Fixture 2026 Fixture

[Outtatym]

Carlton with 7 prime time games is bat shit crazy

 

[blueiris]

Yeah coz that clearly works.
AFL sticking to their method, a soft lead in to finals = less match hardened. Can’t have cats winning can we?
Chris Fagan acknowledged this advantage for the lions in 2024.

Maybe we should sook as hard as Brisbane did so we get a better fixture.

All we’ve heard from Brisbane is Wah Wah Wah we got the hardest draw ever, meanwhile you can’t beat North.
Why would the lions want easy teams?

Yet we smashed you funny that

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Change???

You can't change 10 Vic teams being entitled to their 50% share of matches at home and as such being in Victoria.

 

[TimothyJ23]

https://resources.afl.com.au/afl/document/2025/11/12/4e6d5234-cd49-4e3f-89e2-0449aa7c356e/2026-AFL-Fixture-VF.pdf

Appreciate that one. I was hoping for the programme-esque 7-8 page document that breaks down the draw etc.

This is last years: https://resources.afl.com.au/afl/do...40694_Fixture-Release_Booklet_FA_R_LowRes.pdf

 

[WalshistheGOAT]

Carlton with 7 prime time games is bat shit crazy

Whether we win, lose or draw people watch. Just the reality of the situation

Only giving Brisbane 3 matches is absolutely bizarre though.

 

[VicBased]

You can't change 10 Vic teams being entitled to their 50% share of matches at home and as such being in Victoria.

Everything is possible, just have to find solutions and in 20 years we won't even remember how it was.

 

[Romano]

So after all the Lions supporters whinging about the change to the weighting it's actually Collingwood (predictably) and Geelong (less so) that are the ones who cop 4 top 6 teams twice.

Also, for those who love to say Collingwood get a great financial draw - here's our full list of home games for the entire first half of the season when crowds and interest are at their peak:

Adelaide
GWS (Docklands)
Hawthorn
West Coast

Hands up if your team wants that draw.

Crows will get ~75k if it’s a nice night

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Everything is possible, just have to find solutions and in 20 years we won't even remember how it was.

10 teams from Victoria. Each with 11 home fixtures.
That's 110 matches. Hawthorn sell 4 to Tasmania. Melbourne 1 to Alice Springs and NM 2 to WA venues.

That leaves 103 fixtures in Victoria.

If we conservatively assume no non-vic teams double up against each other. I.e. All double up games are vs Vic teams there is 88 fixtures outside Victoria, not realistic but we are illustrating best case scenario here.

Once you eliminate those 8 clubs all playing each other once each that leaves 60 fixtures (88-28). So at most you could make 10 vic sides average 6 away trips interstate (60/10).

2026 (not including sold games and gather round) there are 51 away fixtures for Vic teams interstate so you're arguing over essentially 9 games through out a whole season, of which those 9 games would be lost to QLD, NSW, SA and WA city derby games and double ups from ladder position. I.e Adelaide v Freo, Lions v Swans.

So even in your not so feasible best case scenario there's little wiggle room to change the simple mathematics of how many games must be played in various venues.

 

[010203]

It's 3 years too late but Mummy's boy JHF will finally take on his old club at Marvel next season.

 

[fl4gd0n5]

There’s a few Marvel Stadium Saturday double headers in the schedule. I think it’s just a coincidence that three of the same teams are in both double headers.

Round 3
St Kilda v Brisbane - 12:35
Essendon v North Melbourne - 7:35

Round 8
Essendon v Brisbane - 12:35
Carlton v St Kilda - 7:35

Not really sure why they do this. Can’t imagine people go to both games on the same day, given how spread out they are. Not even sure if they sell some sort of double game ticket deal.

 

[FreddyTwoShoes]

How many weeks into the season will it be before nuffies start claiming the cats have an easy draw again? I reckon 4 or 5 weeks.

 

[makethat2]

Thankfully Geelong have there customary soft draw leading in to the finals. Essendon, Nth and Rich.

 

[mighty_lions]

Clubs join the rebranded VFL competition with Melbourne centred cluster of teams then whinge when that dictates fixtures are in Victoria. You joined our comp.. What do you expect.

embarassing

 

[hawkman]

Reckon the AFL and the broadcaster will regret pretty quickly Carltons regular prime time fixturing

Always good to have a good laugh at the end of a tough week

 

[Art Vandelay_]

embarassing

Factually correct and an inconvenient truth that cannot be avoided.

 

[cricketnut14]

10 teams from Victoria. Each with 11 home fixtures.
That's 110 matches. Hawthorn sell 4 to Tasmania. Melbourne 1 to Alice Springs and NM 2 to WA venues.

That leaves 103 fixtures in Victoria.

If we conservatively assume no non-vic teams double up against each other. I.e. All double up games are vs Vic teams there is 88 fixtures outside Victoria, not realistic but we are illustrating best case scenario here.

Once you eliminate those 8 clubs all playing each other once each that leaves 60 fixtures (88-28). So at most you could make 10 vic sides average 6 away trips interstate (60/10).

2026 (not including sold games and gather round) there are 51 away fixtures for Vic teams interstate so you're arguing over essentially 9 games through out a whole season, of which those 9 games would be lost to QLD, NSW, SA and WA city derby games and double ups from ladder position. I.e Adelaide v Freo, Lions v Swans.

So even in your not so feasible best case scenario there's little wiggle room to change the simple mathematics of how many games must be played in various venues.

well written.

richmond have also sold a game to hobart.

 

[mighty_lions]

Factually correct and an inconvenient truth that cannot be avoided.

Its a completely different competition, stay delusional

 

[threenewpadlocks]

So after all the Lions supporters whinging about the change to the weighting it's actually Collingwood (predictably) and Geelong (less so) that are the ones who cop 4 top 6 teams twice.

Also, for those who love to say Collingwood get a great financial draw - here's our full list of home games for the entire first half of the season when crowds and interest are at their peak:

Adelaide
GWS (Docklands)
Hawthorn
West Coast

Hands up if your team wants that draw.

Hands up for getting 6 of your 11 away games at the MCG

 

[Hawkk]

So after all the Lions supporters whinging about the change to the weighting it's actually Collingwood (predictably) and Geelong (less so) that are the ones who cop 4 top 6 teams twice.

Also, for those who love to say Collingwood get a great financial draw - here's our full list of home games for the entire first half of the season when crowds and interest are at their peak:

Adelaide
GWS (Docklands)
Hawthorn
West Coast

Hands up if your team wants that draw.

Last Collingwood home game against those teams…

Adelaide - 67,698
GWS - never played at Docklands
Hawthorn - 83,706
West Coast - 60,878

Collingwood dont get locked up with the fixture most years (they are used to prop up the other clubs) but it’s a bit irrelevant who they play — they’ll draw 60,000 if they are in contention and at the MCG.

 

[doppleganger]

10 teams from Victoria. Each with 11 home fixtures.
That's 110 matches. Hawthorn sell 4 to Tasmania. Melbourne 1 to Alice Springs and NM 2 to WA venues.

That leaves 103 fixtures in Victoria.

If we conservatively assume no non-vic teams double up against each other. I.e. All double up games are vs Vic teams there is 88 fixtures outside Victoria, not realistic but we are illustrating best case scenario here.

Once you eliminate those 8 clubs all playing each other once each that leaves 60 fixtures (88-28). So at most you could make 10 vic sides average 6 away trips interstate (60/10).

2026 (not including sold games and gather round) there are 51 away fixtures for Vic teams interstate so you're arguing over essentially 9 games through out a whole season, of which those 9 games would be lost to QLD, NSW, SA and WA city derby games and double ups from ladder position. I.e Adelaide v Freo, Lions v Swans.

So even in your not so feasible best case scenario there's little wiggle room to change the simple mathematics of how many games must be played in various venues.

The WA whingers don't think Melbourne teams or their fans are entitled to 11 home games.

They think they should have to play games away from home to make it fair.

Meanwhile, SA teams get 13 games at AO and WC get 13 games at Optus in 2026.

 

[Hawkk]

Hands up for getting 6 of your 11 away games at the MCG

MCG total games (split home and away)

Collingwood 14 (8/6)
Richmond 13 (10/3)
Melbourne 12 (9/3)
Hawthorn 11 (6/5)

Carlton 8 (5/3)
Essendon 7 (5/2)

Geelong 3 (1/2)
St Kilda 3 (1/2)
Adelaide 2 (0/2)
Brisbane 2 (0/2)
Fremantle 2 (0/2)
Gold Coast 2 (0/2)
Port Adelaide 2 (0/2)
Sydney 2 (0/2)
West Coast 2 (0/2)
W Bulldogs 2 (0/2)
GWS Giants 1 (0/1)
North Melbourne (0/1)

No doubt there has been a huge push to equalise the exposure to the MCG. But from an home ground advantage, Collingwood (6 away games) and Hawthorn (5 away games) benefit far more than any other club.

There is also a massive difference in MCG exposure between the four full time MCG tenants, Essendon / Carlton and the rest. Given this, I don’t think MCG co-tenants should be able to host other clubs at the MCG unless they earn the right. The advantage is enormous.

Collingwood (14) and Hawthorn (15 if you include Tasmania) are the only clubs that play more home games at their home ground than Adelaide and Port (13 each). I would argue that both SA clubs now have a far bigger home ground advantage than the Pies and Hawks.

 

[manicmagpie]

Hands up for getting 6 of your 11 away games at the MCG

MCG total games (split home and away)

Collingwood 14 (8/6)

You’re both wrong.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Its a completely different competition, stay delusional

It actually isn't.
It may now be called the Australian Football League but that was a name change in 1990.

The inconvenient truth is that two Melbourne clubs in some form moved interstate with a further 6 joining a Melbourne centric competition in the coming years. None were forced to join, they chose to. Don't now get all upset that the comp you joined doesn't fully suit you.

How can clubs be shocked when the focal point of the league is the city with which the competition was formed and you joined. There will always be more games in Victoria due to team density and complaining about it doesn't make it vicbias or something that anyone should even give a 2nd thought to.

 

[Hawkk]

You’re both wrong.

Sorry, it’s 9/5 so the same number of away games as the Hawks. Re Collingwood’s fixture whilst you’re only high drawing home game is the Hawks last year you had Carlton, Essendon, Geelong and Hawthorn in the first half.

I’m surprised the AFL don’t rotate the ANZAC Day and Carlton home games like they do with our Easter Monday and Essendon (ditto Melbourne with Kings Birthday and ANZAC Eve).

As an aside with Richmond and Hawthorn taking back seating from Collingwood in the Ponsford Stand I’m actually surprised Collingwood hasn’t lobbied to play away games against non MCG tenants to make up the 14 games and keep the seating in the Ponsford Stand. A Collingwood home game for North, St Kilda and the Dogs is far more important to those clubs than a Hawks or Tigers.

 

[mighty_lions]

It actually isn't.
It may now be called the Australian Football League but that was a name change in 1990.

The inconvenient truth is that two Melbourne clubs in some form moved interstate with a further 6 joining a Melbourne centric competition in the coming years. None were forced to join, they chose to. Don't now get all upset that the comp you joined doesn't fully suit you.

How can clubs be shocked when the focal point of the league is the city with which the competition was formed and you joined. There will always be more games in Victoria due to team density and complaining about it doesn't make it vicbias or something that anyone should even give a 2nd thought to.

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