Annoys me that we always have a short 5 day break off the back of travel in the lead up to playing Collingwood on Easter Thursday - we always seem so flat.
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2026 fixture wishlist/discussion
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Tom14
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This is about the best possible fixture we could get.
I would have liked more games in Melbourne but we don’t play any good teams in Adelaide and Perth, and of our vic away trips the only good game from last year are pies and the cats which were guarantees to happen.
Lack of prime time games/no Adelaide oval is because the fixture is optimised for attendance/ratings and always will be (revenue line can NOT go down).
I’ve seen lions fans complain about the draw on social media - what is wrong with you?
We want the club to grow, having a heap of Saturday lunch time games will not do that, and there is 0 reason to take away the Labor Day game against Gold Coast it was a massive success, there is 0 reason to not be on Adelaide oval for gather round, it’s like you think it’s 2016 and no one watches us, the Collingwood game last year was the most streamed game ever and the game against hawthorn was the highest rated game ever on channel 7, it’s not 2016 it’s 2026
The fixture guy said oh they get a grand final rematch, we played Geelong last year twice anyway and that’s a given, same for Easter Thursday
In terms of how hard the fixture is - yeah it’s a great draw, in terms of greater exposure/ market ability it’s horrific
Tom14
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We've consistently grown the club by being incredibly successful - record membership just met whilst still having very few prime time games early this year. I don't see why that won't continue as next year's fixture is no worse in terms of exposure.
In any event more prime time games might be good for club sponsors, but frankly I don't really care. If you are going to be upset by this kind of fixture then you will be upset every year - the AFL won't change how they do it.
Much simpler to use the inequity of the fixture, prime time exposure etc as your moral justification for academy rorts.
Academy rorts are morally good because we get dudded in the fixture, don't get to play on adelaide oval during gather round (because this is something I should care about somehow)! Every other club complaining about our rorts is a jealous loser!
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The academy and the fixturing have nothing to do with each other and it’s irrelevant and none of that has anything to do with the fact when we go get the big time slots we deliver on ratings, clearly playing north at barossa isn’t going to deliver a good tv rating
Explain the Labor Day game taken away, makes literally 0 sense especially establishing the rivalry that we now have with Gold Coast
Going by recent seasons, we’ll get plenty of prime time in September. Have to ensure some of the minnow clubs in the comp like Carlton and Bulldogs get their share.
Tom14
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As someone who lives in Victoria I'm quite happy I'm not watching that with work on the next day
10K views · 32 reactions | AFL strategy boss Josh Bowler explains why the Brisbane Lions are largely 'Off Broadway' in the 2026 Fixture. #CWH | SEN 1116
AFL strategy boss Josh Bowler explains why the Brisbane Lions are largely 'Off Broadway' in the 2026 Fixture. #CWH
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We'll get prime time games "if we perform"...
"They do have some big games, they're in opening round against the Bulldogs..." on Saturday night, not on free-to-air.10K views · 32 reactions | AFL strategy boss Josh Bowler explains why the Brisbane Lions are largely 'Off Broadway' in the 2026 Fixture. #CWH | SEN 1116
AFL strategy boss Josh Bowler explains why the Brisbane Lions are largely 'Off Broadway' in the 2026 Fixture. #CWH
We'll get prime time games "if we perform"...
Then we follow that up the week after with a Saturday night game, going head-to-head against Pies and Crows.
I'm not too concerned - I love a Saturday night game and I'm happy for us to go about it quietly for most of the season. Sucks for our sponsors.
The AFL did learn one lesson - there is no day game scheduled in Queensland until mid-April.
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ahh so like last season when we had a 5 day break after playing in the baking sun then taking on the Pies who had an extra day and played at night. Can’t wait to lose this game and have to listen to insufferable Pies supporters.
Section 5
Norm Smith Medallist
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Our sponsors and the club would have liked better time slots in the first 14 games seeing we are premiers.
I expect us to get a better deal when the last 9 games times are released. That's assuming our form is good.
As a Lions fan i would much prefer a perceived easier draw at this stage and be a better chance for a 3 peat over getting some below average time slots.
In the sponsors eyes the name of the game is first winning then better time slots. Once lots of wins happen, sponsors probably prefer both, but you can't always get what you want.
The Lions have provided both the last 3 years and the sponsors should be fairly happy.
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)
I expect us to get a better deal when the last 9 games times are released. That's assuming our form is good.
As a Lions fan i would much prefer a perceived easier draw at this stage and be a better chance for a 3 peat over getting some below average time slots.
In the sponsors eyes the name of the game is first winning then better time slots. Once lots of wins happen, sponsors probably prefer both, but you can't always get what you want.
The Lions have provided both the last 3 years and the sponsors should be fairly happy.
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)
Section 5
Norm Smith Medallist
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Link to all the MCG games if anyone interested
www.mcg.org.au
2026 AFL Premiership Season at the MCG – full fixture revealed | MCG
The MCG will host its first game of the 2026 AFL Premiership Season in Opening Round before a massive four fixtures across Round 1 in what is set to be another huge football season at the ‘G.
www.mcg.org.au
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Personally, I like the afternoon timeslot, and we get a fair run
Love the last 3 rounds - 2 Gabba blockbusters and the Pies at the MCG. Perfect tuneup.
Love the last 3 rounds - 2 Gabba blockbusters and the Pies at the MCG. Perfect tuneup.
Perhaps it was a cunning stunt to get one of our guys to infiltrate AFL Administration to get a less difficult draw for 26. But then again maybe not that cunning ending up in Tassie n the Barossa.
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Recent history tells us playing a final every week has us winning the flag i don't care about the fixture.
10 to 12 wins finish tenth then start our yearly run to another flag.
Honestly how good would it be to win against the contenders next year bank enough to finish 9th or 10th and win the flag.
The melts of opposition fans would be pure gold.
Fages could use it as motivation for the group "wild card flag boys"
10 to 12 wins finish tenth then start our yearly run to another flag.
Honestly how good would it be to win against the contenders next year bank enough to finish 9th or 10th and win the flag.
The melts of opposition fans would be pure gold.
Fages could use it as motivation for the group "wild card flag boys"
Was a pretty wishy washy sorta ummmmmmm golly gosh response10K views · 32 reactions | AFL strategy boss Josh Bowler explains why the Brisbane Lions are largely 'Off Broadway' in the 2026 Fixture. #CWH | SEN 1116
AFL strategy boss Josh Bowler explains why the Brisbane Lions are largely 'Off Broadway' in the 2026 Fixture. #CWH
We'll get prime time games "if we perform"...
9 day games out of 14. Really?
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Worth noting that the current TV deal in the NRL stipulates that the Broncos get exactly 14 games on Channel 9, so that's why the Broncos don't play every Friday anymore.
On another note bit annoyed our away game against Carlton is at Docklands and not the MCG. We haven't played them there since 2000 when the Crows, Port, Eagles and even the Suns have had away games against Carlton at the MCG.
Section 5
Norm Smith Medallist
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Last year i think we mostly commented on the hard draw and not much on our timeslots.
As i mentioned in post 336 the timeslots could have been a bit better but i thought it was okay.
So how have the AFL actually treated the Lions in 2026 compared to 2025. Both prior years we were Premiers.
As can be seen below not much difference really in the first 14 games.
Day games including twilight 9 games each year
Night games 5 games each year
The basic difference is 2 extra day games instead of twilight games.
Sponsors and fans should be able to live with that considering our favorable fixture draw.
As i mentioned in post 336 the timeslots could have been a bit better but i thought it was okay.
So how have the AFL actually treated the Lions in 2026 compared to 2025. Both prior years we were Premiers.
As can be seen below not much difference really in the first 14 games.
Day games including twilight 9 games each year
Night games 5 games each year
The basic difference is 2 extra day games instead of twilight games.
Sponsors and fans should be able to live with that considering our favorable fixture draw.
| Year | Thursday Night | Friday Night | Saturday Day | Saturday Twilight | Saturday Night | Sunday Day | Sunday Twilight | Sunday Evening |
| 2026 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 2025 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Difference 2025 to 2026 | 1 extra Day Game | 2 less Twilight Games | 1 extra Night Game | 1 extra Day Game | 1 less Night Game |
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Yep really. First day game on Gold-Coast is April-19. First day game in Brisbane is April-26. For Brisbane, that's a month later than our first home game in 2025, which was first bounce at 1:10pm 23-March (against the Weagles). The game was specifically called out for stupid scheduling due heat and humidity.
The 4 games scheduled in March in Queensland are all evening/night games.
My problem with Saturday games is purely because of the current stupid broadcast deal.
The Lions and Suns did more lifting in 2025 with delayed broadcasts than the other states. Next year, assuming Saturday matches up to round 10 are delayed like this year, the non vic clubs get this many delayed matches into their home market:
Adelaide - 3
Brisbane - 5
Fremantle - 4
Gold Coast - 5
GWS - 4
Port - 3
Sydney - 4
West Coast - 2
Unless the AFL change the rules a bit, us and the Suns have been really screwed over again in this regard. I'm all for Saturday matches and personally love going to the twilight ones; just stack them into the second half of the season.
Section 5
Norm Smith Medallist
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Agree about the new media deal. I think the Saturday games for certain teams is on purpose.
I hate having to pay for Kayo for 2 months just to watch 4 Saturday away games.
Hopefully it ends up the 2 months. For Brisbane it is March 14 to May 14. I will sign up on March 14.
I never watch any other AFL games, other sport or footy shows on Kayo either.
When i cancel Kayo i get offers for reduced payments for the next 7 months or so.
I also have issues watching Kayo like a lot of people.
The streaming is regularly not smooth and very annoying.
Kayo is the only streaming company i have problems with and that includes all the free to air channels.
Until the new deal last year the Lions and Suns got all games live since they joined the AFL.
It was only a matter of time before this got changed. It was great while it lasted all those years, but now it's gone.
I don't see the AFL changing this and can see a further reduction in FTA live when the new media rights deal is negotiated.
GWS crack me up.
'People say nothing happens in Adelaide...and they're right, so we'll immediately leave.'
'We're off to Queensland where they have the Great Barrier Reef and even Hamilton Island but we won't be seeing any of that. Instead, we will be doing what everyone else in Brisbane does and head to the Gold Coast.'
'People say nothing happens in Adelaide...and they're right, so we'll immediately leave.'
'We're off to Queensland where they have the Great Barrier Reef and even Hamilton Island but we won't be seeing any of that. Instead, we will be doing what everyone else in Brisbane does and head to the Gold Coast.'
Tom14
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