winter can be cold in Melbourne and low scoring, more likely to get a higher-scoring game in warmer Perth/Brisbane for TV.

As far as I can tell, they've only scheduled this Melbourne city home game vs. Interstate 13 times since Thursday night games since COVID including 2026. Less than proportional if all random. There's 16 Thursday nights being played in the first 15 rounds plus opening round. 13 of them are not a Melbourne home game vs. Interstate team.

We've got 2 of the 3 scheduled before round 15 for 2026.

We've had 4 of the 10 before this season.

AFL wants high-scoring football on TV for Thursday nights but it's crap for the home fans and it's crap for the clubs finances. We bear the brunt of this AFL service while people still want to relocate us or whatever.

It's just crappy. The 41,000 crowd we had against Adelaide was arguably the most surprising crowd for the any AFL game in modern history. We shat the bed in winning the game but it's essentially the only crowd that's randomly almost doubled the long-term average for the matchup and venue without a good reason (like a virtual elimination final vs Freo).

How does the AFL reward us? Scheduling us on a Thursday night in Round 11 in June where it's a work night, not school holidays, probably freezing weather. It might be a good crowd because two teams are battling for top 4. It might also be a crappy one-sided game with either of the two teams not expected to make finals and therefore you wouldn't get 20,000 at the game.

Even of the 10 games that I indicated above they were usually earlier in the year with warmer weather or in the Easter school holidays. 2022 there were two crap crowds when the AFL decided to schedule a deep in winter Thursday night fixture Melbourne vs interstate - 21,000 people turned up to Richmond (and their 100,000 members) vs. Port and 37,000 people only turned up to a literal top-of the table clash off a premiership Melbourne vs. Brisbane fixture two weeks later that would have gotten 50,000 at a normal timeslot.

 

[BallaratBulldog]

They have to put some decent melbourne based games on Thursday or channel 7 will complain

No fan has ever liked Thursday.

 

[Dogs Rule]

I love how the AFL and their lapdog media sycophants trumpet Thursday night as 'prime time' as if clubs like ours should just STFU and be grateful for the crumbs that come our way.

Thursday is a crap timeslot. Work the next day so that rules out me (and many others including young kids) from going and sometimes I've just plain forgotten the footy was even on.

It's not the plum slot it's made out to be and only benefits the broadcasters. But then again, they're the ones now running the fixture anyway.

 

[Hoges64]

This may have been mentioned already, but dogs play hawks twice next year, with hawks listed as the home team for both? Once for Gather Round, and then once for MCG. How does that work?

It makes no difference who the home team is at Gather Round.

 

[Proffessor]

It makes no difference who the home team is at Gather Round.

What makes a difference is if you get a home return game against your gather round opponent, a non-rare privilege but one that we are yet to experience.

BTW I'm not aware of any other instance, like our 2026 Hawthorn fixturing situation, where a club plays both games against an opponent as the away team.

If anyone is aware of such an occurrence, please list it. Otherwise I'm inclined to think this is a unique situation.

 

[Sentinel]

If anyone is aware of such an occurrence, please list it. Otherwise I'm inclined to think this is a unique situation.

Its not unique nor is it a big deal.

Sydney vs Richmond and GWS vs Hawthorn, both in 2023, being two other examples. There may be more in other years.

 

[Hoges64]

What makes a difference is if you get a home return game against your gather round opponent

Why?

 

[ossie_21]

Why?

I made a suggestion (that the current AFL admin would never listen to anyway) a while ago that your gather round opponent should be one where that is the only regular season game you have against them.

Playing a team twice and not getting a home ground advantage is definitely a raw deal, especially when it’s against one of the better clubs.

 

[_Cerberus_]

Since many still think the teams listing for Gather Round has any relevance. Below is a break down of each season.

2023
Crows vs Blues - No second match
Dockers vs Suns - No second match
Tigers vs Swans - 2nd match, Tigers were the home team
Lions vs Roos - No second match
Bombers vs Demons - No second match
Power vs Bulldogs - 2nd match, Bulldogs were the home team
Cats vs Eagles - No second match
Giants vs Hawks - 2nd match, Giants were the home team
Magpies vs Saints - No second match

2024
Crows vs Demons - No second match
Lions vs Roos - No second match
Power vs Bombers - No second match
Eagles vs Swans - No second match
Dockers vs Blues - No second match
Bulldogs vs Cats - 2nd match, Cats were the home team
Suns vs Giants - 2nd match, Giants were the home team
Tigers vs Saints - 2nd match, Tigers were the home team
Magpies vs Hawks - 2nd match, Hawks were the home team

2025
Crows vs Cats - No second match
Magpies vs Swans - No second match
Roos vs Suns - No second match
Blues vs Eagles - 2nd match, Eagles were the home team
Bulldogs vs Lions - 2nd match, Lions were the home team
Demons vs Bombers - No second match
Tigers vs Dockers - No second match
Saints vs Giants - 2nd match, Giants were the home team
Power vs Hawks - 2nd match, Hawks were the home team

2026
Crows vs Blues - No second match
Magpies vs Dockers - No second match
Roos vs Lions - No second match
Bombers vs Demons - 2nd match, Demons are the home team
Swans vs Suns - No second match
Hawks vs Bulldogs - 2nd match, Hawks are the home team
Cats vs Eagles - No second match
Giants vs Tigers - No second match
Power vs Saints - 2nd match, Saints are the home team.


So out of all of the 36 matches.
22 of them saw no return fixture.
10 matches saw the team listed as the away team for gather round, be the home team come the second fixture.
4 matches saw the team listed as the home team for gather round, be the away team come the second fixture.

Bulldogs have been listed as the home team twice, and the away team twice.
The reverse fixtures saw us as the home team once, and away team three times.
It is really such a pissy small one game difference, to scream some kind of conspiracy against the Dogs, or that we are always the away team.

There is little evidence to say that being listed as the home or away team, means you will definitely get the same or the other come a return fixture.

Below shows how many times each team was involved in a second fixture that season, outside of Gather Round. It shows us as one of five clubs who have been involved in multiple second games. If it wasn't us, it would be someone else, etc.

Crows - 0
Blues - 1
Dockers - 0
Suns - 1
Tigers - 2
Swans - 1
Lions - 1
Roos - 0
Bombers - 1
Demons - 1
Power - 3
Bulldogs - 4
Cats - 1
Eagles - 1
Giants - 3
Hawks - 4
Magpies - 1
Saints - 3

If you're listed as the home team for Gather Round, 2/3 of the time you will be the away team for a second fixture. If anything, as it's been mentioned a few times. Gather Round home and away listing means s**t in the wider scheme of things. We have been a little unfortunate to cop an extra away game compared to some teams, but people are hanging on too much, to such a small sample.

 

[Sentinel]

We have been a little unfortunate to cop an extra away game compared to some teams, but people are hanging on too much, to such a small sample.

I wouldn't even go this far. We haven't copped an extra away game - other than being asked to wear our away kit and use the away change rooms. Every team gets 11 home, 11 away and 1 neutral game (other than the Adelaide sides with an extra home game that's called neutral). The order of listing in Gather Round for all intents and purposes mean nothing.

 

[_Cerberus_]

I wouldn't even go this far. We haven't copped an extra away game - other than being asked to wear our away kit and use the away change rooms. Every team gets 11 home, 11 away and 1 neutral game (other than the Adelaide sides with an extra home game that's called neutral). The order of listing in Gather Round for all intents and purposes mean nothing.

I meant in the return fixtures, 3 out of the 4 we ended up being the away team. But as my point was, it is still such a small sample to say that it means we will 100% be the away team for the 4th time out of 5 next year in a second match up post Gather Round. No evidence points to that strongly being the case.

 

[Sentinel]

I meant in the return fixtures, 3 out of the 4 we ended up being the away team. But as my point was, it is still such a small sample to say that it means we will 100% be the away team for the 4th time out of 5 next year in a second match up post Gather Round. No evidence points to that strongly being the case.

I get it, but my point really is that it doesn't matter since we still get 11 home and 11 away games.

The only real impact is the quality of the opposition we've played at Gather Round and then played a second time away given they've all be decent teams (missing out on a home fixture again them) but I'd put that down more to being coincidental than anything else.

I.e. if they were a crap team you'd prefer to play neutral (listed home or away) + away as a better chance to beat them twice and retain the home game advantage to use against another tougher opponent.

 

[Libbaaaa]

I get it, but my point really is that it doesn't matter since we still get 11 home and 11 away games.

The only real impact is the quality of the opposition we've played at Gather Round and then played a second time away given they've all be decent teams (missing out on a home fixture again them) but I'd put that down more to being coincidental than anything else.

I.e. if they were a crap team you'd prefer to play neutral (listed home or away) + away as a better chance to beat them twice and retain the home game advantage to use against another tougher opponent.

This really is the only gripe we can have, playing Port when they were still good, Geelong, Brissy and now the Hawks. Flip side is the league somewhat views us as a good side putting us in these matchups.

 

[Proffessor]

Its not unique nor is it a big deal.

Sydney vs Richmond and GWS vs Hawthorn, both in 2023, being two other examples. There may be more in other years.

Thanks Sentinel.

It's a big deal because it goes against the time honoured principle of home and away.
It's not called the AFL home and home season for good reason.

Nominally home and away match ups are even because the home ground advantages cancel out.
If one team plays their home game at a neutral venue it is clear that the other team has been given a slight advantage courtesy of the skewed draw, but at least it is clear that's what's happening when they are listed as the home team. Calling the team which doesn't give up their home game advantage in the return game, the home team of the neutral matchup is flat out misleading.

 

[lachy]

Thanks Sentinel.

It's a big deal because it goes against the time honoured principle of home and away.
It's not called the AFL home and home season for good reason.

Nominally home and away match ups are even because the home ground advantages cancel out.
If one team plays their home game at a neutral venue it is clear that the other team has been given a slight advantage courtesy of the skewed draw, but at least it is clear that's what's happening when they are listed as the home team. Calling the team which doesn't give up their home game advantage in the return game, the home team of the neutral matchup is flat out misleading.

Sadly the honoured principle of Home and Away for which the Home and Away referred to playing each team Home and Away in a season has only ever been honoured from 1897 to 1925 and then from 1970 to 1987.

Otherwise teams have never played each other home and away, it has always been a lopsided fixture.

Gather round has been set out in the rules of the game that there is no home or away team, the only thing the team named first gets is choice of rooms and home kit.

Very aguably the Adelaide teams get home games but their clubs members do not have their memberships recognised.

 

[Sentinel]

If one team plays their home game at a neutral venue it is clear that the other team has been given a slight advantage courtesy of the skewed draw, but at least it is clear that's what's happening when they are listed as the home team. Calling the team which doesn't give up their home game advantage in the return game, the home team of the neutral matchup is flat out misleading.

I think this is where you're looking at it the wrong way though.

Gather Round matches are neutral (besides for Adelaide teams who enjoy the pleasure of playing on their home deck against travelling opposition, in much the same way that MCG tenants enjoy an advantage on Grand Final day).

The 'home' team in a neutral Gather Round match is not giving up a home game later in the season. The AFL would be better off removing any reference to 'home/away' teams because it skews the way people think about this.

As I stated earlier in this thread, if we were playing a bottom 4 side in Gather Round (whether listed home or away, it doesn't matter) we would want to play them again as the actual away side later in the season. We'd back ourselves to beat them twice whilst retaining 11 home games to use against other opponents, given we aren't given anything up for our Gather Round game.

 

[Proffessor]

Sadly the honoured principle of Home and Away for which the Home and Away referred to playing each team Home and Away in a season has only ever been honoured from 1897 to 1925 and then from 1970 to 1987.

Otherwise teams have never played each other home and away, it has always been a lopsided fixture.

Gather round has been set out in the rules of the game that there is no home or away team, the only thing the team named first gets is choice of rooms and home kit.

Very aguably the Adelaide teams get home games but their clubs members do not have their memberships recognised.

The AFL can say whatever they want, but it doesn't make it right or fair.

The fact that they include such statements regarding gather round rules\guidelines just means they want the flexibility to do whatever they want, without having to worry too much about trying to appear to be even and fair in their treatment of the fixture.

It's one thing to recognise that the fixture can't be completely even and fair because we can't schedule each team to play home and away each year, but something quite different to use that as an excuse to be able to disregard the principle of fairness in the fixturing process.

Do we feel like we have gotten the better end of the deal yet with Gather round in any season, or do we feel like we are 0-4?

 

[lachy]

The AFL can say whatever they want, but it doesn't make it right or fair.

The fact that they include such statements regarding gather round rules\guidelines just means they want the flexibility to do whatever they want, without having to worry too much about trying to appear to be even and fair in their treatment of the fixture.

It's one thing to recognise that the fixture can't be completely even and fair because we can't schedule each team to play home and away each year, but something quite different to use that as an excuse to be able to disregard the principle of fairness in the fixturing process.

Do we feel like we have gotten the better end of the deal yet with Gather round in any season, or do we feel like we are 0-4?

Proff, when has it ever been fair???

From 1972 through to 1987, even with teams playing home and away, every team played 2 home games at VFL park.

Your arguing a principle that has never existed, and has moved further away from fair in the last 15 years after the last lot of expansion, gather round, Thursday night football, byes, breaks between games, blockbusters and the list goes on

 

[Proffessor]

Proff, when has it ever been fair???

From 1972 through to 1987, even with teams playing home and away, every team played 2 home games at VFL park.

Your arguing a principle that has never existed, and has moved further away from fair in the last 15 years after the last lot of expansion, gather round, Thursday night football, byes, breaks between games, blockbusters and the list goes on

lachy, I think you missed the point of my last post.

Recognising it's not possible to be completely fair doesn't mean you shouldn't try to be as fair as you can, within practical implementation constraints. When you stop trying or even aspiring towards fairness, then you have a serious problem.

 

[lachy]

lachy, I think you missed the point of my last post.

Recognising it's not possible to be completely fair doesn't mean you shouldn't try to be as fair as you can, within practical implementation constraints. When you stop trying or even aspiring towards fairness, then you have a serious problem.

Proff there is a reason why I rarely watch other teams on TV, watch finals only as I am a member of the MCC, and only describe myself as an avid Doggies fan.

I love aussie rules, not the AFL. They have never aspired towards fairness, never will, so don't have any expectations of fairness from the corrupt, money hungry egotistical AFL. Cudos to you for trying

 

[threenewpadlocks]

I think this is where you're looking at it the wrong way though.

Gather Round matches are neutral (besides for Adelaide teams who enjoy the pleasure of playing on their home deck against travelling opposition, in much the same way that MCG tenants enjoy an advantage on Grand Final day).

The 'home' team in a neutral Gather Round match is not giving up a home game later in the season. The AFL would be better off removing any reference to 'home/away' teams because it skews the way people think about this.

As I stated earlier in this thread, if we were playing a bottom 4 side in Gather Round (whether listed home or away, it doesn't matter) we would want to play them again as the actual away side later in the season. We'd back ourselves to beat them twice whilst retaining 11 home games to use against other opponents, given we aren't given anything up for our Gather Round game.

I suppose the only argument is this:

Treat Gather Round as decided first and then who you play once or twice decided around that. This seems to be the case as Gather Round teams might only play each other once in the season. If Gather Round fixtured was tacked on after the fixture was done, by definition you would have to see all Gather Round fixtures by teams that meet twice (this is not the case).

Therefore, if a Victorian team is matched up to a non-Victorian team on Gather Round, it makes it marginally less likely that that's the team that they play twice in a season outside Gather Round (because they can only ever meet once more in the fixture, ie, either home or away, rather than both), as well as the marginal difference for certain fixture effects that I listed above (ie when you only play a team once, do you play them home or away, and HGA differences). Obviously assuming an element of randomness of who you play twice.

For example, we're locked into playing Hawks in Gather Round. From there, we can only ever play Hawks once more in the season, so we have to play them Home or Away, and then we play them only Away.

Geelong play West Coast in Gather Round. From there, they can only ever play West Coast once, home or away, making it slightly more likely that they play a Melbourne based team twice in the year, giving them a slight additional accumulated home-ground advantage (given that they have no disadvantage playing in Melbourne but do have an advantage playing in Geelong against a Melbourne team). Had they played a Melbourne team in Gather Round, it is slightly more likely that they would have had to play West Coast twice, and therefore marginally more likely that they would have travelled out of Victoria once more than in reality.

As an aside I again what to say what a crock of shit it is that we not only play the clear worst 3 teams once in the league but that we play them at home, getting a HGA advantage that is less valuable in win probability added when we are already a 90+% chance to win those three games, adding only 1-2% of win probability, whereas the swing in playing Sydney, Brisbane, Hawks etc. once and away is much more like a 10% swing in win probability as the Home Ground Advantage could swing around who is the favourite for that game specifically. These things add up mathematically when compared to a completely fair in theory 34 game fixture more than people realise, in my view.

 

[Bulldog Brent]

Hey - no obligation, but is anyone happy to share their Gather Round barcode if you are not going? I am trying to work out how to book for 9-10 people - mostly family and Bulldog fans / friendly Bulldog fans both from Melbourne & Adelaide ...

I suspect our game will sell out quickly hence wanting to grab tickets in the members on-sale, but not at the expense of comrade members wanting to go ...

DM me if you're happy to share yours. Greatly appreciated!