Fixture 2026 Fixture

[Anyonebutken]

The 2026 Fixture won't be out for a while and not sure of there will be an opening round or not but apparently someone posted on line a draft of Round 1 already that the Afl are considering. Draft below Seems to be look about right. Will be interesting how the Afl structure the whole year considering the criticism they got for the fixture in the back half of the year.
Proposed Round 1 -
Thu night Carl v Rich - Mcg
Fri night Haw v Coll - Mcg
Sat Geel v Gws - Geelong
Sat Twight Syd v West Coast- SCG
Sat Night Bris v Ade - Gabba
Sat Night Melb v Ess - Mcg
Sun Port v Nth - AO
Sun St Kilda v WB - Marvel
Sun twighlight Freo v Gold Coast - Optus

 

[Greenstar5]

I would go something like GWS at home Saturday twilight against a Vic side or even Brisbane. Sydney away. This hopefully gives the Giants a chance to get a big crowd for a round 1. We know the Swans draw well.

Have the Suns at home on either Saturday night or Sunday they could play Fremantle is a rematch. Should Draw a good crowd. Have Brisbane away then they have their flag stuff round 2 at the Gabba.

 

[HugeJohnson]

Wtf is round 1? Don't you know we start at round zero now?

 

[HugeJohnson]

In round zero I would probably put all the big Victorian teams up against someone like a Gold Coast, GWS, Brisbane and Sydney. The SA teams and WA teams would start one week later as the time zone difference is so hard to navigate and no one really cares about them

 

[NetworkNerd]

Will Collingwood finally play a match in Geelong in 2026? Will Sidebottom/Pendlebury make the trip or be rested?

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

Will Collingwood finally play a match in Geelong in 2026? Will Sidebottom/Pendlebury make the trip or be rested?

No, N/A, in that order

 

[Freshwater]

After the AFL protected Bailey Smith

3

Bailey Smith

Age

25

Ht

185cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

18.3

5star

K

8.5

3star

HB

9.8

5star

M

2.3

2star

T

3.8

5star

CL

2.7

4star

D

19.8

5star

K

9.6

4star

HB

10.2

5star

M

1.8

2star

T

3.2

4star

CL

3.2

4star

D

14.8

4star

K

7.6

3star

HB

7.2

5star

M

2.0

3star

T

3.4

5star

CL

1.6

4star

and played the only Cats v Dogs match at their sheltered workshop down the highway. Surely the AFL will let the Bulldogs fans farewell one of their least favourite players of all time at marvel next season? Channel 7 wants this.

 

[LB#16]

Well you can lock in Essendon versus Hawthorn as it's becoming a regular round one fixture and the Merrett drama will only add to it.

 

[JPetro83]

The 2026 Fixture won't be out for a while and not sure of there will be an opening round or not but apparently someone posted on line a draft of Round 1 already that the Afl are considering. Draft below Seems to be look about right. Will be interesting how the Afl structure the whole year considering the criticism they got for the fixture in the back half of the year.
Proposed Round 1 -
Thu night Carl v Rich - Mcg
Fri night Haw v Coll - Mcg
Sat Geel v Gws - Geelong
Sat Twight Syd v West Coast- SCG
Sat Night Bris v Ade - Gabba
Sat Night Melb v Ess - Mcg
Sun Port v Nth - AO
Sun St Kilda v WB - Marvel
Sun twighlight Freo v Gold Coast - Optus

North lol geez, someone is desperate for 4 points first up.

 

[JPetro83]

You can guarantee that Thursday night game for Gather Round will be Adelaide v Collingwood

 

[Saints4ever]

looking forward to the fixture.

Can’t wait for the leaks to start coming through soon.

 

[Big Sauce 21]

Gather round normal comes out a few weeks before the main ?

 

[Ocha905]

North should have to play away games against West Coast and Fremantle for selling their respective home games.

 

[JackFlash]

It will be another lacklustre start to the season if the AFL persist with the madness that is Round Zero! They must start with Round 1 like any sensible competition would with a full round of FOOTBALL matches!

 

[Cyclops]

End the fixture, have a draw.

Start with Premiers play runners up at the Premiers home ground, they get to unfurl the flag. Calculate the rest from that.

Minimum six day breaks, one bye midseason, or if they must be spread then sprwad them evenly through the first half of the year.

Share the special dates, Mothers Day, ANZAC Day, Kings Birthday. Less revenue? Maybe poor clubs die, but the current set up means they are mandated to fail, they are just fall guys.

If its a business, then let them fail. If its a sport, let them compete on even terms. If it remains this clown show it will surely die.

It will be another lacklustre start to the season if the AFL persist with the madness that is Round Zero! They must start with Round 1 like any sensible competition would with a full round of FOOTBALL matches!

You're being a bit unfair, and you're looking at it all wrong.

I bet if you were a lawyer with limited football ability, and you got your job from a mate whose qualification was nice hair, and you just ripped a massive line of coke, then Round Zero would seem like a very good idea.

 

[Billy ray]

gold coast to play the bulldogs just the once, backend of the season at marvel, for the chance that JUH is fit and selected.
gold coast to play twice at MCG, once v Collingwood, and once v Melbourne
we are probably due a tassie game away too

 

[L_W_P]

Here's how I'd book it:

R1:
Thursday Night:
Brisbane v Geelong - Gabba

Friday Night:
Sydney v Collingwood - SCG

Saturday Arvo
Port Adelaide v Carlton - AO
North v Hawthorn - Hobart

Saturday Night
West Coast v Richmond - Optus
GC v Essendon - GC Stadium

Sunday:
Adelaide v St Kilda - AO
GWS v Bulldogs - Giants Stadium
Fremantle v Melbourne - Optus

R2 -
Thursday Night
Carlton v Richmond - MCG

Friday Night
Collingwood v Geelong - MCG

Saturday Arvo
Melbourne v North - MCG
PA v WCE - AO

Saturday Night
StK v Bulldogs - Marvel
Syd v BL - SCG

Sunday
GWS v GC - Giants Stadium
Essendon v Hawthorn - MCG
Freo v Adel - Optus

Gives the AFL their big kick off in the northern states, with those 4 games on national FTA with 7.

Carlton and Richmond still get the opening game back home in Vic with every Vic team back for a huge rivalry style round 2 in Melbourne.

Rekon it would be pretty awesome.

EDIT: I also think all the state derby games should be played in the final round of the season as well.

Lions v Suns
Swans v Giants
Crows v Power
Eagles v Dockers
Collingwood v Carlton
Essendon v North
Hawthorn v Richmond
St Kilda v Bulldogs
Melbourne v Geelong

Set it up so that teams don't have to travel before finals. With the rivals playing there's no real incentive to rest players or 'take it easy' so there's a reason for fans to turn up.

When Tassie come in then the lowest ranked Vic team from the previous year would travel down there.

 

[JackFlash]

End the fixture, have a draw.

Start with Premiers play runners up at the Premiers home ground, they get to unfurl the flag. Calculate the rest from that.

Minimum six day breaks, one bye midseason, or if they must be spread then sprwad them evenly through the first half of the year.

Share the special dates, Mothers Day, ANZAC Day, Kings Birthday. Less revenue? Maybe poor clubs die, but the current set up means they are mandated to fail, they are just fall guys.

If its a business, then let them fail. If its a sport, let them compete on even terms. If it remains this clown show it will surely die.


You're being a bit unfair, and you're looking at it all wrong.

I bet if you were a lawyer with limited football ability, and you got your job from a mate whose qualification was nice hair, and you just ripped a massive line of coke, then Round Zero would seem like a very good idea.

Yes, i just thought celebrating the return of football with all teams on show across the country after almost 6 months off might not be a bad idea! Silly me.

 

[The Terrible Thinker]

Round 0.1, Northerners vs the Big Vic Club Round
Swans vs Pies
Lions vs Cats
Suns vs Blues
Giants vs Hawks

Round 0.2, Small Vic Club Circle Jerk Round
Dogs vs Saints
Roos vs Bombers
Tigers vs Demons

Round 0.3, West Horsham, No One Cares Round, Just Put It on Fox 503
Dockers vs Port
Crows vs Eagles

 

[tombomb]

This is how I would schedule opening round.

Thursday	7pm	Gold Coast	v	Collingwood	Carrara
Friday	7pm	Brisbane Lions	v	Geelong	Gabba
Saturday	1pm	North Melbourne	v	Richmond	Hobart
Saturday	4pm	Fremantle	v	Carlton	Optus
Saturday	7pm	Sydney	v	Western Bulldogs	SCG
Saturday	8pm	Port Adelaide	v	Essendon	AO
Sunday	1pm	Adelaide	v	Melbourne	AO
Sunday	4pm	Greater Western Sydney	v	Hawthorn	Giants
Sunday	7pm	West Coast	v	St Kilda	Optus

That's the Victorian teams travelling based on ladder position to NSW/QLD, WA, and SA in that order.

With the focus on the NSW/QLD games being in the prime time Ch.7 slots.

The last two (North and Richmond playing at Marvel).

edit. Changing the North game from Marvel to Hobart.

 

[L_W_P]

This is how I would schedule opening round.

Thursday	7pm	Gold Coast	v	Collingwood	Carrara
Friday	7pm	Brisbane Lions	v	Geelong	Gabba
Saturday	1pm	North Melbourne	v	Richmond	Marvel
Saturday	4pm	Fremantle	v	Carlton	Optus
Saturday	7pm	Sydney	v	Western Bulldogs	SCG
Saturday	8pm	Port Adelaide	v	Essendon	AO
Sunday	1pm	Adelaide	v	Melbourne	AO
Sunday	4pm	Greater Western Sydney	v	Hawthorn	Giants
Sunday	7pm	West Coast	v	St Kilda	Optus

That's the Victorian teams travelling based on ladder position to NSW/QLD, WA, and SA in that order.

With the focus on the NSW/QLD games being in the prime time Ch.7 slots.

The last two (North and Richmond playing at Marvel).

Send that North game to Tassie (for the "everyone outside Vic gimmick) and you're bang on the money IMO.

Love that there's some options/variation to the idea and that it then builds to a massive return to Melbourne for those teams to kick off the games at the G and Marvel.

 

[tombomb]

Send that North game to Tassie (for the "everyone outside Vic gimmick) and you're bang on the money IMO.

Love that there's some options/variation to the idea and that it then builds to a massive return to Melbourne for those teams to kick off the games at the G and Marvel.

Yeah the Tassie idea is a good one. I didn't think of that.

 

[Cyclops]

See in a few moments on Bigfooty there's better opening round ideas than the AFL could cook up in 6 months.

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

Opening round

West Coast vs Richmond
North vs essendon
Saints vs Carlton
Port vs melbourne

Let the average teams get a win or draw first up.

Round 1

Lions vs Collingwood
Hawks vs suns
Sydney vs Geelong
Adelaide vs Port
Sandringham vs Glenelg

 

[kid_a]

The 2026 Fixture won't be out for a while and not sure of there will be an opening round or not but apparently someone posted on line a draft of Round 1 already that the Afl are considering. Draft below Seems to be look about right. Will be interesting how the Afl structure the whole year considering the criticism they got for the fixture in the back half of the year.
Proposed Round 1 -
Thu night Carl v Rich - Mcg
Fri night Haw v Coll - Mcg
Sat Geel v Gws - Geelong
Sat Twight Syd v West Coast- SCG
Sat Night Bris v Ade - Gabba
Sat Night Melb v Ess - Mcg
Sun Port v Nth - AO
Sun St Kilda v WB - Marvel
Sun twighlight Freo v Gold Coast - Optus

will be good to get the usual SCG slaughter out of the way early, that way I can just enter the season at round 2 and work from there