2026 fixture wishlist/discussion

[vic_LION]

For me, three MCG games again please!

Also way less of the Sunday late arvo/night graveyard games

 

[braddsey]

For me, three MCG games again please!

Also way less of the Sunday late arvo/night graveyard games

I’m good with Sunday graveyard… but all aboard for more Melbourne games with a strong preference for the MCG!

 

[GenericUsername202]

My fixture wish: no bloody round zero. We’ve played the last game of the season the past 3 years. We can do without a reduced pre-season.

Cyclone Alfred v2 would reform simply out of pure disgust for round 0.

 

[Section 5]

Not really a wish list but i think we might get these double ups again.

Pies, Suns, Cats and Hawks

Even though we ended up playing Pies, Suns & Cats 3 times in 2025

 

[braddsey]

Not really a wish list but i think we might get these double ups again.

Pies, Suns, Cats and Hawks

Even though we ended up playing Pies, Suns & Cats 3 times in 2025

I don’t think that’s possible. It should be max 3 from top-6.
We will get Suns, so it’s 2 more from other top-6 teams.

 

[irel]

Once the AFL finalises its fixture, I want Brisbane swapped with Geelong.

Simple as that.

 

[Section 5]

I don’t think that’s possible. I should be max 3 from top-6.
We will get Suns, so it’s 2 more from other top-6 teams.

That true.

 

[Ironmonger]

As many high-profile Friday night games as can be crammed into one season.

I really want us to frank this idea that we are one of a handful of big, successful, powerful, high-profile clubs. Say it often enough and it becomes true.

 

[M Malice]

As many high-profile Friday night games as can be crammed into one season.

I really want us to frank this idea that we are one of a handful of big, successful, powerful, high-profile clubs. Say it often enough and it becomes true.

Our games against the big Melbourne clubs at the very least would have to be in prime time slots in 2026.

Also would love to play the Magpies, Hawks, Carlton and Richmond at our 2nd home ground in 2026.

 

[jonnobackpocket]

This is yet to confirmed but I am hearing in an attempt to end our dominance we will actually play Victoria, West Oz, South OZ, All Stars and a combined All Australian team as our double ups- all away games too. I don’t think it will stop us.

 

[M Malice]

This is yet to confirmed but I am hearing in an attempt to end our dominance we will actually play Victoria, West Oz, South OZ, All Stars and a combined All Australian team as our double ups- all away games too. I don’t think it will stop us.

I like it, and while we're at it get rid of this State of Origin game planned for next year and play a Lions v Rest of the World game instead.

 

[davemc_lions]

More Melb games be nice like 6 plus Cats
Happy to head to Geelong as well
2025 played 5: Tigers, Pies, Hawks, Saints and Blues plus Cats
2024 played 5: Demons, Hawks, Dogs, Saints and Pies
2023 played 5: Dogs, Blues, Hawks, Saints and Demons
We played in last 3 years
3 Saints and Hawks
2 Blues, Pies, Demons, Dogs
1 Tigers Cats
Not played North or Bombers in 3 years in Melb.

 

[Viceregal]

Gotta play up a 'rivalry' with West Coast in the media in the next few weeks so the AFL is tricked into thinking its a good iteam to fixture a double up match.

Well they might already have a Allen v Starc grudge match type concept if they want to run with it...

 

[____]

Once the AFL finalises its fixture, I want Brisbane swapped with Geelong.

Simple as that.

I'm happy with the harder draw. Holds us in good stead come September. Rather finish 3rd at the end of the regular season and be hardened for finals than had what the Crows had with an easy ride to first on the ladder then getting found out in finals.

 

[braddsey]

I'm happy with the harder draw. Holds us in good stead come September. Rather finish 3rd at the end of the regular season and be hardened for finals than had what the Crows had with an easy ride to first on the ladder then getting found out in finals.

Maybe we're that hard regardless. If we can do what we did with injuries and fixture this year, imagine what we could do with the dream run into finals!

…though as a supporter I like being on edge. It took away the expectation we’re going to win it all, making the victory all the more rewarding. Likely something in that for the players too - Harris pretty much said a much in the pre-GF presser.

 

[BuntonRules]

A bit of adversity has done us no harm over the last couple of years

 

[Viceregal]

Well they couldn't actually make it <harder> could they?

 

[Viceregal]

Absolutely; it’s the most ridiculous concept. VIC media journos make out us northern clubs get something out of it like the SA clubs get an extra home game in GR and the WA clubs also get an extra home game with North selling away games to each, not to mention the SA and WA also get to play their state rival at their home game unlike northern clubs that do have to play their intra state rival genuinely away.

Anyway by way of requests. 6 games in Melbourne and possibly our other double up with top six teams against Geelong at GHBA.
Play Freo at the Gabba and WCE in Perth. When was the last time we played Freo in Brisbane? Same with Crows; at the Gabba and Power away. Preference of double ups (1-6) Suns and Cats, (7-12) Swans and Carlton and (13-18) Demons and Bombers.

I would expect us to have 3 from the 1-6, 2 from the 7-12 and 1 from th 13-18 groupings (seems to always randomly err on the side of harder in our double ups)

 

[Darren Downunder]

Anyone
Anywhere
Anytime
Bring it!

 

[Dizzle]

I worry less about the draw, because the AFL have tried to wrangle that and it didn't work.

Just wait until the announcement that we can only have 16 on the field at any one time and that every point we kick actually takes three points off our score (can't reward missing any more). They might also impose a coin flip at the start of the fourth quarter if we are in front, and if we lose our score is wiped...

Can't have non-Vic teams doing the right things, building a solid list with depth and making the most of the rules as they apply. Can't have smart salary cap management, savvy trading and free agent courting and making the most of the system. Doesn't matter that we were historically bad for a while and many supporters wondered if we'd ever win back to back games, let alone back to back flags.

While I am on my soapbox I could add that there is only ever 'controversy' when non-Vic teams or players succeed. Matt Rowell

18

Matt Rowell

Age

24

Ht

180cm

Wt

82kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.4

4star

K

7.6

3star

HB

9.8

5star

M

0.8

1star

T

5.2

5star

CL

3.8

5star

D

17.4

4star

K

7.6

3star

HB

9.8

5star

M

0.8

1star

T

5.2

5star

CL

3.8

5star

D

17.4

5star

K

7.6

3star

HB

9.8

5star

M

0.8

1star

T

5.2

5star

CL

3.8

5star

winning the Brownlow = controversy. There would be no reverse-audit if Daicos got 66 votes.

Lions getting Ashcroft X2 and Fletcher and using them to win two hard-won flags = controversy. See how many articles lately reference Levi and Sam last year with no reference to Daicos / Cloke / Shaw / Moore and however many other Collingwood players I don't care to look up.

Collingwood father-sons = fine tradition. Lions father-sons = rort.

Between 2002 and 2009 there were a bunch of Priority Picks granted and all but one went to Vic based teams. No controversy there apparently, even when Hawthorn used theirs to create a Dynasty of their own. We use ours to draft the ClugBerry combo and apparently we're not playing fair any more.

Actually I'm tired of hearing from non-Lions supporters about how we get an easy ride and the AFL has fixed the system so we win. I think I will start revelling in the armchair ride that we get... mainly because it can't go forever.

 

[M Malice]

Lions getting Ashcroft X2 and Fletcher and using them to win two hard-won flags = controversy. See how many articles lately reference Levi and Sam last year with no reference to Daicos / Cloke / Shaw / Moore and however many other Collingwood players I don't care to look up.

Collingwood father-sons = fine tradition. Lions father-sons = rort.

Between 2002 and 2009 there were a bunch of Priority Picks granted and all but one went to Vic based teams. No controversy there apparently, even when Hawthorn used theirs to create a Dynasty of their own. We use ours to draft the ClugBerry combo and apparently we're not playing fair any more.

Actually I'm tired of hearing from non-Lions supporters about how we get an easy ride and the AFL has fixed the system so we win. I think I will start revelling in the armchair ride that we get... mainly because it can't go forever.

100%, the hypocrisy and selective outrage is mind blowing.

 

[Big Sauce 21]

Thing I want most is no Round 0. What a stupid gimmick that is.

Top 6 double ups. Lock in Geelong and Gold Coast would love Pies as the third

No early arvo games at the gabba

Adelaide on gather round Friday night

 

[Section 5]

Round 1 or Zero whatever the AFL want to call it.
Play the 4 northern teams as the first 4 games of the round if they want to.
Or Play GWS v Sydney at the SCG Thursday evening & Lions v Suns at the Gabba Saturday evening.
That will give them an out from what was a silly concept in my opinion
I recon round Zero 2025 had more negatives than positives

Avoid playing the Dogs at Ballarat
Prefer just 1 trip to Perth and Adelaide plus Gather Round
Tigers and Bombers away

 

[braddsey]

Do top six get three double ups from that group?

It felt like this year that the double ups we got from the bottom / middle six all jumped into finals and those we didn’t get from all three categories all dropped.

"Luck" of the draw, much like Geelong's top six match ups dropping down (except us).
...though this is where the lack of transparency from the AFL leaves a bad taste - our mid-6 matchups were 7th & 9th, and bottom-6 was 13th (though this was unavoidable as it was Gold Coast). Geelong got mid-6 11th & 12th, and bottom-6 18th. That said, we finished top, they finished 4th, so you could argue we deserved the harder matchups...
Even so, we get GC winning their first final means they're one of our top-6 match ups, so we should get an easier fixture this year.

As it turned out, most of our double ups jumped into the top-6, only Sydney and Bulldogs fell.
Geelong, only Richmond went up from 18th to 17th, every other club was flat or fell.

(Obviously, we're blue, Geelong are orange)

 

[Elixuh]

It’ll just be nice to hopefully do a night time flag reveal next year. Doing it at midday this year because of the cyclone kind of sucked.