Fixture 2026 Fixture

[BrutThough]

Yeah for a dead rubber. Melbourne’s just a higher drawing team than St Kilda. I’d hate to think what the Carlton v Melbourne this game would’ve got if it was Melbourne v St Kilda. 25k? Less probably.

Maybe if St Kilda didn’t have games where they get 13k people there, the AFL would be more confident in giving them big games.

You're holding on real tight to one Gold Coast Sun 4:40pm crowd as some sort of justification about a game that is unrelated to that.

 

[doppleganger]

Moreover, the general travel arrangements for all clubs don't change in a meaningful way year-to-year at the moment, but people still raise the same complaints every year for no good reason.

You would think that people might actually look at H&A results and see which teams finish top4 the most.

A hint, it ain't teams playing heaps of games in Melbourne and not getting on planes (Carlton, Essendon, StK, WB, Richmond).

Everyone knows Collingwood will play 14 MCG games (contracted), 3 Marvel games, and the remainder interstate. That's how it is and how it has been for some time.

It used to be 14 MCH and 4 Etihad in late 2000s, but after GC and GWS came in the AFL got rid of the 2nd away Marvel game (again impacting teams like StK, NM, WB) and instead having Pies play an extra away game outside of VIC.

And if you look at the crowds we attract, you can see why. Play the biggest team and the biggest games at the biggest available ground. Simple stuff

Yep - ALL clubs want to play a home game against Collingwood.

And majority of Melbourne based teams want to play their home game against us at the G (ie StK.opening round, WB anniversary game, Essendon on ANZAC, etc.)

So makes sense we get 5 "away" games at the G each year.

 

[doppleganger]

Just always been a pet peeve of mine in the past when say Collingwood would host the Dogs at Marvel but play the Eagles the G or something.

The original agreement was between AFL and stadium owners and they wanted Collingwood to be involved in a few big games at Marvel.

It is obviously in Collingwood's interest to play ALL our home games at the G.

But the AFL dictates where the Pies play. Every year post 2012 it is the same (outside of COVID of course).

14 games at the G - 9 home, 5 away
3 games at Marvel - 2 home (inc 1 against a Marvel tenant) and 1 away

 

[fl4gd0n5]

You're holding on real tight to one Gold Coast Sun 4:40pm crowd as some sort of justification about a game that is unrelated to that.

Yes I'm so obsessed that I've mentioned that specific game once by referencing the crowd number, zero times by name! I did mention the 20k v Fremantle and the Western Bulldogs, as well as the 22k v Melbourne. Which are all very low, so low that the AFL would've lost money hosting them at Marvel Stadium. But the Gold Coast game did happen, and there was 13k people there. But I'm also not the person arguing that St Kilda can draw a crowd, I'm just looking at the numbers.

Whilst 1x 60k crowd in Spud's game is good, the next highest was 43k in an away game against Collingwood, then 42k in Adelaide and Perth. After Spud's game, the next highest home crowd was 41k. You're arguing that St Kilda should play at the MCG instead of Melbourne. Melbourne got 77k at a game last year against Richmond, St Kilda's biggest crowd EVER is 72k.

 

[fl4gd0n5]

Yes I'm so obsessed that I've mentioned that specific game once by referencing the crowd number, zero times by name! I did mention the 20k v Fremantle and the Western Bulldogs, as well as the 22k v Melbourne. Which are all very low, so low that the AFL would've lost money hosting them at Marvel Stadium. But the Gold Coast game did happen, and there was 13k people there. But I'm also not the person arguing that St Kilda can draw a crowd, I'm just looking at the numbers.

Whilst 1x 60k crowd in Spud's game is good, the next highest was 43k in an away game against Collingwood, then 42k in Adelaide and Perth. After Spud's game, the next highest home crowd was 41k. You're arguing that St Kilda should play at the MCG instead of Melbourne. Melbourne got 77k at a game last year against Richmond, St Kilda's biggest crowd EVER is 72k. Also not sure how the Gold Coast game is unrelated either, given St Kilda played in that game, and it's at the same stadium as the Carlton game in 2026.

 

[BrutThough]

Yes I'm so obsessed that I've mentioned that specific game once by referencing the crowd number, zero times by name! I did mention the 20k v Fremantle and the Western Bulldogs, as well as the 22k v Melbourne. Which are all very low, so low that the AFL would've lost money hosting them at Marvel Stadium. But the Gold Coast game did happen, and there was 13k people there. But I'm also not the person arguing that St Kilda can draw a crowd, I'm just looking at the numbers.

Whilst 1x 60k crowd in Spud's game is good, the next highest was 43k in an away game against Collingwood, then 42k in Adelaide and Perth. After Spud's game, the next highest home crowd was 41k. You're arguing that St Kilda should play at the MCG instead of Melbourne. Melbourne got 77k at a game last year against Richmond, St Kilda's biggest crowd EVER is 72k.

I havent said St Kilda draws crowds against every team. We dont. You arent insightful for saying the bloody obvious. And using one of Melbourne's stand alone, public holiday event matches that not reflective of their usual H&A attendance as some sort of justification illustrates you are missing the point.

I said the specific match up of St Kilda and Carlton are always well attended so it's a strange choice to have it as one of the AFL's Marvel double headers while the MCG sit empty with only the Thursday night game that week scheduled there. 60k Carlton fans booing Silvangi and TDK would be atmosphere and a good talking point for a round that doesnt have to much going on. That's all.

 

[Rail King]

Love that all the people laughing at this post are, you guessed it, Victorian.

I'm a Queenslander. Can't you stop embarrassing yourself?

 

[boncer34]

I havent said St Kilda draws crowds against every team. We dont. You arent insightful for saying the bloody obvious. And using one of Melbourne's stand alone, public holiday event matches that not reflective of their usual H&A attendance as some sort of justification illustrates you are missing the point.

I said the specific match up of St Kilda and Carlton are always well attended so it's a strange choice to have it as one of the AFL's Marvel double headers while the MCG sit empty with only the Thursday night game that week scheduled there. 60k Carlton fans booing Silvangi and TDK would be atmosphere and a good talking point for a round that doesnt have to much going on. That's all.

You originally said its drawn 40k every season since covid, minimum.

So has Carlton v Melbourne.

You have 0 evidence that Carlton v St Kilda would outdraw Carlton v Melbourne on a consistent basis.

Hence the AFL has gone with the club with a bigger membership presence at the G. A logical decision.

 

[doppleganger]

Just always been a pet peeve of mine in the past when say Collingwood would host the Dogs at Marvel but play the Eagles the G or something.

Also a note re the multiple different factors that the AFL juggles with the fixture -

• 18 different clubs with their own requests - mix of commercial and on-field (often they at odds)
• Stadiums wanting different things
• multiple broadcast partners to satisfy
• AFLPA putting limits on breaks and wanting byes
• equalisation principles (to try and keep ladder close)

So many different incentives at play, which is often why fixture seems pretty similar each year as the incentives remain the same from year to year

 

[BrutThough]

You originally said its drawn 40k every season since covid, minimum.

So has Carlton v Melbourne.

You have 0 evidence that Carlton v St Kilda would outdraw Carlton v Melbourne on a consistent basis.

Hence the AFL has gone with the club with a bigger membership presence at the G. A logical decision.

Maybe if they would schedule the games at the MCG so a bigger general admission crowd could attend, there would be the evidence of the match-ups ability to draw more fans.

 

[fl4gd0n5]

I havent said St Kilda draws crowds against every team. We dont. You arent insightful for saying the bloody obvious. And using one of Melbourne's stand alone, public holiday event matches that not reflective of their usual H&A attendance as some sort of justification illustrates you are missing the point.

I said the specific match up of St Kilda and Carlton are always well attended so it's a strange choice to have it as one of the AFL's Marvel double headers while the MCG sit empty with only the Thursday night game that week scheduled there. 60k Carlton fans booing Silvangi and TDK would be atmosphere and a good talking point for a round that doesnt have to much going on. That's all.

You're right, they should've put a game at the MCG that weekend. It should've been Essendon v Brisbane.

 

[boncer34]

Maybe if they would schedule the games at the MCG so a bigger general admission crowd could attend, there would be the evidence of the match-ups ability to draw more fans.

And maybe there would be evidence of the match-ups inability to draw fans.

 

[Viceregal]

I just assume that whatever worst available is what we will get that and don't remember being disappointed so far so I confidently anticipate 4 top six and one each from the other two ... and that those other two will be whoever has the best chances for next year...

Confidence misplaced but not disappointed...

 

[cricketnut14]

I’m talking about finals not marquee home and away games.

all finals are played in the 'home' state of who 'earnt' the right to host it (except the grand final).

if west coast host fremantle or collingwood host richmond - it's the way the cookie crumbles as they share the same home ground.

geelong hosting hawthorn and also brisbane were both able to overcome home teams in the preliminary finals last year.

you are opening up a whole new can of worms if you want a collingwood v essendon grand final to be moved from the G.

 

[EBERT THE KING]

Note the use of the word 'unfair' in my statement.

Collingwood were the minor premiers in 2023, and if the GF was set to the home ground of the higher ranked team (as many on here argue it should), then the game would still have been played at the MCG.

Same goes for the 2010 GF. All other Collingwood premierships were won before we moved our home to the G.

My statement is completely accurate.

You seem to miss the fact that every grand final is played at the G though?

Finishing on top means nothing in the AFL.

 

[FreddyTwoShoes]

75% of the Australian population live outside little Victoria, its irrelevant what was before, its a completely different competition now, there will eventually be more teams outside of Victoria than in it, so im not sure how you could even consider it anything like the VFL and its irrelevant how it all came about irrespective of who joined what competition

If you want it to be the VFL change every game to Saturday 2.30 and give back all the tv rights money

2:10pm

 

[Hawkk]

Yes, we don't play nearly enough games at the G against the Docklands tenants.

Outside of covid, we've only had 1 home game at the G against St Kilda in a decade, 2 against North, and 2 against the Bulldogs. We've had more home games at Docklands against each of them.

Given that we've made 60k the floor at the MCG for home games against non-Vic teams recently it would be interesting to see what we could do against Docklands tenants while we're in contention. We might have missed the boat though as we're due to fall back to the pack before too long.

I meant away games not home games. It’s actually better for Collingwood (and the smaller Vic clubs) to play Marvel tenants at the MCG than to play Hawthorn and Richmond in away MCG games — given the Hawks and Tigers snap up a lot of Collingwood’s away seating. Im not sure if it’s a byproduct of Collingwood’s 14 game MCG deal but I’m surprised at just how many Collingwood v Hawthorn games have been scheduled at the MCG since 2000.

2000 - Rd 1 (Hawks home)
2001 - Rd 1 and Rd 16
2002 - Rd 4 and Rd 19
2003 - Rd 12 (Pies home)
2004 - Rd 14 (Pies home)
2005 - Rd 10 (Hawks home)
2006 - Rd 17 (Pies home)
2008 - Rd 7 and Rd 18
2009 - Rd 16 (Pies home)
2010 - Rd 4 and Rd 22
2011 - Rd 15 (Pies home)
2012 - Rd 1 and Rd 17
2013 - Rd 3 and Rd 21
2014 - Rd 14 and Rd 23
2015 - Rd 14
2016 - Rd 23 (Hawks home)
2017 - Rd 9 and 15
2018 - Rd 1 (Hawks home)
2019 - Rd 16 (Hawks home)
2023 - Rd 21 (Hawks home)
2024 - Rd 20 (Hawks home)
2025 - Rd 13 and Rd 23
2026 - Rd 8 and Rd 23

Add in a double ups in 2000 and 2006 (other game was at Docklands) and they’ve doubled up 11 of 23 years. Collingwood and Richmond have doubled up 9 times whilst Collingwood and North Melbourne (6 times) , Collingwood and St Kilda and Collingwood (5 times) and W Bulldogs (7 times) have doubled up on far less occasions.

It’s probably better for the AFL and Collingwood for North, the Saints and Dogs to play their home games against the Pies at the MCG to fulfill the 14 games.

 

[Mat Mann]

all finals are played in the 'home' state of who 'earnt' the right to host it (except the grand final).

if west coast host fremantle or collingwood host richmond - it's the way the cookie crumbles as they share the same home ground.

geelong hosting hawthorn and also brisbane were both able to overcome home teams in the preliminary finals last year.

you are opening up a whole new can of worms if you want a collingwood v essendon grand final to be moved from the G.

so do GWS play finals at the SCG or Sydney play at Blacktown? CGS play finals at the GABBA?

 

[manicmagpie]

You seem to miss the fact that every grand final is played at the G though?

Finishing on top means nothing in the AFL.

I just pointed out that, if the GF venue was determined by who had the 'right' to host it, then Collingwood's recent flags would have come at the MCG anyway. It's pretty pointless to argue the 2023 or indeed 2010 GFs should have been played anywhere else.

 

[Hawkk]

all finals are played in the 'home' state of who 'earnt' the right to host it (except the grand final).

if west coast host fremantle or collingwood host richmond - it's the way the cookie crumbles as they share the same home ground.

geelong hosting hawthorn and also brisbane were both able to overcome home teams in the preliminary finals last year.

you are opening up a whole new can of worms if you want a collingwood v essendon grand final to be moved from the G.

No I don’t. But I do think the W Bulldogs v Hawthorn final shouldn’t have been at the MCG last year. Not when the ‘visiting team’ had far more exposure than the other at the ground. I’m merely talking EF, SF and perhaps PF fearing Marvel tenants against MCG co-tenants.

 

[fl4gd0n5]

No I don’t. But I do think the W Bulldogs v Hawthorn final shouldn’t have been at the MCG last year. Not when the ‘visiting team’ had far more exposure than the other at the ground. I’m merely talking EF, SF and perhaps PF fearing Marvel tenants against MCG co-tenants.

It’s just a ground. You don’t dream of playing big finals at Marvel Stadium. Bulldogs players probably happy to get away from there.

 

[VicBased]

I'm a Queenslander. Can't you stop embarrassing yourself?

Oh, allright then, sheez, Vic footy club supporters then.
Anyway, what are you doing supporting a Vic club when the reigning premiers are in brissy?

 

[Elixuh]

so do GWS play finals at the SCG or Sydney play at Blacktown? CGS play finals at the GABBA?

GWS can’t sellout Engie stadium during finals. If capacity was an issue they’d play finals at the SCG.

 

[Tom14]

Surely 60-80k at MCG is worth more to the AFL than 35-45k at Marvel?

No clue what the split of $ is at the MCG vs what you'd imagine is close to 100% for Marvel. In any event 1 'home' game at Marvel isn't a big deal when you have so many games at the MCG.

 

[Mat Mann]

It’s just a ground. You don’t dream of playing big finals at Marvel Stadium. Bulldogs players probably happy to get away from there.

so it's just a rule that discriminates against 3 sides, at best, those 3 clubs get a neutral final. even in 09/10 we played more times at the MCG in finals then we do during the H/A season. Stop hiding behind some stupid AFL policy that sees them benefit at the expense of specifically 3 clubs; those clubs should get access to the MCG at least 4 times every year, at a minimum