AFLW 2026 Fixture

[Teen Wolf]

Thread for news, musings and whatnot related to the 2026 AFLW fixture.

The season is expected to start in mid August (probably Thursday 13th), with the grand final to be played on the last Saturday in November again.

There has been practically no indication that anything different will be done this year in regards to venue choices, double-headers, and integration with the men's fixture. Nor has there been a lot of realistic solutions put forth to counter some trends which are making every finals series a tad too predictable.

Nevertheless there are changes that could be made to improve these things, and we may detail some in subsequent posts. I know I will.

 

[Teen Wolf]

But first in breaking news, having played the past 8 AFLW seasons at Victoria Park (the home of sinkholes and dogshit), I can reveal Collingwood this evening have decided on the perfect new venue for 2026:

 

[The Nostradamus]

would like to see the teams that a team did not get to play last year would be guaranteed to play next year

should not be going 2 years without playing a team like has been done in the past

 

[Teen Wolf]

Round 1 next year should be something like this imo:



2 matches max on at any given time. Six double-headers across the Saturday and Sunday, plus a standalone AFLW midday match each day. All double-headers have the women playing directly after the men (ideally 15 min. turnaround) which avoids basically all the problems of curtain-raisers.

Obviously the men's fixture for this stage of the season is floating, but my example is more to demonstrate the general framework for how it should be approached. Add some buzz and excitement to AFLW opening round by doing things a little different and special, ffs.

You might notice I've also got the season starting a week earlier, which I'll explain in my plans for R2.

 

[Teen Wolf]

The reason I'd start the season a week earlier is that it would allow splitting Round 2 across a fortnight, to look something like this:





This makes it much easier to lock in decent slots for AFLW while working around the climax of the men's H&A season.

Once again, no more than 2 games on at once. Double-headers where possible and the women always playing 2nd. If the men's fixture turns out to be different, there's still plenty of room to alter the AFLW games because there's only 4-5 per weekend.

Some would wonder whether it's ideal for the players to have a week off so early into the season. What we do know is players are more prone to ACL injuries when fatigued, which would explain why there's a higher ACL injury rate early in the season when players are still building match fitness. Furthermore, extra recovery between games at any point would ease the stress on 30-player lists for clubs dealing with a lot of short-term injuries.

 

[Teen Wolf]

Another thing I think needs re-examination is the finals system.

Since the move to an 8-team finals, we've had 4 consecutive years of a team getting booted out via straight sets. And only Melbourne's exit wasn't massively predictable.

Another predictable thing about finals atm is the prelims. Home teams are now 14-0 in these games. And no doubt part of this is because, since 2021, they're not just home teams but also teams coming off a week's break. Playing against teams running on empty.

Solution:



Cut the finals down to three weeks, starting with 1v8 2v7 3v6 4v5 and a straight knockout from there. This puts everybody in the same boat wrt rest/fatigue, and you don't have unworthy teams gifted Double Chance limelight every year.

Make up for the lost week with a 13th H&A round. This means an extra game to sort the ladder out, which certainly couldn't hurt.

13 rounds is prone to fixture inequality, but that can be resolved with a Gather Round at Marvel or Ballarat or Wherever and you just have each Vic team play another Vic team while the non-Vics all play each other.

 

[Mitchell Madness]

This Victorian gather round gaining momentum is hilarious given the non-vic clubs complained about a defacto gather round in season 7 and 8

 

[Teen Wolf]

Less hilarious once one comprehends complaints about concept vs complaints about execution.

Sydney using one of their home games to play Hawthorn in Melbourne obviously has no momentum.

But to have Sydney and say Brisbane playing each other in Melbourne on the Friday night before their men's teams play in a GF, without either AFLW team losing any of their home games... well the difference is clear.

 

[Teen Wolf]

Here are the most overdue matchups, followed by the ones most in need of a sea change.


Last time these clubs met

Adelaide v Carlton – 2022 S6
North Melb. v West Coast – 2022 S6

Brisbane v GWS Giants – 2022 S7
Carlton v Melbourne – 2022 S7
Essendon v Port Adelaide – 2022 S7
Geelong v St Kilda – 2022 S7

Adelaide v W. Bulldogs – 2023
Collingwood v Essendon – 2023
Collingwood v Fremantle – 2023
Collingwood v Geelong – 2023
Fremantle v Gold Coast – 2023
GWS Giants v North Melb. – 2023
Hawthorn v Sydney – 2023
Port Adelaide v Sydney – 2023

Absurd. When we've got teams missing each other for 4 consecutive seasons, you'd have to wonder what the AFL's douchey haired fixture guy is getting paid for. Wears grandma's glasses, apparently doesn't own a tie, and can't perform the world's cushiest job at a baseline level of competency.


Change of scenery required

Adelaide v W. Bulldogs – last 5 in SA
Collingwood v GWS Giants – all 5 in VIC

Geelong v Gold Coast – all 4 in QLD
North Melb. v Port Adelaide – last 4 in VIC
Port Adelaide v West Coast – all 4 in WA

Adelaide v GWS Giants – last 3 in NSW/ACT
Adelaide v Richmond – all 3 in VIC
Brisbane v Richmond – last 3 in QLD
Brisbane v St Kilda – last 3 in VIC
Collingwood v St Kilda – last 3 at RSEA Park
Essendon v St Kilda – all 3 at Windy Hill
Fremantle v Gold Coast – all 3 in WA
Geelong v GWS Giants – last 3 in VIC
Geelong v Hawthorn – all 3 at GMHBA Stadium
Geelong v Richmond – last 3 at RICH
Gold Coast v North Melb. – all 3 in VIC/TAS
Gold Coast v Richmond – last 3 in VIC
Gold Coast v W. Bulldogs – last 3 in QLD
GWS Giants v North Melb. – last 3 in VIC/TAS
North Melb. v St Kilda – all 3 at NM
North Melb. v Sydney – all 3 in VIC/TAS
Richmond v St Kilda – all 3 at STK
Richmond v West Coast – last 3 in WA
Sydney v West Coast – all 3 in NSW

And these counts do include finals, so it would probably also be a good idea to break Melbourne’s 7-match streak of hosting North Melbourne in the H&A season, for instance.

 

[petits]

Obviously the men's fixture for this stage of the season is floating, but my example is more to demonstrate the general framework for how it should be approached. Add some buzz and excitement to AFLW opening round by doing things a little different and special, ffs.

I really like this. Double headers each weekend is not the way for a host of reasons, but doubleheaders as a special event to start the season could work really well.

 

[timokane]

Tipping a Blue girls flag in 2026.

 

[Teen Wolf]

Last year, the first 8 players notched up 100 games.

This year, there are 33 active players within reach:

97 Emma King (NM)
96 Emily Bates (Haw)
95 Sarah Allan (Adel)
94 Emma Kearney (NM)
94 Lily Mithen (GC)
94 Justine Mules-Robinson (PA)
93 Breann Harrington* (Carl)
93 Jaimee Lambert (StK)
93 Kate Hore* (Melb)
92 Sabrina Frederick (Coll)
92 Hayley Miller* (Frem)
92 Paxy Paxman (Melb)
92 Nicola Stevens (Geel)
92 Darcy Vescio (Carl)
91 Kaitlyn Ashmore (Haw)
90 Tilly Lucas-Rodd (GWS)
89 Jenna Bruton (NM)
89 Sophie Conway (BL)
88 Kim Rennie (NM)
87 Lauren Pearce (Melb)
87 Tyla Hanks (Melb)
86 Stephanie Cain (Ess)
86 Gemma Houghton (PA)
86 Eden Zanker (Frem)
86 Danielle Ponter (Adel)
85 Tayla Harris (Melb)
85 Kirsty Lamb (PA)
85 Gabby O'Sullivan (Frem)
85 Monique Conti (Rich)
85 Natalie Grider (BL)
85 Ash Riddell (NM)
85 Isabel Dawes (BL)
84 Catherine Svarc (BL)

*Currently also poised to be the first to play 100 AFLW games for their specific club.

Tahlia Randall is also 10 away from being the first to play 100 for North Melbourne, but isn't in the above list because she played her overall 100th last year.

 

[CURVE]

Last year, the first 8 players notched up 100 games.

This year, there are 33 active players within reach:

97 Emma King (NM)
96 Emily Bates (Haw)
95 Sarah Allan (Adel)
94 Emma Kearney (NM)
94 Lily Mithen (GC)
94 Justine Mules-Robinson (PA)
93 Breann Harrington* (Carl)
93 Jaimee Lambert (StK)
93 Kate Hore* (Melb)
92 Sabrina Frederick (Coll)
92 Hayley Miller* (Frem)
92 Paxy Paxman (Melb)
92 Nicola Stevens (Geel)
92 Darcy Vescio (Carl)
91 Kaitlyn Ashmore (Haw)
90 Tilly Lucas-Rodd (GWS)
89 Jenna Bruton (NM)
89 Sophie Conway (BL)
88 Kim Rennie (NM)
87 Lauren Pearce (Melb)
87 Tyla Hanks (Melb)
86 Stephanie Cain (Ess)
86 Gemma Houghton (PA)
86 Eden Zanker (Frem)
86 Danielle Ponter (Adel)
85 Tayla Harris (Melb)
85 Kirsty Lamb (PA)
85 Gabby O'Sullivan (Frem)
85 Monique Conti (Rich)
85 Natalie Grider (BL)
85 Ash Riddell (NM)
85 Isabel Dawes (BL)
84 Catherine Svarc (BL)

*Currently also poised to be the first to play 100 AFLW games for their specific club.

Tahlia Randall is also 10 away from being the first to play 100 for North Melbourne, but isn't in the above list because she played her overall 100th last year.

You didn't highlight Ash Riddell, are you saying you don't think North will play in the Grand Final?

 

[Demon in Hell]

How has Sabrina Frederick played 90 odd games.

 

[Teen Wolf]

You didn't highlight Ash Riddell, are you saying you don't think North will play in the Grand Final?

I didn't highlight Allan, Paxman, Vescio, Conway, Pearce, Hanks, Ponter, O'Sullivan, Grider, Dawes or Svarc either.

The reason being... well I've already said why, so I'll try to make it clearer:

*Currently also poised to be the first to play 100 AFLW games for their specific club.

Tahlia Randall is also 10 away from being the first to play 100 for North Melbourne, but isn't in the above list because she played her overall 100th last year.

The player I could've highlighted but didn't is Monique Conti, since she's played the most games for her current club (but won't get to 100 Richmond games this year, hence not highlighted in a thread about 2026).

 

[TheTassieHawk]

Is Riddell the highest games played for players who debuted in season 2 or later?

If so that is impressive as her first season (2019) was 2 games only due to injury.

 

[timokane]

Tipping a Blue girls flag this year

 

[Teen Wolf]

That list would go a little like this:

93 Kate Hore (2018)
89 Jenna Bruton (2018)
89 Sophie Conway (2018)
88 Kim Rennie (2018)
87 Tyla Hanks (2019)
86 Eden Zanker (2018)
86 Danielle Ponter (2019)
85 Monique Conti (2018)
85 Natalie Grider (2019)
85 Ash Riddell (2019)
85 Isabel Dawes (2020)
84 Catherine Svarc (2020)

 

[TheTassieHawk]

That list would go a little like this:

93 Kate Hore (2018)
89 Jenna Bruton (2018)
89 Sophie Conway (2018)
88 Kim Rennie (2018)
87 Tyla Hanks (2019)
86 Eden Zanker (2018)
86 Danielle Ponter (2019)
85 Monique Conti (2018)
85 Natalie Grider (2019)
85 Ash Riddell (2019)
85 Isabel Dawes (2020)
84 Catherine Svarc (2020)

Much appreciated, it shows that the Originals will be posting 100 games regularly in 2025 and 2026 but the Non Originals will be flooding in and catching up in terms of numbers after that.

I was slightly surprised that Hore and Hanks lead the 2018's and 2019's however others in the running would have missed more games through injury, illness and other reasons I guess.

 

[Teen Wolf]

Continuing with the theme, Ikon Park has hosted 89 AFLW games to date.

If anybody at HQ is aware of that, Carlton v Collingwood might play in Round ~11 to mark the 100th game there, since so much of the league's marketing strategy hinges on constant references to Round 1 of 2017.

---

Something else to consider are these recurring matches from the men's fixture built around public holidays...

Thursday before Easter: BL v Coll
Good Friday: NM v Carl
Easter Monday: Geel v Haw
Night before Anzac Day: Melb v Rich
Anzac Day: Coll v Ess
Night before King's Birthday: Carl v Ess
King's Birthday: Coll v Melb

By comparison, for the women's fixture, the only example is Geelong playing at home on the Thursday night before the men's Grand Final. Geelong's home ground, as we know, has a 40k capacity and therefore lots of empty seats for AFLW games.

This begs the question why we don't have 4 AFLW games the next day at Marvel on the actual public holiday. Every year. Same matchups, same times. So simple for everybody to attend that it becomes the thing Melburnians do on the day.

The AFL have tried different things for AFLW on the public holiday, but have shot themselves in the foot every time by splintering the fanbase with games at crappy venues in crappy weather across Melbourne. To get more people guaranteed to attend, to spend more time (and more money) at the footy, all they have to do is this:

VIC Public Holiday, Footy Festival Schedule
10am-12pm: AFL Grand Final Parade
12.30pm: AFLW NM v Melb - Marvel Stadium
2.40pm: AFLW Carl v Rich - Marvel Stadium
4.50pm: AFLW StK v Haw - Marvel Stadium
7pm: AFLW Ess v Coll - Marvel Stadium

And not only have 4 games at Marvel on the day, but tie it in with more Grand Final promotions at the venue, broadcasters can set up their own marquees, clubs/sponsors have autograph signing areas for women's and men's players, etc etc.

And that's just in Victoria. It's a pretty obvious thing to also have set fixtures (derbies ideally) on/around public holidays in NSW, SA & QLD (first Monday of October) + WA (last Monday of September).

 

[TheTassieHawk]

Continuing with the theme, Ikon Park has hosted 89 AFLW games to date.

If anybody at HQ is aware of that, Carlton v Collingwood might play in Round ~11 to mark the 100th game there, since so much of the league's marketing strategy hinges on constant references to Round 1 of 2017.

---

Something else to consider are these recurring matches from the men's fixture built around public holidays...

Thursday before Easter: BL v Coll
Good Friday: NM v Carl
Easter Monday: Geel v Haw
Night before Anzac Day: Melb v Rich
Anzac Day: Coll v Ess
Night before King's Birthday: Carl v Ess
King's Birthday: Coll v Melb

By comparison, for the women's fixture, the only example is Geelong playing at home on the Thursday night before the men's Grand Final. Geelong's home ground, as we know, has a 40k capacity and therefore lots of empty seats for AFLW games.

This begs the question why we don't have 4 AFLW games the next day at Marvel on the actual public holiday. Every year. Same matchups, same times. So simple for everybody to attend that it becomes the thing Melburnians do on the day.

The AFL have tried different things for AFLW on the public holiday, but have shot themselves in the foot every time by splintering the fanbase with games at crappy venues in crappy weather across Melbourne. To get more people guaranteed to attend, to spend more time (and more money) at the footy, all they have to do is this:

VIC Public Holiday, Footy Festival Schedule
10am-12pm: AFL Grand Final Parade
12.30pm: AFLW NM v Melb - Marvel Stadium
2.40pm: AFLW Carl v Rich - Marvel Stadium
4.50pm: AFLW StK v Haw - Marvel Stadium
7pm: AFLW Ess v Coll - Marvel Stadium

And not only have 4 games at Marvel on the day, but tie it in with more Grand Final promotions at the venue, broadcasters can set up their own marquees, clubs/sponsors have autograph signing areas for women's and men's players, etc etc.

And that's just in Victoria. It's a pretty obvious thing to also have set fixtures (derbies ideally) on/around public holidays in NSW, SA & QLD (first Monday of October) + WA (last Monday of September).

The Cats hosting another Vic side on the Thursday and the other 8 Victorian sides playing the Friday public holiday and the non Victorian sides playing 4 matches amongst themselves on Sunday most likely works well.

I wouldn't necessarily stick with the same Friday matchup opponents and times each year as per the example above the Dogs would be excluded from the gala/festival of footy the other 8 sides get to experience.

 

[Teen Wolf]

I wouldn't necessarily stick with the same Friday matchup opponents and times each year as per the example above the Dogs would be excluded from the gala/festival of footy the other 8 sides get to experience.

Could share it around, but I have two other solutions:

Instead of playing at the MCG on Anzac Day, Carlton men's get to play Thursday night R1 vs Richmond every year. Extrapolating that to my example, the Dogs get the AFLW season opener every year to make up for not partaking in the Marvel quadruple header, I reckon.

There is also the possibility of just squeezing in 5 games at Marvel. Kicking off at the crack of noon then have 2.10pm, 4.20pm, 6.30pm and 8.40pm starts. All wrapped up by 10.30pm which is about when a standard men's Friday night game ends.